Reporting Abuse
Your Role As Mandated Reporter
Being an SRO places you in a unique position to recognize, respond to, and report sexual abuse as well as to support educators with their concerns regarding students.
One of the most important roles you have is that of a Mandated Reporter.
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires each state to have provisions or procedures for requiring certain individuals to report known or suspected instances of child abuse and neglect. As an SRO, you are a mandated reporter.
It is recommended that you have the Hotline number programmed in your phone as well as any other local resources.
Florida Hotline: 1-800-962-2873
Making A Report
Describe – Describe the situation clearly.
Share – Share any knowledge of previous incidents including the nature and extent.
Include – Include all reactions displayed by the child, including non-verbal cues.
Communicate – Communicate any sense of urgency regarding the child’s immediate safety.
Have the following information ready:
1.Name, date of birth, gender, race for all adults and children involved.
2.Addresses or another means to locate the subjects of the report, including current location.
3.Information regarding disabilities and/or limitations of the victim.
4.Relationship of the alleged perpetrator to the child.
In your role as School Resource Officer, it is important to be aware of and adhere to the statutes, rules, policies, and codes of ethics that guide your work. The content of this training is not intended to supersede or replace your legal and ethical requirements.