Alamo Heights ISD says 5 school resource officers placed after 2023 law; police chief outlines role and training

Alamo Heights Independent School District said in an "On Location" segment that it has placed five school resource officers (SROs) through a partnership with the Alamo Heights Police Department to meet 2023 legislation that requires an SRO on each campus.

The district spokesperson said the partnership with the Alamo Heights Police Department and the leadership of Chief Pruitt were key to finding "the best candidates on each one of the campuses." The district did not provide the legislative citation or further funding details during the segment.

Chief Pruitt, chief of the Alamo Heights Police Department, described the officers as officers who receive the same training as patrol officers and who also work in patrol when they are not assigned to campus. "The 5 SROs we have now — I think they're second to none," he said. He added that when SROs are not on campus they "are out in patrol doing the same job as the other officers," and said they are "trained to the same level."

Pruitt said SROs are not responsible for routine student discipline. "We don't handle any — chewing gum or being late for class — that's not our realm at all," he said, adding the role is focused on maintaining a presence on campus, deterring intruders and protecting students. He also said he has worked as an SRO for about seven years and that the position is a personal calling; he noted his college degree in criminal justice.

The district spokesperson thanked Chief Pruitt and city leaders for supporting the partnership and the selection process for the SROs. The segment did not include further details about how the SROs are funded, whether SROs will cover extracurricular events, or the names of the individual officers.

No formal board actions, votes or policy changes were announced during the segment.