The Police Zone Beat Liaison Officers programme is getting an upgrade with a first of its kind school resource officer programme. Yesterday the SRO Pilot Programme was launched at the Yabra Community Policing Centre. As we understand the pilot programme will be conducted initially at two secondary schools, St. Michael and Wesley Colleges. 7News spoke with the SRO Officer who will be stationed at Wesley College WPC Stacy Smith.
WPC Stacy Smith, SRO – Wesley College
“The SRO, school resource officer, will be placed on the school compound. We report to the school from 7:30 in the morning and whenever that school closes, we will leave. What we will engage in that school is talking to students, giving law related education, interacting with those students. So that is basically the difference. We will try to refrain from doing discipline because that is the school’s responsibility and if the school requests the Zone Beat Liaison Officer then that is when they will come in and take it into effect.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“I know from time to time the police officers will go into schools and actually the school bags of students. Will this as well become a regular exercise since you guys will be posted at the school?”
WPC Stacy Smith,
“Well that is totally up to the school and if the school finds it necessary and if the school does request the assistance, the ZBLO will come in and offer guidance, still not as much as the police officers conducting the search but offering the guidance for the teachers conducting the search.
The presence of police officers should bring comfort and peace to people. It is true that our job requires us to effect law and to be there when there is a disturbance of the peace but my continuous presence there will not be something that is unusual. The children will become accustomed to seeing me there, they will feel comfortable. So it will be a ripple effect in stating that we are here to protect, yes, but we also want to establish that rapport with the students and the school.”
If the pilot programme is a success, it is expected that the school resource officer programme will extend not only to other city secondary schools but across the country.
