Sheriff, police describe expanded SRO training, new equipment and school partnerships

Kevin Bissett, SRO supervisor for the Nash County Sheriff's Office, told the Student Support Services committee that the sheriff's office has reworked its school resource officer program and increased training and tactical preparation.

The changes follow an internal review and national site visits, Bissett said, and include additional scenario-based simulations, specialized training with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's behavioral threat assessment unit and coordination with Trillium Health for mental-health support. "We were the first agency inside the country to actually go to Uvalde, Texas and speak with those individuals," Bissett said. "The knowledge and wealth was huge."

Why it matters: presenters framed the work as both safety preparedness and relationship-building. Officials said SROs also serve as mentors, coaches and de facto counselors who regularly interact with students outside formal disciplinary…