Greater Victoria teachers are calling for the return of police liaison officers to their schools, saying vulnerable students are at risk because of the cost-saving measure.
“Already this school year there have been multiple incidents of police being called to our schools,” Jason Gammon, president of the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association, says in a letter to Esquimalt council.
“Often these calls are in response to students in crisis. To a child, there is a profound difference between having a familiar and trusted person engage and de-escalate a situation, and having a stranger attempt to intervene,” Gammon says.
He says police liaison officers can provide support to students experiencing abuse.
“In these cases, a prior relationship can be critical to our most vulnerable students as they are subjected to the stress of legal proceedings. Additionally, students who are at risk for participation in non-lawful activities benefit from established relationships with trusted adults in law enforcement,” he says.
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak last year decided to redeploy all three school liaison officers along with an intelligence officer, one reserve constable and one community services officer after Esquimalt councillors voted 4-3 against spending an additional $40,778 to provide its share of funding for an additional six officers. Because of that vote, the additional officers were not hired.
Esquimalt is responsible for about 15 per cent of the police budget, while Victoria covers the balance.
The province is still reviewing that dispute. It has the power to overrule Esquimalt’s decision and order the municipality to pay for its share of the six officers. A decision is expected in early 2019.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins, who has been a vocal opponent of pulling the school liaison officers, said she will ensure the letter is referred to the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board.
“I believe that those are positions that are preventative so I was very concerned when they were removed and very concerned as this continued,” Desjardins said.
She said she doesn’t believe Esquimalt council is in any way responsible. “Absolutely, I don’t see that Esquimalt council is culpable,” Desjardins said, noting that Manak is responsible for operations.
She said within the framework agreement for policing with Victoria, Esquimalt is supposed to have 24 officers but continues to operate with 23.
“That was the challenge of last year and is still the challenge,” she said.
“We can’t say that one of those officers or any of those officers has to be named school liaison.”
Desjardins said Esquimalt also suffers because in the summer months the liaison officers are supposed to staff Esquimalt’s summer action plan patrols.
In his letter, Gammon notes that Manak’s rationale for cutting the school liaison officers was to have more “front line” officers. But the school liaison officers are just that, he says.
“We argue that having officers in place to serve 20,000 youth in the Victoria district is, in fact, providing front-line service. We urge you to ensure funding for this vital service is restored,” his letter says.
Manak was back before a joint meeting of Esquimalt and Victoria councillors this year asking for funding for a further six officers.
The department, which has 243 officers to police Victoria and Esquimalt, has not had an increase to its ranks since 2010.
School liaison officers maintain a presence in a school, attend school and community events and are the main point of contact between Victoria police, students, teachers and parents.
