Helena police to host school resource officer training course

Helena police hosted a five-day school resource officer course at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, bringing a national training standard to 3645 S. Alice St. in Helena. The NASRO Basic SRO course was scheduled for July 13-17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with a $500 fee for NASRO members and $550 for non-members. Domingo Leveque-Zapata was listed as the contact at 406-457-8581 and dzapata@helenamt.gov.

The Montana Department of Justice lists the class as a 40-hour program meant to give attendees a solid working knowledge of the school resource officer concept and how to build a lasting partnership with schools. NASRO says the Basic School Resource Officer Course is designed for school resource officers, other law enforcement officers and school safety professionals, and it focuses on three core areas: functioning as a police officer in the school setting, serving as a resource and problem solver, and developing teaching skills.

The training fits into an existing school policing structure in Lewis and Clark County. County materials say the SRO program places law enforcement officers inside schools to provide a visible presence, ensure safety and build positive relationships with students and staff. The county’s SRO page lists assignments at East Helena High School, East Valley Middle School, Jim Darcey, Warren and Rossiter, showing that the role already reaches several campuses across the area.

Helena Public Schools says its partnership with local law enforcement is intended to support a safe learning environment, tying the district’s safety work to the county’s formal SRO framework. For families, that means the officers who move through school hallways, respond to problems and interact with students are being trained under a shared national model that emphasizes both enforcement and relationship-building. The course also gives parents and school staff a clearer picture of how SRO roles are being defined in Helena-area schools for the year ahead.