Police officers could soon be returning to Vancouver schools. That’s because Vancouver School Board trustees just voted to bring back a “reimagined” version of its School Liaison Officer program.
This program had been abolished by the previous board of trustees. However, a significant increase in violent incidents involving students led to safety concerns in Vancouver schools. In last month’s school board election, most trustees who won seats had pledged to restore the School Liaison Officer program.
However, not everyone thinks this is a good idea. Earlier this month, B.C.’s human rights commissioner sent the trustees a letter recommending against restoring this safety program. The commissioner argued that marginalized students often have negative experiences with police and putting police officers back in schools might make them feel even more unsafe.
Interestingly, the letter acknowledges that there is very limited Canadian data about school liaison programs and the commissioner relied on American research which found that these programs often make marginalized students feel unsafe. The problem with this argument is that it assumes the negative experiences American students have had with police is an accurate reflection of what happens in Canada.
Obviously, Canada and the United States are two different countries with distinct cultures. It is unfortunate that the B.C. human rights commissioner is looking at Canadian schools, students, and police through an Americanized lens. Instead, the commissioner should realize that the Canadian reality is very different from what happens in the United States.
Vancouver is not the only Canadian city wrestling with the removal of police officers from schools. In 2017, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) ended its School Resource Officer program. Since then, there has been a steady increase in the number of violent incidents in Toronto schools, leading to widespread calls to bring the police back.
York Memorial School Collegiate Institute, for example, has been engulfed in violence. Hallway fights, weapons in school, and attacks on staff members are some of the many things that are happening in that school. Safety has gotten so bad that 14 of the school’s 80 staff members recently staged a one-day walkout to protest their unsafe working conditions. Several teachers and administrators have also gone on medical leave because of the unsafe school environment.
While having police officers in TDSB schools might not solve this problem, it’s certain that violent incidents would become less frequent. Not only would police officers be able to handle problems as they arise, but they would help prevent situations from escalating.
It’s important to acknowledge that having police officers stationed in schools is not just about cracking down on violent incidents. In far too many cases, young people’s first exposure to police officers happens after they commit a crime. As a result, they often end up with a negative perception of the police. When police officers are in schools, particularly elementary schools, they have the opportunity to build positive relationships with young students.
In addition, police officers often conduct important drug awareness educational programs. Consider what difference it makes when a student gets accurate information about the hazards of drugs from a reliable source, like a friendly police officer who is seen every day before they find themselves in a situation where they are being pressured to use drugs.
As for concerns about how marginalized students feel about police, these negative perceptions make it imperative that school administrators invite police officers into their buildings. Students need to learn that police officers are not their enemies and that they can go to them when they are the victim of a crime.
It’s important to remember that many police officers are from minority groups themselves and are dedicated to strengthening relationships between police and their communities. The stereotype of police detachment being made up largely of white males is outdated. Today, police officers come from all racial groups, genders, and walks of life.
If students do not feel safe in school, they aren’t going to learn as well. This is why it is imperative that school boards welcome police officers into their schools. Student safety must be a top priority for every school.
