School resource officer with Elizabeth Police Department gains credential
Elizabeth Police Officer Steven Herbel, the school resource officer at Elizabeth High School, has met the rigorous standards to become an SRO Practitioner through the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO).Herbel has been with the Elizabeth Police Department since 2020, and he gained his NASRO Practitioner status last month.The NASRO district that Colorado is part of also includes Wyoming, Utah, Montana and Idaho. Out of hundreds of SROs in those states, Officer Herbel has joined rare company and is the 45th NASRO Practitioner.The NASRO website notes that the Practitioner program aims “to recognize officers who have excelled in the area of school-based policing” and “are committed to serving our nation’s youth, along with the communities and schools they serve.”Herbel said he pursued becoming a NASRO Practitioner because of his passion for being an SRO. “I enjoy topics related to working in the schools, such as mental health, internet investigations and, of course, school safety,” he said. “I also enjoy spending time in classrooms, delivering presentations to students and staff about what I’ve learned through my experiences as a police officer.”One of the most important things Herbel learned is how to build strong relationships with school staff and students while effectively combining law enforcement with educational efforts. “The partnership between school officials and law enforcement is essential, and I aim to serve as a bridge between the Elizabeth School District and law enforcement to foster a safe and supportive environment for everyone,” he shared.Officer Steven Herbel at the Elizabeth Police Department at 425 Main St. Herbel is one of 45 National Association of School Resource Officers Practitioners out of hundreds of eligible SROs in the region. Credit: PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBYThe requirements to become a NASRO Practitioner are extensive. Herbel had to:• Serve as a School Resource Officer for a minimum of three years,• Complete a NASRO-approved 40-hour Basic School Resource Officer training course,• Complete a NASRO-approved 24-hour Advanced SRO course,• Complete an additional minimum of 160 hours of specialized training, which must be directly related to school safety and/or juvenile interactions and• Attend at least one NASRO School Safety Conference to further enhance his skills and knowledge in school-based policing.After meeting these requirements, officers still have to submit a formal application. Once approved, officers are recognized at the next annual National School Safety Conference.Herbel was sponsored by the Elizabeth School District and attended the 2024 NASRO Conference in Phoenix last summer. “At the conference,” he said, “I connected with SROs from around the world, listened to parents whose children were affected by school violence, and heard first responders share their experiences with school crises. These stories had a lasting impact on me.”“In addition,” he added, “I collaborate with SROs across the Denver metro area and have attended various training sessions, including school threat assessments, active shooter response, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training.”Achieving Practitioner status shows an officer’s commitment to keeping schools safe and fostering positive relationships with students. The program recognizes the vital role SROs play, elevates the officers and contributes to a safer, more supportive school environment across the country.For more information about NASRO, visit nasro.org.For more information about EPD, visit townofelizabeth.org/police.The post School resource officer with Elizabeth Police Department gains credential appeared first on Colorado Community Media.
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