Schools need their police liaison officers back, Greater Victoria teachers say.
In a letter to the Township of Esquimalt and the Victoria Police Department, the Greater Victoria TeacherB次元官网网址檚 Association expressed a concern for their students since the school liaison officers were pulled from their duties in April so that they could be transferred to front line work.
B次元官网网址淎lready this school year there have been multiple incidents of police being called to our schools,B次元官网网址� the letter reads. B次元官网网址淥ften these calls are in response to students in crisis.B次元官网网址�
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Jason Gammond, president of the GVTA said so far there have been three separate incidents where elementary school students had to be escorted from school properties by police due to violent behaviour. He could not confirm if the incidences all involved the same students.
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B次元官网网址淗ere the police are unfamiliar to the student. Had they been familiar with that officer, maybe they would have been able to mitigate the situation,B次元官网网址� Gammond said. B次元官网网址淲e see the police as a valuable resource, the fact that with their interactions with the students they can build relationships and trust. B次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檇 welcome them into the school and theyB次元官网网址檇 bring a positive, friendly vibe thatB次元官网网址檚 a great way to segue into more serious discussions.B次元官网网址�
The decision to pull liaisons came from Victoria Police Chief Const. Del Manak after VicPDB次元官网网址檚 budget request for six more officers was turned down, twice, by the Esquimalt portion of the Victoria Police Board. The board consists of two lawyers, two mediators, two educators, a representative of the Royal Canadian Legion, a CRD representative, and municipal representation from Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins.
Manak said his request for six more officers would help meet growing needs in the community. The board agreed to the 2018 budget request, with the exception of Desjardins who felt that any potential benefits from the $94,000 portion Esquimalt would pay were not clearly outlined.
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Since then, the decision has been put to the province for review, with the possibility of having it overturned. The VicPD 2019 provisional budget has been put forward to the board asking for an additional five officers and one civilian staff member.
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While Desjardins didnB次元官网网址檛 approve of the 2018 budget, she thought a different approach could have been taken by Manak, and was firm that the pulling of the liaison officers was not the fault of Esquimalt.
B次元官网网址淭hat was an operational decision made by the chief,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he liaison position was a preventative role. As a Police Board member and Esquimalt council member, I expressed significant concern with taking away that position.B次元官网网址�
Desjardins followed by saying having the GVTA letter directed to Esquimalt, and not Victoria, was a B次元官网网址渕isdirectedB次元官网网址� move, since the Township wonB次元官网网址檛 be able to review any budget possibilities until March.
For teachers, the important matter isnB次元官网网址檛 political disagreements, but rather the significance of the role to youth.
B次元官网网址淢anak said that they were redirecting staff to front line work, but there are 20,000 youth in the Victoria School District, this is the front line,B次元官网网址� Gammond said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been three months so far. ItB次元官网网址檚 hard to say what the long term ramifications are.B次元官网网址�
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