School Resource Officer Program

The Ashland Police Division and the Ashland City Schools are cooperating in a program that will enhance the cooperation, respect, safety and education of our students by combining the functions of law enforcement and education in our schools. In October, 2000, we accepted a three year “COPS in schools” grant from the US Department of Justice that enabled us to place one School Resource Officer (SRO) in the school system.

Patrol Officer Josh Welch is currently assigned as the School Resource Officer. He may be contacted at the Ashland Police Division or at Ashland High School.

The SRO will spend most of his time at the Ashland High School and Ashland Middle School but will rotate through elementary schools in the District on a regular basis.

The School Resource Officer's roles in the schools are as follows:

• Law enforcement officer: The SRO's primary purpose is to "keep the peace" in the schools to which he is assigned.
• Law-related counselor: The SRO provides guidance on law-related issues to students and act as a link to support services both inside and outside the school environment. 
• Law-related education: The SRO is a teacher who provides schools with an additional educational resource by sharing their expertise in the classroom.

In the 10 school years that the program has been in place, it has been considered a resounding success!