School Resource Officers Program Review

School Resource Officers Program Review

London District Catholic School Board | London Police Services | Ontario Provincial Police West Region | St. Thomas Police Service | Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service | Thames Valley District School Board | Woodstock Police Services

Introduction:

In May 2020, following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the worldwide protests against racism and racial injustice, trustees and board staff received questions about the role of policing in the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) and the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB).

A process was established with Leadership representatives from the two school boards (LDCSB and TVDSB) and the police services that provide the School Resource Officers in these schools.  Community leaders representing Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour Communities were also invited to be part of the Leadership Team.  A working committee was further established to assist in carrying out the work of this review.  To inform this survey, 43 Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour students were interviewed to help determine the focus of the survey.

Reason for this Survey:

As part of a review of the School Resource Officer Program we are looking to gather feedback from:

• Students grade 6 – 12 in a school of LDCSB or TVDSB
• Families with students in grade 6 -12 in a school of LDCSB or TVDSB
• Past graduates of LDCSB or TVDSB

This is an opportunity for us to understand the School Resource Officer Program through the lens of systemic racism and the experience and perception of young people, parents and past graduates who are from Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour Communities. We want to understand the program regarding things like inclusion, relationship building, respect and sharing of responsibilities/power.  We would also like to hear from this group in terms of their experience with police in general.

Hearing from you will assist in developing recommendations regarding the School Resource Officer Program.  We hope it will encourage school boards, police and communities to think about new ways of supporting students from the Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour communities.

Please take a moment to complete this brief survey.  The survey will be open until June 15, 2021.  It will take about 5-10 minutes to complete.

Before you begin the survey

• If you are under 18, please be sure to let your parents know you are completing the survey
• Please read the information below

What Does the School Resource Officer Program Do?

Every school has a School Resource Officer (SRO) who is assigned to that school. A key goal of the School Resource Officer Program is to have police in schools to enhance the curriculum by partnering with the police, and to build relationships between community officers and students.  This is done through education, prevention and community interventions. Each of these officers are tasked with building long lasting relationships with both staff and students in line with community policing principles. School Resource Officers also teach set lesson plans to various ages and grades. Topics include drug and alcohol use and addictions, bullying, cyber safety, diversity / tolerance and human trafficking. The officers will respond to non-emergency calls for service at their respective schools, which could include a student requiring help, guidance and / or remedying an issue.