Armed officers will be deployed full-time to keep watch of six public high schools hoping to provide a boost to school safety and make learning a priority. The Guam Police Department as launched the School Resource Officer program in collaboration with the Guam Department of Education.

In an effort to boost school safety, GPD officers will be stationed at the designated schools as SROs. Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio told KUAM News, "We’ve all seen the reports in the last couple of years– riots at schools, at lunchtime and breaks. So we are there to be able to try to stop these incidents before they occur."

The high schools getting the armed police officers are George Washington, Okkodo, Southern, and Tiyan, along with Simon Sanchez and John F. Kennedy - both in double-session at the Upper Tumon campus.

Police Officer II Miguel Castigador said, "We’re excited to be at the schools", as he's assigned to GW in Mangilao. He says they’ve already been making their presence known at the schools, adding, "We already have an administrative approach, first going to the school, talking to the staff and teachers. And actually being present where students are around, saying hi and saying good morning, what are their hobbies and what do they like to do. One of the students approached me and asked me, ‘sir, why are you here?’ That’s one of the questions they’ll ask us."

When students see these men and women in blue, the hope is they’ll be reminded that learning is the priority when they walk in those doors.

GDOE superintendent Dr. Kenneth Swanson said, "It really is a real part of the environment when we know we have an officer present. It’s like when you look in the rearview mirror and say, ‘oh, I better check my speed.’ And we have a few people that need to check their speed to be sure."

Swanson adds it’s also about building trust and confidence in the community, noting, "Our kids are watching all of us. They take their cue from how we behave. At the same time, the added ability to be able to respond in a dangerous situation is something that I think is a great step forward."

Public schools haven’t had SROs since the program ended under the Judiciary in 2019. (SROs were not armed back then.)

Chief Ignacio says these officers will be trained to the National Association of School Resource Officers course, ensuring they have the necessary skills and knowledge for school-based policing. "We’ve been sending them through refresher trainings and some new training to make sure that we use force judiciously and appropriately understanding that we are in a very different environment and now working with minors," he explained.

Acting Governor Josh Tenorio adds their presence will also help “identify and respond to victims of crime," saying, "Many of our children and students are victims of crime sometimes in their own home and sometimes in the hands of people who are trusted. So having access to law enforcement officers on campus is going to help us in that mandated mission."

The SRO program costs $1.5 million that was appropriated to GPD from the General Fund. Swanson says the program is critical and hopes it will be sustainable.