The Morristown Police Department is dedicated to assisting our school system in providing a safe environment for students.

In addition to walkthroughs and traffic patrols, the MPD has four full-time school resource officers (SRO) located in various schools.  Two full-time officers are primarily assigned to Morristown-Hamblen High School East and Morristown-Hamblen High School West.  Two full-time officers are also assigned to the four middle schools in Hamblen County; they also help patrol officers doing walkthroughs of elementary schools. 

Personnel assigned to the School Resource Officer Program, along with being certified police officers, must complete state approved specialized training.  Officers must maintain certification in order to serve as a school resource officer.

The school resource program was implemented during the 1998 school year. The purpose is to provide a safe learning environment for our youth and to serve as a liaison between the student population and the Morristown Police Department.  The program also serves as an educational and information resource for the staff of the school system.

The school resource officer’s main objective is to deal with issues of violence that affect our families and community.  These officers are also assigned cases that involve students such as drug use and theft.  In 2016, a Morristown Police Department SRO helped recover two stolen vehicles; at the time the suspects were believed to have been involved in three home burglaries.  School resource officers have also helped with the drug epidemic.  In 2016, there were several drug arrests made on school grounds.  They are the first responders for any threat at the schools.

The MPD is grateful to have officers who step-up and work with our future community leaders.  Not only do they build relationships with our students, they work diligently with school leaders to maintain and update school safety procedures.