Pubdate: Wed, 07 Jul 2004
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271
Author: Jeff Hodson

RCMP TO PATROL SCHOOLS

Cops In The Classroom?

Beginning this fall, the local school district will fund one full-time RCMP 
officer to work with local schools - to educate and enforce.

Kamloops-Thompson school district superintendent Terry Sullivan said the 
demand for RCMP resources has been increasing for positive programs such as 
DARE, anti-violence programs, school liaisons and the detection and 
enforcement pillar of the district's new three-pillar pilot drug program.

The officer would work regular school hours and, although focused on the 
drug pilot schools, would also work on other issues within the district.

The funding would be a one-year pilot and would be subject to review. It 
was passed unanimously as part of the district's new drug and alcohol 
prevention-intervention pilot program Monday night.

But the board of trustees was divided on the idea of police officers in 
classrooms.

"A stronger RCMP presence in the schools has really been lacking over the 
years," said trustee Kim Van Tine. "We know there is a very significant 
drug problem in the schools."

Trustee Dick Dickens was less enthusiastic.

"There are some very specific areas [of the drug pilot program] that I am 
not comfortable with at this point," Dickens said. "Part of it has to do 
will the RCMP presence in schools."

Trustee Gerald Watson said he could see some of the benefits of having a 
police officer in classrooms - namely leadership and education - but "I'm 
also very concerned that we may be hiring an RCMP officer to come into our 
school system and arrest our troubled youth."

But, Van Tine said, "I couldn't more strongly disagree. Drugs are illegal. 
The sale of drugs in our schools is illegal, and if there are those types 
of individuals who chOose to partake in that type of activity, they should 
be punished."

Over the summer, district administration will work with RCMP to establish 
the officer's duties and responsibilities. Sullivan said he expects the 
officer would be in place by late September.

The program is not unique. The Coquitlam school district funds seven RCMP 
officers - six in Coquitlam and one in Port Moody. Each officer is 
responsible for 10 schools.

A similar level of staffing in Kamloops would require four RCMP officers.
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