The short answer
A school safety or private campus security officer should perform duties defined by the school’s risk assessment, emergency plan, governing policies, and the officer’s legal status. Common private-security functions include visible campus presence, visitor and vendor procedures, perimeter and parking patrols, monitoring assigned entrances, reporting safety concerns, supporting drills, documenting incidents, and promptly contacting administrators or emergency responders.
What to know
Terminology matters. NASRO defines a school resource officer as a sworn law-enforcement officer assigned by a law-enforcement agency, not a private security guard. Arizona law is also specific: for the state School Safety Program, a school resource officer is a qualifying peace officer, reserve peace officer, or eligible retired peace officer assigned by a law-enforcement agency; a school safety officer is a school resource officer working off duty. A privately employed DPS-registered guard is not automatically either role. Arrow and the school should describe each person by the credential, employer, and authority the person actually holds.
Post orders should clarify student interactions, discipline boundaries, searches, parent access, disability accommodations, mandatory reporting, records, emergency communication, and coordination with local police. School administrators—not private officers—remain responsible for educational discipline unless law and policy assign a specific role. Before publishing or contracting, Arrow and the school should use exact titles and verify every officer’s licensing, training, and authority.