The school resource officer program in Redwood City was first established in 1996 with a working agreement between RCPD and the Redwood City Elementary School District. The focus was in providing increased police officer services to the middle schools of Kennedy and McKinley. The School District paid for the patrol officers to work on an overtime basis for a total of 28 hours each week. RCPD typically hired four officers to handle this task and work for 7 hours each day on the school campuses. The newest agreement for the school year 2001-2002 between the School District and RCPD, states that the SRO positions will be equally funded by both agencies.

The school resource officer program for Sequoia High School began in September of 2000 with a working agreement between RCPD and the Sequoia Union High School District. The focus was again on providing increased police services to the high school. The School District and RCPD equally funded the SRO position for a full-time officer for 40 hours per week.

One of the goals of the SRO programs is to create a safer environment on campus for all the students and teachers. Duties of the SRO would include the investigation of criminal activity, counseling juveniles and their parents, early intervention with students that are identified as “At Risk”, truancy and tardiness issues, coordinating and attending special school functions, attending staff and teachers meetings, and maintaining a positive police presence with students and teachers.

The response from school staff on the success of the SRO programs at the middle schools and the high school has been very positive. The overall incidents of assaults and threats of violence on campus have been reduced.