The City of Obetz Police Department is accepting applications for the position of School Resource Officer assigned to Hamilton Local Schools.
This is an outstanding opportunity for a professional, mature, and community-oriented law-enforcement officer to serve in one of the most important public-safety roles in the community. The School Resource Officer will work directly with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and police personnel to help maintain a safe, secure, and positive school environment.
The ideal candidate will understand that a School Resource Officer is more than a police presence in a school. The position requires sound judgment, patience, communication skills, restraint, approachability, and the ability to build trust with students while maintaining the authority, professionalism, and accountability expected of an Obetz police officer.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position is a minimum of $72,280 annually, with the potential for higher compensation depending on experience, qualifications, training, and prior law-enforcement service.
The City of Obetz offers outstanding benefits, including competitive pay, excellent insurance benefits, retirement benefits, paid leave, training opportunities, and other benefits available to City employees and sworn police officers.
Position Summary
The School Resource Officer serves as a sworn police officer assigned to Hamilton Local Schools through the City of Obetz Police Department. The officer’s primary responsibilities include promoting school safety, preventing and responding to criminal activity, supporting emergency preparedness, building positive relationships with students and staff, and serving as a trusted law-enforcement partner within the school community.
The School Resource Officer must be able to distinguish between school discipline matters and criminal conduct. School discipline remains the responsibility of school officials. The SRO’s role is to respond appropriately to criminal activity, safety threats, emergencies, and public-safety concerns while supporting a safe and orderly learning environment.
Essential Duties
The School Resource Officer will:
- Provide a visible, professional, and approachable law-enforcement presence at Hamilton Local Schools.
- Help maintain a safe and secure environment for students, staff, visitors, and school events.
- Build positive relationships with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.
- Respond to criminal activity, threats, emergencies, disturbances, and public-safety incidents occurring on or near school property.
- Use sound judgment to distinguish between school discipline issues and criminal conduct.
- Work cooperatively with school administrators while maintaining law-enforcement independence and responsibility.
- Assist with school safety planning, emergency response planning, lockdown procedures, drills, threat assessments, and crisis response.
- Provide law-related education, safety presentations, and informal guidance when appropriate.
- Help identify and address safety concerns involving violence, weapons, drugs, bullying, threats, truancy-related issues, and other matters affecting students.
- Prepare complete, accurate, and timely reports.
- Testify in court or juvenile proceedings when required.
- Communicate effectively with parents, school officials, police supervisors, prosecutors, juvenile authorities, and other agencies.
- Use de-escalation, conflict-resolution, and developmentally appropriate communication techniques.
- Protect constitutional rights and apply law-enforcement authority fairly, consistently, and professionally.
- Attend school functions, athletic events, community events, and meetings as assigned.
- Perform other duties assigned by the Chief of Police or designee.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must:
- Be a certified Ohio peace officer, or be eligible for certification as required by law.
- Possess a valid Ohio driver’s license.
- Be legally authorized to carry a firearm and perform law-enforcement duties.
- Have no disqualifying criminal history.
- Be able to pass all required background checks, interviews, physical examinations, psychological examinations, drug screening, and other pre-employment requirements.
- Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrate maturity, good judgment, emotional control, and professionalism.
- Be willing and able to work around children and young adults in a school environment.
- Be willing to complete all required School Resource Officer training.
- Be willing to work school hours, special events, evenings, weekends, and emergency callouts as assigned.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred applicants will have:
- Prior law-enforcement experience.
- Prior experience working with youth, schools, families, or community programs.
- School Resource Officer training through OPOTA, NASRO, OSROA, or another approved provider.
- Training or experience in juvenile law, school safety, de-escalation, crisis intervention, special-needs interactions, threat assessment, emergency management, or community policing.
- A demonstrated record of professionalism, patience, discretion, credibility, and sound decision-making.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The successful candidate must be able to:
- Communicate clearly and calmly with students, parents, school staff, and police personnel.
- Exercise discretion and restraint in a school setting.
- Recognize the difference between misconduct requiring school discipline and conduct requiring law-enforcement action.
- Use de-escalation and problem-solving before enforcement when appropriate.
- Maintain confidentiality of student, school, law-enforcement, and investigative information.
- Work independently while remaining accountable to the Police Department chain of command.
- Maintain trust with school officials without compromising law-enforcement duties.
- Serve as a positive role model for students.
- Prepare clear, accurate, and legally sound reports.
- Respond quickly and effectively to critical incidents.
Work Environment
The School Resource Officer will primarily work in and around school buildings, school grounds, athletic facilities, and school-sponsored events. The position requires frequent interaction with students, parents, educators, visitors, and public-safety personnel.
The officer may be exposed to stressful situations, emergencies, confrontations, threats, medical incidents, juvenile investigations, and other law-enforcement conditions.
Application Process
Interested applicants should submit:
- Completed City employment application
- Resume
- Cover letter
- OPOTA certification or proof of eligibility
- Copies of relevant training certificates, if available
Applications should be submitted to:
City of Obetz Police Department
4175 Alum Creek Drive, Obetz, OH 43207
Mike Confer – Chief of Police | mconfer@obetz.gov
614-491-3211
Application deadline: July 8, 2026
Selection Process
The selection process may include:
- Application review
- Oral interview
- Background investigation
- Review of training, experience, and disciplinary history
- Psychological and medical evaluation
- Drug screening
- Final appointment in accordance with applicable law, City policy, and Police Department requirements
Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Obetz is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Closing Statement
The City of Obetz Police Department is seeking a School Resource Officer who can protect students, support educators, build trust, prevent problems before they escalate, and represent the City, the Police Department, and Hamilton Local Schools with professionalism and integrity every day.
