Safe Schools Initiative Division (SSID)
The Safe Schools Initiative Division (SSID) provides programs
and resources that assist in reducing violence and
violence-related behaviors in Arkansas schools. Formerly known
as the School Violence Resource Center, this Division continues
to take a pro-active approach to responding to crime and
violence, both on the school campus and within the community.
The Criminal Justice Institute has been awarded a grant from the
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented
Policing to support the Safe Schools Initiative Division’s
School Resource Officer (SRO) Program. The program’s primary
component offers basic and specialty school safety training
courses for school resource officers, school security officers,
and school personnel. The program courses to be offered may
include:
- Basic School Resource Officers
- Advanced School Resource Officers
- Drug Impairment Training for Educational Professionals
- School Safety Site Assessment
- Preventing and Responding to Weapons and Drugs on Campus
- Active Shooter
- Gang Identification and Prevention
- Anti-bullying
- Crisis Management Planning
- Detecting Deception
- Legal Issues Facing SROs and School Officials
- Search and Seizure Law Enforcement/Educator Roles
The Safe Schools Initiative Division, in conjunction with the
Arkansas Safe Schools Association, co-sponsors a statewide safe
school conference each year. This annual partnership is aimed at
providing cutting edge training in school safety and its newest
technologies to law enforcement, school administration, school
security or anyone that is responsible for school safety or
emergency response.
In addition to training, the SRO Program will develop an
Arkansas school resource officer program manual designed to
guide local law enforcement agencies and schools when
implementing their local SRO programs. Finally, the SRO Program
maintains a web-based resource clearinghouse of pertinent school
violence information and resources which may be visited at
www.arsafeschools.com.
Dropout Prevention Resource Database and Toolkit Project
The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation awarded the Criminal Justice
Institute a grant to develop and maintain a web-based dropout
prevention resource database that enables Arkansas schools to
develop proven strategies and programs aimed at reducing student
dropout rates. The database contains evidence-based model
programs featuring comprehensive information such as program
description, key outcomes, key strategies, risk factors,
targeted grades, resource needed, time required, and cost.
For more information about this program, please contact Larance Johnson (501-570-8084).

