Pubdate: Thu, 02 Sep 2004
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 Kamloops Daily News
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/679
Author: Susan Duncan, A Daily News editorial by Susan Duncan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

POLICE PROGRAM HAS POTENTIAL

There is merit to a school district plan to allow police to patrol schools 
in hopes of lowering drug use among students, but it has to be handled 
properly.

The most important aspect of the program will be choosing the officers who 
work the schools. This is an opportunity for the RCMP to develop a solid 
relationship with teenagers rather than one of disrespect and intimidation.

A police officer who goes into the schools with law enforcement mainly on 
his or her mind will create an atmosphere of anger and fear among students. 
The right kind of personality will make inroads into convincing students 
that the RCMP are in a community to serve and assist people more than they 
are there to arrest them.

Students will immediately assume a police officer on their territory is 
there to make trouble. A relationship of trust has to be developed. That 
will only happen if the police officer chosen for the school patrols 
sincerely enjoys working with young people and understands their decisions 
are not always those a mature adult would make.

School trustees are looking for ways to cope with the drug problem in 
schools through the Mountie patrol program. They voted Monday to put the 
program into place in several pilot schools. The concept includes school 
safety and anti-bullying programs and improving communication between the 
RCMP and school district.

Classroom-type presentations will work in the elementary schools, but at 
the secondary level, an officer with the right personality will have a more 
positive impact just interacting informally with students. Problems such as 
pre-arranged fights will be easily solved if a police officer casually 
arrives on the scene. Students who know about potentially dangerous 
situations won't be shy about telling a peace officer who has become a 
familiar and trusted figure in the school.

An officer who prefers control and bluster over a friendly smile might as 
well stay in the detachment for all the impact he or she will have in a 
school. Other than the occasional, unproductive arrest for drug 
trafficking, the benefits the school district should be hoping come from 
this program won't happen.

The school board has set conditions for the program, including enforcement 
only in specific situations. Officers will be told only to arrest 
non-students engaged in trafficking or repeat offenders.

Whether that is a reasonable expectation won't be known until after the 
patrols are launched. It may be difficult for people trained in law 
enforcement to issue only warnings if blatant drug trafficking is happening 
before their eyes.

What is encouraging about the program is the RCMP's willingness to invest 
in youth despite a belief that their manpower resources are already 
severely tapped. Preventing crime in schools is a worthwhile expenditure of 
police effort.
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