The School Resource Officer program (SRO) is a nationally accepted program involving the placement of Sworn Law Enforcement Officers within the educational environment. The Officer, while in school, is involved in a variety of functions aimed at prevention. Besides being an active high profile Law Enforcement Officer, the SRO is a resource for students, parents, teachers and administration regarding law issues. Another duty for the SRO is being a link to other service agencies which provide preventive and counseling services with the school district. Working hand in hand with the administrators in each school, the SRO assists with finding solutions to problems affecting school children of today.

Why Do We Have a School Resource Officer Program?

School districts nationwide have come to see the benefits of having a School Resource Officer on campus. While not a necessity, the presence of School Resource Officers has been proven to deter behavior that is not normally accepted by society. The SRO Program creates an environment that adds to the safety of our school campuses. The result is that when children feel safe about their learning environment, they are more likely to learn what it being taught.

Where Do School Resource Officers Patrol?

The Fullerton Union High School District, as well as the Fullerton School District recognizes the benefit of having a School Resource Officer assigned to their schools. Having an Officer that is familiar with how schools operate and the laws pertaining to the school environment is a benefit to the Districts, which rely on the SROs as a trusted member of their staff. As such, SROs are assigned to each of the District’s High Schools.

Who Are the School Resource Officers?

The Fullerton Police Department currently has three School Resource Officers, who are assigned to the following schools:

Fullerton Union High School
Officer Adan Munoz
(714) 773-5703
adan.munoz@fullertonpd.org 

Sunny Hills High School
Officer Gene Valencia
(714) 738-3129
gene.valencia@fullertonpd.org      

Troy High School and La Sierra/La Vista High School 
Officer Max Raj
(714) 738-3156
max.raj@fullertonpd.org

What Types of Crimes Do SROs Investigate?

Because the School Resource Officer is assigned to a specific school, they tend to be the first to become involved in any incident occurring on campus. For this reason, they serve in the role of report-taking, investigation, and enforcement of crimes occurring on campus and work alongside detectives from other bureaus when a crime requires additional investigation.

Both Fullerton School Districts and the Fullerton Police Department, are working together to confront problems our students must face now. By addressing these issues together and proactively we become increasingly effective. An SRO, if utilized correctly, should be the first line of defense against gangs, drugs, alcohol and violence in our schools.

SROs & the Juvenile Court System

The school resource officers investigate a large variety of juvenile delinquency or criminal cases involving juveniles in the school setting. These crimes, if committed by an adult, would be considered crimes. These cases are investigated objectively and then referred to the Orange County Superior Court Juvenile Division. The Juvenile Court has a broad authority in juvenile delinquency cases. The court can order children confined in locked facilities, such as detention halls, ranches, and the California Youth Authority. Whenever the court decides to remove a child from his or her home, placement and responsibility for that child is given to a governmental agency. In delinquency and status offense cases, that agency in Orange County is the Orange County Probation Department.

Orange County Juvenile Court is located at:

Lamoreaux Justice Center
341 The City Drive
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 935-7524