Starting November 1, School District 45 will have a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO) from the Villa Park Police Department to serve our learning community.
The SRO promotes safety in our schools and works closely with District administrators to maintain a safe environment for all. Officer Joe Bastian will be primarily stationed between our two middle schools but is available to serve across our District to support our schools.
“I’m just very excited to join District 45, and I’m looking forward to being able to help and positively impact students,” said Officer Bastian. “I know it will be positive for our kids, the District and our community.”
Officer Bastian has served in the Villa Park Police Department for over five years. During this time, he served in various specialty roles, including Juvenile Officer, Crisis Intervention Officer, Evidence Technician, and as part of the Village’s Strategic Response Group.
As an SRO, Officer Bastian has undergone specialized training to work with youth in a school setting, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training. Joe believes his training will go a long way in connecting with youth and helping students feel comfortable interacting with him. He will also have continued education opportunities to further grow as an SRO.
Joe says his primary goal is to develop and nurture positive relationships with students and staff to promote a strong sense of community. He will also focus on promoting safety, monitoring concerns, and providing feedback on ways to improve our plans and procedures.
Officer Bastian will provide support to our students and staff. He will also provide education assistance programs on topics such as online safety and social media awareness.
As Officer Bastian begins his role, he wants students to see him as a consistent and trusted adult in their everyday lives so they feel comfortable working with him in times of need or an emergency — or even just to say hi.
Officer Bastian grew up in Lombard. When he’s not working, Joe loves the outdoors. He enjoys hiking, golf, working out and playing softball. Joe’s favorite sports to watch are hockey and baseball. He’s a Blackhawks fan and roots for the White Sox.
“I’m just very excited to join District 45, and I’m looking forward to being able to help and positively impact students,” said Officer Bastian. “I know it will be positive for our kids, the District and our community.”
The Role of the School Resource Officer (SRO)
It’s important to know that the SRO is not a school disciplinarian. Violations of the student code of conduct or school rules that are not criminal matters are handled by school faculty and staff, not the SRO.
The SRO does not intervene unless a situation involves criminal conduct or poses an imminent threat to the health, safety, and security of a student or others.
As SRO, Officer Bastian’s responsibilities are multifaceted and typically include things like:
- Developing and maintaining relationships with the District 45 community to support school safety efforts
- Being visible throughout the District as an agent of school safety
- Meeting regularly with District administrators about school safety issues
- Participating in school safety drills
- Providing educational assistance programs based on the needs of our students
- Participating on the District’s safety assessment team and contributing to updates on the District’s Crisis Team