The duties of a Safer Schools Officer in London

What exactly does an SSO do on a daily basis?

While every day differs for a Safer Schools Officer (SSO) depending on number of schools they have responsible for, here is a general overview of the daily activities they will be involved in, in London.

  • The day may start at a police station, unless there is a particular early morning issue to deal with at school, like early morning robbery patrols.
  • They will carry out checks to see if any crimes or intelligence have been recorded in relation to their school(s).
  • They will then travel to school on foot, by bicycle, public transport or in a police vehicle (this is rare).
  • They may have time to engage with young people and parents at the school gates in the morning.
  • When in school, the SSO will share information with the school to enhance the safety and safeguarding of pupils.
  • An SSO may deliver a presentation on a variety of subjects in an assembly or in a classroom (personal safety, property safety, robbery, sexting, online safety, consequences, etc.). They will also facilitate presentations from external agencies, other policing units and be involved in events like Safety First or Junior Citizen Scheme.
  • They may be involved in planned events, like Health days, and open evenings.
  • They may speak with pupils, upon request by the school, to nip issues in the bud to avoid escalation.
  • An SSO may be involved in return to school interviews, if required.
  • Crimes may be reported to the SSO if the school deem it necessary.
  • An SSO may obtain a statement from a victim of crime or witness, as long as the school agrees and it does not interfere with the pupils education.
  • They may complete a home visit with a member of school staff if necessary.
  • An SSO will attend school/multiagency meetings to discuss emerging issues and provide advice to the school.
  • They will make themselves available to engagement with pupils, schools staff and parents throughout the day.
  • The SSO will carry out after school patrols outside a school and/or in areas of high crime and places where pupils feel least safe. In many cases this will be done with school staff and should be intelligence-led.

There are many variations of activities carried out by SSOs. Their role is specialist and nuanced but can be described overall as crime prevention.

Author

Steven Sweeney BSc (Hons), MSc

Metropolitan Police Service, Frontline Policing Delivery Unit, Youth Policy Team