This week, I announced the launch of the Hallway Heroes initiative ahead of the upcoming academic school year.

As the mother of a school-aged child, summers seem to fly by and we’re already preparing for the Fall. Our school resource officers and deputies are a vital part of our schools and help ensure the academic year goes smoothly.

Our Hallway Heroes initiative encourages students to get to know their officers and build bonds of trust—because when students feel comfortable enough with these officers, they can help us fight crime. For example, earlier this year at our Victim’s Rights Award Ceremony, I recognized Miami Beach Police School Resource Officer Hector Guzman.

A student confided in him about a substitute teacher who was sexually exploiting children at the school. This officer took quick action to gather more evidence, and shortly had the perpetrator in custody. Hearing stories like this inspired me to launch Hallway Heroes.

In this new campaign, age-appropriate posters can be placed in elementary, middle and high schools to encourage young students to befriend their school resource officers. At the middle and high school level, the signs will promote our statewide anonymous crime tipline, **TIPS. If teens have information about a crime that results in an arrest, they could be eligible for reward money.

As Attorney General, and the wife of a law enforcement officer, it’s extremely important to me to bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve—Hallway Heroes will do just that in our schools.

By encouraging students to turn to their school resource officers with possible information about dangerous activity, we can stop more crime and build a Stronger, Safer Florida.