With the return of police officers to Greater Victoria School District 61 this autumn, high school principal Heather Brown is one of the individuals excited to see them back.
Two years ago, the School Police Liaison Officer (SPLO) program was terminated by her school board in Saanich, B.C. While the administrator could still contact police in emergencies, she expressed missing the valuable connection she had with the SPLOs. Brown had previously collaborated with SPLOs to provide guidance and support to students involved in gang activities, a significant issue in her region. Together with family and community assistance, they successfully helped extract some teenagers from these situations.
However, in the absence of SPLOs, seeking police aid meant collaborating with individuals who did not have the same level of relationship with her or with the youth, as Brown highlighted.
Less than ten years ago, schools in numerous Canadian communities began scaling back programs that stationed police officers in their corridors. In some instances, this decision followed reports indicating that such programs made certain students feel uneasy and intimidated. Elsewhere, programs were discontinued due to lack of funding or resources.
Now, amidst reports of increased violence in schools, these programs are resurfacing or being reconsidered, eliciting both praise and criticism.
Chief Const. Dean Duthie of the Saanich Police Department emphasized that whether officers visit during sports events, deliver safety presentations, or engage in casual safety discussions in the hallways or on the playground, the primary objective is to build relationships.
Gregor Craigie speaks with Saanich PD Chief Dean Duthie about adding 25 more schools to his officers’ workload.
According to Duthie, these programs enable police to establish better relationships with students, aiming to build trust and confidence as it revolves around human connections. He acknowledged that some individuals may harbor fear and anxiety towards police officers or uniforms.
Critics Question ‘Relationship-Building’
Michelle Robinson, a parent from Calgary, doubts the depth of the connections forged through these programs.
“They are not consistently present at the school,” she remarked. “Moreover, they typically oversee multiple schools, hindering genuine relationship-building.”
