NASRO and Grey Group Launch Advanced School Resource Officer Training for Active Threat Response
Grey Group and the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) are proud to announce a strategic partnership to deliver advanced School Resource Officer (SRO) training focused on preparing officers for active threat response inside school environments.
As school safety challenges continue to evolve, specialized School Resource Officer training, active threat response training, and school safety preparation are critical to ensuring SROs are ready to respond effectively in the complex environments they protect every day.
This partnership combines NASRO’s national leadership in school-based law enforcement training and school safety with Grey Group’s expertise in reality-based law enforcement and tactical training to introduce the S.R.O. Tactical Assailant Response (S.T.A.R.) course.
NASRO is widely recognized as the leading authority in School Resource Officer professional development and school safety training, supporting law enforcement officers who serve in educational communities across the United States.
Grey Group is a nationally respected provider of law enforcement tactical training, delivering advanced instruction to law enforcement agencies, security professionals, and public safety organizations.
Together, these organizations are working to strengthen School Resource Officer training and school safety nationwide.
Advanced Training Built for the Real Dynamics of Schools
The S.R.O. Tactical Assailant Response (S.T.A.R.) course is a three-day School Resource Officer training program designed specifically to prepare SROs to respond to active assailant threats in school environments.
Unlike traditional active shooter training designed for patrol officers, the S.T.A.R. course focuses on the unique realities School Resource Officers face daily, including:
- Crowded hallways and stairwells
- Classrooms and administrative offices
- School common areas filled with students
- Parking lots and vehicle areas
- Transitions between indoor and outdoor environments
Because School Resource Officers are often the first law enforcement officer on scene, the training emphasizes solo-officer response tactics, threat isolation, and precision engagement in crowded environments.
Using Reality-Based Behavior Conditioning (RBBC®), tactical instruction, and force-on-force scenarios, officers develop the decision-making and performance skills needed to respond effectively in rapidly evolving situations.
Two Years of Testing and Development
Over the past two years, the S.T.A.R. course has been tested and refined through multiple training deliveries in two different regions of the country. The program was developed and delivered through collaboration between Grey Group instructors and NASRO leadership to ensure the training addresses the real operational needs of School Resource Officers.
This extensive testing process allowed instructors to refine tactics, validate learning objectives, and ensure the program prepares officers for the unique tactical challenges of school environments.
Training Outcomes for School Resource Officers
The S.T.A.R. course focuses on preparing officers to:
- Analyze active threat trends and officer safety data
- Apply de-escalation and use-of-force decision-making
- Execute solo-officer active assailant response tactics
- Manage stress and decision-making under pressure
- Reduce friendly fire risks involving responding officers or armed civilians
- Coordinate effectively with arriving law enforcement responders
The goal is to equip School Resource Officers with the skills, mindset, and tactical awareness needed to protect students and staff during critical incidents.
Feedback From Officers in the Course
Officers who have completed the training consistently emphasize the value of SRO-specific active threat training.
One officer wrote: “The course used real statistical data to highlight critical lessons and pushed officers to anticipate threats beyond traditional training—especially open-area attacks and officer ambush scenarios that patrol officers may not normally train for.”
Another participant noted: “This is the type of training School Resource Officers need but rarely get. Most programs focus on general active shooter response, but this course addresses the real dynamics inside schools—crowded hallways, students everywhere, and making split-second decisions. I haven’t seen another course teaching this level of SRO-specific material.”
One officer summarized the impact of the program: “Every School Resource Officer should attend this course. It’s the most relevant training I’ve seen for protecting students and responding to real threats inside a school.”
Strengthening School Safety Through Partnership
As threats facing schools continue to evolve, partnerships between organizations focused on school safety and law enforcement training are essential.
The collaboration between NASRO and Grey Group represents an important step forward in delivering advanced School Resource Officer training and active threat response preparation for officers assigned to protect school communities.
Together, the organizations remain committed to equipping School Resource Officers with the training, tactics, and decision-making skills needed to safeguard students, educators, and communities nationwide.
Agencies interested in hosting the S.R.O. Tactical Assailant Response (S.T.A.R.) course can learn more about Grey Group tactical training programs here: NARSO STAR.
