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When Duty Calls If you break it out, it's really easy and makes a lot more sense for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute. It's like the gold chain in the bottom of your jewelry box. Until you unknot it, it's useless." ■ Each situation is unique "You have to look at each situation on its own," says Slayton. "If you don't have access it's hard to track. A student might come to you with 13 pages saying, 'I'm being harassed,' but they only show one side of it. They've deleted their side. You have to look at both sides." ■ Get real Officers must remember the seriousness. "When they put up pages about a student or post a photo and other students make comments on it, it destroys lives," says Slayton. Aftab agrees. "It's not just name-calling." Cyberbullying and sexting continue to be a problem; it's not just sticks and stones. Technology allows kids to be meaner than any generation before. "For a Good Time Call…" on the bathroom wall is no longer limited to the few who go into the girls' bathroom, but thousands visiting cyberspace. Fortunately, by building relationships, sharing resources and having an understanding of laws and investigation techniques, officers can more readily handle these situations when they arise. In Aftab's polls she found only 5 percent of kids would go to their parents if they were targeted by a cyberbully. She also states that if an SRO is integrated and trusted, a child would be more likely to go to the officer for help. WiredSafety offers information on reporting cybercrimes. CLEO has an intake form for first responders to identify whether an officer should be handling an issue. Even if it does not involve a crime, Dann believes as it relates to the SRO program, cyberbullying is always a police issue. "It might not be a criminal matter," he states. "But, it is exactly the stuff we should be dealing with. In my opinion, that's exactly why we're in the schools." ■ Send me COMBAT DEPLOYED · DUTY READY · XM - 1 FOLDER www.ontarioknife.com · Toll Free: 800 - 222 - 5233 Circle 51 on Reader Service Card Michelle Perin has been a freelance writer since 2000. In December 2010, she earned her Master's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Indiana State University. Circle 52 on Reader Service Card