Schools to review police liaison programs

School boards in Vancouver and Victoria are reviewing the use of police liaison officers, but have rejected motions to suspend the programs while the reviews are underway.

Trustees in both cities voted unanimously Monday to review their school liaison officer programs.

Elementary school teachers in Vancouver had called for suspension of the program after anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

The program provides special training to police officers who volunteer for assignment in specific elementary or secondary schools, doing such things as coaching hockey teams and working with at-risk youth.

Victoria trustees heard from two counsellors before their decision and each spoke of the importance of relationship building between police and youth.

Both boards approved motions calling for the upcoming reviews to include participation from parents, staff and racialized, Indigenous and LGBTQ students.

Mia Golden, a member of a specialized team working with Victoria teens at risk of sexual exploitation, said the trustees may not have enough information to respond to calls to defund police.

“I can say that as a Black person myself, as a person in the mental health field, and as a person within a team that has the benefit of policing attached to it ... people are responding without knowledge,” she told the Victoria board.

She said the liaison officers build rapport with students, hear their stories and recognize when a child may be at risk to others and to themselves.

A date for completion of either review has not been announced.