One way that local governments and law enforcement agencies support safe school environments is through the assignment of School Resource Officers (SROs). These uniformed law enforcement officers are stationed in schools through agreements between school leaders and sheriffs or police chiefs. A 2024 change in state law makes clear that SROs can lawfully be assigned not only to traditional public schools and charter schools but also to private (nonpublic) schools—provided specific conditions are met. See Section 2.8A of S.L. 2024-1. This post outlines the legal authority, funding rules, and training requirements that apply across school types.
Legal Authority to Assign SROs
North Carolina law grants both county sheriffs and municipal police chiefs the authority to enter into agreements with schools to provide SROs. Sheriffs act under G.S. 162-26.5, and police chiefs under G.S. 160A-288.5. This authority is vested directly in the law enforcement official and does not require separate approval from the local governing board. That said, sheriffs and police chiefs must still operate within the financial appropriations set by their boards and may not authorize spending beyond those limits.
Agreements between law enforcement and schools must ensure that assigned officers meet the statutory definition of an SRO as outlined in G.S. 115C-105.58. Under this law, an SRO is a law enforcement officer assigned to one or more schools for at least 20 hours per week over a period longer than 12 weeks in a calendar year, and who complies with specific training requirements. The specific duties of the SRO are determined in the agreement but typically involve school safety, school security, emergency preparedness and response, and any other responsibilities assigned by the officer’s employer.
Schools Eligible to Receive SROs
The types of schools that may receive SROs are broadly defined. G.S. 115C-105.58 provides that SROs may be assigned to any public school that is part of a public school unit. This includes traditional local school administrative units (traditional public schools), charter schools, regional schools, schools operated by the University of North Carolina under Article 29A of Chapter 116, and schools for the deaf and blind operated under Article 9C of Chapter 115C. See G.S. 115C-5(7.5). Additionally, the statute authorizes the assignment of SROs to private (nonpublic) schools, including both religious and nonreligious institutions operating legally under state law. In short, law enforcement agencies may assign SROs to charter and private schools just as they do to traditional public schools—so long as a valid agreement is in place and the applicable funding and training requirements are satisfied.
Funding Rules Vary by School Type
The legal rules for funding SROs differ depending on whether the receiving school is public or private. For traditional public schools and charter schools, counties and municipalities may use general fund appropriations to pay for SRO services. They may choose to cover the full cost or to recover some or all the expense from the school through a formal agreement. Schools may also be eligible for support under the state’s SRO grant program, authorized by G.S. 115C-105.60. Regardless of the funding arrangement, sheriffs and police chiefs must remain within the appropriations made by their governing boards. While annual budget ordinances are adopted by department, function, or project—giving some flexibility—law enforcement officials may not authorize or incur expenditures beyond the amounts legally budgeted for SRO services.
For private (nonpublic) schools, the funding rules are more restrictive. SROs may be assigned only if the private school agrees to reimburse the local government for the full cost of the officer, including compensation, benefits, and related expenses. This requirement is codified in G.S. 162-26.5(b) for sheriffs and G.S. 160A-288.5(b) for police chiefs. In other words, local governments may not subsidize the cost of assigning SROs to private schools. The entire financial obligation must be borne by the private school through the terms of the agreement. In determining the appropriate contract cost, local governments may include a reasonable allocation of overhead and administrative expenses that are proportionally tied to the SRO function, such as supervision. G.S. 159-13(b)(20).
The county or municipality’s governing board is bound by the agreement it’s law enforcement agency executes with a nonpublic school. And any funds received from a nonpublic school for SRO services are legally earmarked and must be included in the local government’s adopted budget ordinance. Id. Further, in county government, although generally a board of county commissioners sets the number of salaried positions in the sheriff’s office (subject to a statutory minimum of two deputies), G.S. 153A-103(3) additionally guarantees each sheriff’s office the number of SROs required to satisfy any agreements entered into with nonpublic schools under G.S. 162‑26.5(b). (Note that the SRO position guarantee does not apply to agreements with traditional public schools or charters.)
Training Requirements for All SROs
All SROs—whether assigned to traditional public, charter, or private schools—must meet statewide training standards developed by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission. These standards are established in consultation with the Center for Safer Schools and the Department of Health and Human Services, as required by G.S. 115C-105.58(d).
The training requirements are designed to ensure that SROs are well-prepared to work effectively within school environments. Officers must complete specialized instruction in areas such as school law, adolescent development, de-escalation strategies, and mental health awareness. These components are essential to equipping officers not only to respond to safety threats, but also to support a positive and responsive school climate.
The 2024 change in law directs both commissions to amend their rules to reflect the expanded authority to assign SROs to nonpublic schools. Until those rule changes become effective, SROs assigned to private schools must meet the same training requirements that currently apply to those assigned to public schools. Specifically, these officers must satisfy the standards set forth in 12 NCAC 10B .0510 (for sheriffs’ deputies) and 12 NCAC 09B .0313 (for municipal officers). This ensures continuity in training expectations across school types while the commissions finalize any necessary rule amendments. (Note that it’s possible the new standards have already been adopted. I could not find reference to them. Let me know if I’ve missed something!)
