The Last Line of Defense: Why School Resource Officers Are Needed Now More Than Ever with Clyde Boatwright

Baltimore is a cautionary tale of when anti-police rhetoric, activist judges, and rogue prosecutors collide. The “charm city” currently has some of the highest murder and violent crimes rates of any city in the country. However, this hasn’t stopped the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore City School Police Force from suiting up and showing up every day to serve their communities.  On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Clyde Boatwright, a police sergeant with the Baltimore City School Police Force, its union president, and the President of the Maryland State FOP. As a former school resource officer, National President Yoes dives into the critical role school resource officers play and discusses with the President Boatwright the need for law enforcement officers in our public schools.   00:00 – Intro 00:43 – About Clyde Boatwright 01:40 – The Atmosphere in Baltimore 05:05 – The Role of the Baltimore City School Police 09:45 – Should We Have Law Enforcement Officers in Schools? 15:25 – How School Resource Officers Curb Crime 19:43 – Lowering the Temperature in Communities 23:22 – Correcting Bad Behavior Early 30:51 – The Recruitment and Retention Crisis 34:30 – Final Thoughts