

Chris Lewis, Special to CP24.com





How is it that some outspoken anti-police activists have the ability to turn a wonderful thing into an evil plot?

The fact that the Toronto Police Services Board is contemplating suspending the School Resource Officer Program as reported by Amara McLaughlin in her CP24 article made my blood boil. Once again, a couple of antagonists who see spies behind every tree are trying to vilify a program that is honourably intended to keep schools safer and to facilitate the growth of trusting and lasting relationships between Toronto’s youth and their police officers.

School Resource Officer programs are not designed strictly to ensure the laws are enforced on school property, but yes, there will be times that these officers will have to take timely enforcement action. Whether that be a threat of violence from outside or criminal activity within the student population, that on-site police response can be invaluable.

But for the most part the presence of officers in schools has a preventative intent and properly managed, students learn from police in terms of the delivery of programs that steer them away from destructive lifestyles; the ability to seek advice on difficult decisions and troubling personal issues; and police referrals to supporting outside resources beyond the officers’ expertise.

In an era where some community members – including some young people -- are reportedly experiencing a level of tension between themselves and the police, does it not make total sense that trying to close that gap by developing respectful relationships is a good thing? I still remember the local police constable occasionally coming into my elementary school over 50 years ago to talk about safety programs. I remember his name to this day and he undoubtedly had an impact on my life-long respect for the police and my eventual career choice.

These programs are gold standard across North America, but unfortunately some municipalities on both sides of the border cannot afford them. This is community-based policing at its finest. Without such programs, some young people will only meet police officers they likely have never laid eyes on before, in bad circumstances – because they are involved in an incident themselves as a victim, witness or suspect, or because the police have come into their home to take mommy, daddy or a sibling away. In a perfect word, every school would have such officers assigned and students would get to know police through non-confrontational daily interaction as opposed to a anxious crisis.

Toronto activist Desmond Cole is quoted in the article. He said: “We have seen over the years that it has targeted the most vulnerable kids in our schools…The police program, to have cops stations in our schools has targeted black kids, indigenous kids, it’s targeted kids with disabilities, it’s targeted kids without immigration status who are afraid to even walk through the halls because they don’t want to have a confrontation with a police officer. It’s very clear this program has to end.”

What??? The program isn’t designed to “target” anyone, of any status or colour. It’s designed to prevent crime; prevent victimization; prevent arrests; provide safe and healthy options for kids; to open lines of communication; and develop trust. But “if” a law is broken, police will have to intervene and take appropriate action – which may be a frank discussion, a verbal warning, or occasionally an arrest, regardless of race or station in life. Is that wrong? If it is, then I’m completely confused.

The guiding principles of the Police/School Protocol between the Toronto Police Service and Toronto School Boards Statement of Principles include:

the need to promote respect and civility in the school environment; and

the need to respect the fundamental rights of students, teachers, and staff pertaining to disability, race, creed, ethnic origin, and other prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code

In recent years, some have aired concerns (some perhaps valid) regarding “street checks” by Toronto Police, an originally well-intended program that was apparently misapplied by some officers. It’s a given that no amount of biased policing is acceptable by police in any situation, but that controversy led to legislative change in Ontario that resulted in a farcical street check program that does nothing to help officers deal with suspicious persons in suspicious circumstances. In my view, the ramifications of that in terms of preventing and investigating crime will go down in infamy in the years to come.

As I professed in that case, “if” some officers aren’t operating within the intended program parameters, it is a performance management issue that needs to be addressed. But “if” the School Resource Officer program protocol just needs to be tweaked, then do so – with school board, community and officer input.

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater like in the street checks debacle serves nobody well – particularly the students of Toronto.

Chris Lewis served as Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police from 2010 until he retired in 2014. He can be seen regularly on CTV and CP24 giving his opinion as a public safety analyst.