2015 Indiana Code TITLE 20. EDUCATION ARTICLE 26. SCHOOL CORPORATIONS: GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS CHAPTER 18.2. SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
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IC 20-26-18.2
Chapter 18.2. School Resource Officers
IC 20-26-18.2-1
"School resource officer"
Sec. 1. (a) As used in this chapter, "school resource officer" means
an individual who:
(1) has completed the training described in subsection (b);
(2) is assigned to one (1) or more school corporations or charter
schools to:
(A) assist the school safety specialist with the development
and implementation of the school safety plan as provided in
section 2 of this chapter; and
(B) carry out any additional responsibilities assigned to the
school resource officer under the employment engagement,
contract, or memorandum of understanding and to:
(i) protect against outside threats to the physical safety of
students;
(ii) prevent unauthorized access to school property; and
(iii) secure schools against violence and natural disasters;
and
(3) is:
(A) employed by a law enforcement agency;
(B) appointed as a police reserve officer (as described in
IC 36-8-3-20) or as a special deputy (as described in
IC 36-8-10-10.6) if the police reserve officer or special
deputy:
(i) is subject to the direction of the sheriff or appointing
law enforcement agency;
(ii) is required to obey the rules and orders of the sheriff's
department or appointing law enforcement agency;
(iii) is required to complete all training required of regular
full-time law enforcement officers employed by the
sheriff's department or appointing law enforcement
agency; and
(iv) may be removed by the sheriff or appointing law
enforcement agency at any time, with or without cause; or
(C) a school corporation police officer appointed under
IC 20-26-16-3.
(b) Before being appointed as a school resource officer, an
individual must have:
(1) successfully completed the minimum training requirements
established for law enforcement officers under IC 5-2-1-9; and
(2) received at least forty (40) hours of school resource officer
training through:
(A) the Indiana law enforcement training board established
by IC 5-2-1-3;
(B) the National Association of School Resource Officers; or
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(C) another school resource officer training program
approved by the Indiana law enforcement training board.
(c) Training described in subsection (b)(2) must include
instruction regarding skills, tactics, and strategies necessary to
address the special nature of:
(1) school campuses; and
(2) school building security needs and characteristics.
As added by P.L.172-2013, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.30-2014, SEC.2.
IC 20-26-18.2-2
Employment of school resource officer; duties
Sec. 2. (a) A school resource officer may be employed:
(1) by one (1) or more school corporations or charter schools
through a contract between a local law enforcement agency and
the school corporation or school corporations or the charter
school or charter schools;
(2) by one (1) or more school corporations or charter schools;
(3) by a local law enforcement agency that assigns the school
resource officer to one (1) or more school corporations or
charter schools through a memorandum of understanding
between the local law enforcement agency and the school
corporation or school corporations or the charter school or
charter schools; or
(4) through a contract between an Indiana business that employs
persons who meet the qualifications of a school resource officer
and the school corporation or school corporations or the charter
school or charter schools.
(b) A contract or memorandum of understanding entered into
under subsection (a) must state the nature and scope of a school
resource officer's duties and responsibilities. A school resource
officer's duties and responsibilities include the duty to assist the
school corporation's school safety specialist with the development
and implementation of a school safety plan that does the following:
(1) Protects against outside threats to the physical safety of
students.
(2) Prevents unauthorized access to school property.
(3) Secures schools against violence and natural disasters.
(c) A school resource officer shall consult with local law
enforcement officials and first responders when assisting the school
corporation's school safety specialist in the development of the school
safety plan.
As added by P.L.172-2013, SEC.7.
IC 20-26-18.2-3
School resource officer's police powers
Sec. 3. (a) A school resource officer may:
(1) make an arrest;
(2) conduct a search or a seizure of a person or property using
the reasonable suspicion standard;
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(3) carry a firearm on or off school property; and
(4) exercise other police powers with respect to the enforcement
of Indiana laws.
(b) A school resource officer has jurisdiction in every county
where the school corporation or charter school engaging the officer
operates a school or where the school corporation or charter school's
students reside. This subsection does not restrict the jurisdiction that
a school resource officer may possess due to the officer's employment
by a law enforcement agency.
As added by P.L.172-2013, SEC.7.
Indiana Code 2015
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