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

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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
CORPORAL BAL SHOKARThe NCO in charge of Langley’s Youth Unit, arrived hereearlier this year and brings with him a wealth of experience.His duties include supervision of the four Youth Officersassigned to elementary and secondary schools in Langley. Heis also responsible for Langley’s Youth at Risk Team.Cpl. Shokar welcomes the challenges associated to his newduties and looks forward to working with community youth.He hopes this career path will provide him an opportunity tohave a positive influence on the lives of youth in the Langleys.He considers working with parents in the community, whooccasionally need help dealing with troubled children, anintegral part of his duties. He offers, “We are here to help, soplease do not hesitate to call.”CONSTABLE VONNA FITZGERALDCurrently Langley’s longest serving youth officer, Vonna hasbeen with the unit for five years.Cst. Fitzgerald is responsible for Langley Secondary, R.E.Mountain, Uplands, Nicomekl, Douglas Park, RC Garnett,Willoughby and Langley Meadows.She wants kids to know that police work is not what you seeon television. Her message for parents, “Just because thereis a police officer in the school, doesn’t mean there has beencriminal activity.”CONSTABLE CRAIG VAN HERKConstable Craig Van Herk is responsible for AldergroveCommunity Secondary, DW Poppy, Betty Gilbert,Shortreed, Parkside, Wix Brown, North Otter, Coghlan andPeterson Road. He has been part of the Youth Unit for justover two years.The most difficult part of his job is seeing youth makingpoor choices that could potentially affect them for the rest oftheir lives. He makes every effort to ensure youth know thechoices they make now will affect them over the long term,and helps them understand it’s okay to not do what theirpeers say everyone else is doing.CONSTRABLE JILLIAN ROBERTSConstable Jillian Roberts joined Langley’s Youth unit justover a year ago. She is responsible for the North LangleySchools, including: Walnut Grove Secondary, Langley FineArts, Alex Hope, Dorothy Peacock, Fort Langley, GordonGreenwood, James Kennedy, Topham and West Langley.She finds the most difficult part of her job is watching peoplemaking the same mistakes over and over.Cst. Roberts wants students to know that, “Yes, it’s a real gun.No I haven’t shot anyone (I hope I never have to) and no, youcan’t touch it.” Her message to parents in the community is,“my door is always open.”CONSTABLE ROB SCOTTAn SRO for three years, Cst. Scott is responsible for:H.D. Stafford Middle School, Brookswood Secondary,Langley Fundamental Middle -Secondary, Apex Secondary,Alice Brown, Belmont, Blacklock, Glenwood, LangleyFundamental, Noel Booth and Simonds elementaries.He encourages youth and parents to maintain continualcommunication. Cst. Scott participates in Langley RCMP’sJunior Cadet Camp, which encourages positive interactionsbetween children and the police and educates youth aboutbeing safety conscious. The program’s objective is to reachout to approximately 20 percent of at risk youth in Langley.winter edition 23
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