A magazine for students and parents in langley - School District #35

featureCrime prevention in Langley schoolsPhoto: from l to r: Jillian Roberts,Vonna Fitzgerald, Bal Shokar, andCraig Van HerkThe Beat Goes OnThe hallways of Langley School District are an important part of the beat for the RCMP’s SchoolResource Officers. Their job is to reduce youth involvement in crime through prevention andearly intervention.According to Corporal Holly Marks,media officer with the Langley RCMPdetachment, School Resource Officersplay an integral role in prevention, detection,intervention and enforcement.“They work in partnership with educators,students and parents to promote a healthy andsafe environment for the school community.”Policing in the 21st Century brings a complexarray of procedures and resources to bear on anysituation likely to put citizens at risk or enticepeople to break the law, and policing schoolcommunities is no exception.Said Cpl Marks, “Langley’s Youth Officersobjectives include documentation of criminalactivity within the school and ensuringappropriate enforcement action is taken.“Ultimately, in these situations, they facilitatecommunication and cooperation with schoolofficials, their police colleagues, the courts andsocial services.”Challenging tasks, but District Principal ofCounseling Dave Coutu said the SROs manageto go about their duties in ways that make themaccepted and appreciated by their schools.“They are there as a positive presence at all ourschools,” he remarked, adding that they helpstudents see police in a broader context.“I think that’s a huge component of it. As ourkids become adults and part of the generalpublic, they can understand that the policearen’t only about enforcement, they can alsobe a resource – a place where you can getinformation and advice.”Even when kids cross the line SROs often bringa valued perspective to the school community’sresponse.“Kids will make mistakes, and part of thelearning process – in terms of how we can movefrom what was done to where we need to be– will often involve a resource officer,” he said.Sometimes the SRO will offer students a longview of the potential consequences of juvenilebehaviour. “They might be able to say, ‘If youwere an adult and you behaved in the same way,here’s what you’d be looking at.’”Or the SRO might help work things out as partof a team. “The kind of support you get as aschool administrator from a resource officer indealing with kids and parents in taking certaincourses of action, that is one way I feel theirassistance is really helpful.”A solid relationship between the schoolcommunity and the SRO can yield results.Said Mr. Coutu, “What I found interesting isthe times a resource officer can get informationfrom a student that we at the school levelweren’t able to get, which I think is indicative ofthe level of trust and the skills that they bring.”Other duties carried out by SROs? They teamup with teachers to deliver portions of LangleySchool District’s Project Resiliency program,which helps kids make good choices. They aresought after speakers in Law and Planning 10classes. They help schools with crisis planningand response.Now that you know a bit about what SROs do,it’s time to meet the SRO team.22 Student Success