School Resource Officers in Arizona Schools: What Parents Need to Know

By Attorney Caitlin Engstrand – National Injury Attorneys

When your child walks into school each day, you expect them to be supported, guided, and protected. But in many schools across Arizona and the United States, School Resource Officers (SROs) play a role most parents don’t fully understand. While the intention behind SRO programs is often to maintain safety, the practical impact on students, especially during moments of crisis, can be very different.

And for more than 10 years, Attorney Caitlin Engstrand has worked directly with youth and families facing school-based police interactions. She has helped students accused of misconduct, questioned without a parent, searched, detained, or even charged with crimes stemming from situations that began inside a classroom.

Because of this experience, Caitlin has seen firsthand how confusing these interactions can be, not only for students, but for parents who are often left feeling powerless and blindsided

Meet Attorney Caitlin Engstrand

For over a decade, Caitlin has represented juveniles and families in cases involving:

• School-based arrests

• Questioning of minors without parental presence

• SRO involvement in bullying, fights, or mental health crises

• Juvenile court proceedings

• Parent advocacy during investigations

• School disciplinary hearings and appeals

Her approach is rooted in compassion and student-centered advocacy, ensuring that children are treated fairly and that parents are empowered to protect their child’s rights.

“A school is not just a place for academic learning, it’s where emotional, social, and identity development happens. Children should not be treated like adult criminal suspects inside their classrooms.”

– Attorney Caitlin Engstran

Why Understanding SROs Matters

Many families are unaware that SROs are fully empowered law enforcement officers, not school counselors or child behavioral specialists.

Students may trust or confide in an SRO, not realizing that:

• Anything they say may be used against them.

• SROs can legally question, detain, search, and arrest inside the school.

• Children have fewer constitutional rights at school than in public.

This misunderstanding can turn what could have been a supportive moment into a legal or disciplinary situation with long-term consequences.

Download the Free Parent Resource

To help families better understand the role of SROs, Caitlin has prepared a free printable handout you can keep, share with educators, or discuss with your child.

➡️ Download the SRO Parent Resource Handout

Click to Download the PDF

This handout explains:

• What SROs are

• What they can and cannot do

• How students’ rights are different at school

• What parents should tell their children ahead of tim

  If Your Child Has Been Questioned or Disciplined at School

  Do not try to navigate this alone. Early legal guidance can prevent long-term harm to your child’s record, education, and mental well-being.

  Call Us 24/7

  📞 602-777-3333
  🌐 CallNational.com

  National Injury Attorneys
  Protecting Children. Supporting Families. Defending Futures.