ADE Extends Partnership with Off Duty Management
Scroll to learn more about how we’re partnering with the Arizona Department of Education to protect schools with uniformed off-duty School Safety Officers (SSO) through 2026.
Recognizing Valor in Action
Off Duty Management’s president, Brian Manley, proudly honored Officer William Bonanno for his swift and decisive action that prevented a tragedy at Legacy Traditional School in Tucson, Arizona, by arresting a man who intended to harm children.
Officer Bonanno was celebrated at an event in Tucson, where he received the Off Duty Management Valor in Action award for his life-saving response. Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, also presented him with a Certificate of Commendation for his bravery.
At Off Duty Management, we are dedicated to filling grant-funded SSO positions, lightening the load for schools while creating safer environments for both students and educators. Learn more about our SSO Program.
Arizona Department of Education Press Release
Heroic Tucson PD School Safety Officer honored by Supt. Horne
Addressing the Surge in School Threats
The alarming rise in violent incidents and school shootings underscores the urgent need for enhanced security measures in our educational institutions.
• School shootings surged 124% from 2020 to 2022
• 50 school shootings in 2024 to date
• Violent incidents have increased 300% over the last 8 years
In response to rising concerns about school safety, districts are deploying School Safety Officers to enhance campus security. While these measures cannot fully eliminate threats, they are vital for reducing incidents and supporting educators.
Cross-jurisdictional Solution for School Safety Officers
Through our experience in assisting law enforcement agencies with staffing challenges, we realized that our approach could be adapted to support school districts as well. Many communities face a shortage of local officers, complicating the assignment of dedicated school safety officers. To address this, Off Duty Management employs a strategy of cross-jurisdictional resource sharing, enabling us to help more school districts secure the safety personnel they need.
We have tailored our strategy to meet schools’ specific needs, ensuring they receive essential support to safeguard their communities. Our partnership with the Arizona Department of Education allowed us to implement this approach, resulting in an extended contract with Off Duty Management through 2026.
Our partnership with Off Duty Management is a vital part of ensuring safety. It is proving to be a successful, effective public-private partnership and the first of its kind in the nation.
Tom Horne
State Superintendent, Arizona Department of Education
Innovative Technology for Enhanced Security
Our OfficerTRAK® software and mobile app streamlines scheduling for officers to take on off-duty roles as School Safety Officers in participating Arizona school districts. We’ve trained over 700 eligible officers in Arizona, and OfficerTRAK® also enables school district leaders to maintain control over policies and procedures by allowing them to:
• Leverage publishing and distribution tool
• Manage preferences, schedules and bid processes
• Access optional geo-fencing features
• Create customized reports on-demand
• Track assignments and communicate for safe job execution.
Off Duty Management’s services cater to both officers and agencies. We understand how to effectively manage off-duty assignments, helping school districts implement policies and oversight while providing protection without straining their resources.
In the News
A Tucson police officer’s heroism dealing with an armed man at a charter school…
Supt. Tom Horne extends ADE partnership with Off Duty Management through 2026
Superintendent Tom Horne honored Officer Will Bonanno on Friday for his quick …
Supt. Tom Horne unveils new program that will help fill campus law enforcement…
FAQs
How does the Off Duty Management program schedule off-duty officers to serve as School Safety Officers?
Through our OfficerTRAK® scheduling platform, vacant School Safety Officer (SSO) shifts are circulated to all qualified and available officers as identified by their local law enforcement entity. Officers use the OfficerTRAK® app to review shift details, accept shifts, clock in and out, communicate with the program coordinator, and many other functions.
How does the program address the challenges of cross-jurisdictional sharing among law enforcement agencies?
Off Duty Management can easily assign officers from multiple agencies to fill School Safety Officer (SSO) shifts. If the primary law enforcement agency within a school district is unable to provide an officer for an SSO shift, other agencies that partner with the primary agency (back-up agencies) are also available to fill those shifts. If the back-up agency is not contracted with Off Duty Management, the back-up officers will be covered under the Master Service Agreement in place with the primary agency. All protections provided to the primary agency’s officers also extend to the back-up agency’s officers.
Can private schools participate in the program?
Private schools awarded funding through the Arizona Department of Education can access our program in the same manner as public schools.
How do individual officers sign up to work these off-duty jobs?
First, an officer must be approved to work in the School Safety Officer (SSO) program by the appropriate law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction. Once approved, the officer will use our industry-leading mobile app, OfficerTRAK®, to access and sign up for available shifts. Only approved officers will be able to work School Safety Officer (SSO) shifts.
Do officers need to meet specific criteria or qualifications to participate in this program?
Yes, the Arizona Department of Education has a designated curriculum officers must successfully complete to be eligible for School Safety Officer (SSO) shifts. Additionally, each officer’s primary agency must approve participation in the program. Off Duty Management does not establish the qualifications or criteria of the program. We implement and adhere to the rules established by the Arizona Department of Education and local participating agencies.
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