Roberto Tiburcio patrols the hallways as the new Student Resource Officer (SRO) at West Po. Officer Tiburcio has been working here for more than a month now, and is enjoying his time. As a School Resource Officer, his job is to help foster a safe and collaborative environment for students.

“I ensure you guys [students] feel protected, and I’m at your service for whatever you need, whenever you need,” Tiburcio said.

Many students might be confused about the difference between the roles of an SRO and the security staff.

According to the FCPS website, SROs are school officials intended to aid staff in matters where a threat to student safety exceeds the disciplinary functions of regular security staff. SROs patrol the school grounds to act as a “visible deterrent to crime.” On the other hand, the security staff at West Po work to enforce the code of conduct.

As someone who works in a school environment, Tiburcio understands the struggles students might be dealing with, and wants to be a trusted resource for them.

“You guys have your ups and downs, because it’s school. Everything is challenging, whether it’s home balance or school balance. So, if you seek feedback or advice, I’m here, because it might be new for you,” Tiburcio said.

When asked what his favorite part of West Po’s community is, Tiburcio said, “Diversity, it’s very diverse.”

West Po is a minority-majority school, with 42.59% of the student population being Hispanic or Latino. Tiburcio is bilingual and can speak both Spanish and English, which are the two dominant languages spoken at West Po.

“I can be approached by all English speakers and Spanish speakers,” Tiburcio said.
Tiburcio pursued many different career paths, including customer relations, volunteering, basketball coaching and being involved in technical fields. He’s entered this field as a SRO as a way to give back to the community.

Tiburcio values service and making the world a brighter place.

“[Being a SRO is] always about helping others, and being able to serve those who can’t take care of themselves,” Tiburcio said