The following article and photos were released by Baltimore County Public School announcing their three 2025 School Resource Officers (SROs) of the Year.
Baltimore County Public Schools celebrated its 2025 School Resource Officers (SROs) ofthe Year during surprise ceremonies on May 13 and 19. The honorees are Officer Andrea Palmerino, Elementary School Resource Officer of the Year; Officer Randall Murphy, Middle School Resource Officer of the Year; and Officer Roy Mitchell, High School Resource Officer of the Year.
“BCPS is fortunate to have these exemplary SROs working alongside our teachers, administrators, and staff every day to keep our students safe and our schools welcoming and productive,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers.
“Not only are these SROs effective and caring peace officers, but they also serve as mentors and role models for our students. We owe them our gratitude and congratulations for being such important and positive resources for BCPS children and schools.”
Added Eric Knox, executive director of the BCPS Department of School Safety, “Officers Palmerino, Murphy, and Mitchell contribute in countless ways to their school communities. They are excellent representatives of the outstanding SROs found in our schools across the county. Every day, they bring professionalism, compassion, and intelligence to their work. Congratulations – and many thanks – to
them and to the partnership BCPS enjoys with the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) in our shared mission to support school safety.”
Officer Palmerino is a 27-year veteran of the BCPD and has served as an SRO for a decade. She is assigned to 13 southeast area schools: Battle Grove, Battle Monument, Bear Creek, Berkshire, Charlesmont, Chesapeake Terrace, Colgate, Dundalk, Edgemere, Grange, Logan, Norwood, and Sandy Plains elementary schools. In nominating Officer Palmerino, Principal Cheryl Brooks of Berkshire Elementary School wrote,
“Officer Palmerino goes far beyond what is expected in her role. She is a visible, consistent, and reassuring presence for staff, students, and families. Her support of staff concerns has made a significant difference in our day-to-day operations – from addressing parking lot safety and minor accidents, to providing a calm and constructive presence in meetings where tensions may run high, such as those involving custody or family disputes. Her ability to de-escalate and communicate clearly ensures that school expectations and student safety are always upheld.”
An SRO for the past 16 years, Officer Murphy is a 23-year veteran of BCPD, currently assigned to Deer Park Middle Magnet School. Assistant Principal Daniel Miller wrote,
“Officer Murphy is deeply committed to educating students about the role of police in society and addressing critical law enforcement-related issues. He delivers engaging and informative sessions on topics such as crime prevention and substance abuse recognition to our students. Through his approachable demeanor and relatable examples, he ensures students gain valuable knowledge while fostering trust and mutual respect. This is shown through engaging classroom lessons within various content areas, specifically within the health and physical education curriculum at Deer Park.”
Assigned to Dundalk High School, Officer Mitchell has spent eight of his 25 years on the police force asan SRO. In nominating him for this honor, Officers Andrew Minton and Dawn Abbene wrote,
“The students respect Officer Mitchell and how he is a positive role model they can look up to. Officer Mitchell often speaks to students about police-related topics and why police may respond to certain calls for service and how. Officer Mitchell loves to joke with students during class changes and lunch but also knows how to rein it back when dealing with more serious incidents. Students will stop by the SRO office looking specifically for Officer Mitchell when they have questions about laws and law enforcement or to talk about something that they observed or experienced outside of school.”
