Not enough staff to continue school resource officer program, says Charlottetown Police
Charlottetown cops will now not be stationed on the metropolis’s excessive faculties because of an absence of staffing, stated Charlottetown police Chief Brad McConnell.
The college useful resource officer program started in 2010, and up till the present faculty 12 months, had one officer every at Colonel Grey and Charlottetown Rural excessive faculties. The officers dealt primarily with pupil security and group engagement.
“It actually got here all the way down to staffing points and an absence of assets,” stated McConnell in an interview with CBC Information: Compass host Louise Martin.
The Metropolis of Charlottetown funded the varsity useful resource officer program.
Constructing of ‘social capital’
The ending of this system has led to a chance for lots of dialogue, stated McConnell.
“Is it the very best use of policing assets, restricted policing assets to place cops in faculties, or [are] there different professionals … like social staff and such, that that funding may very well be used for?” he stated.
The power acknowledges the worth on this program and is hoping to proceed to have interaction with highschool college students in some kind transferring ahead, stated McConnell.
“The place we actually noticed the worth was the engagement of scholars with our officers,” he stated.
“With the ability to work together in a special setting and constructing, you already know, belief and respect. And hopefully that belief and respect will lengthen past their faculty years and in the event that they ever are available contact with police past that, that we actually have constructed up some social capital.”
McConnell stated the staffing points on the police power do not solely have an effect on the varsity useful resource officer program.
“Our difficulty is discovering the extra assets or the funding to create the brand new positions to cope with our … rising inhabitants, our various inhabitants, and the rising calls for and expectations from the group,” he stated.
Psychological well being calls up
The police service has seen a big improve in psychological well being calls previously few years, stated McConnell.
“Since 2018, psychological well being calls have elevated 152 per cent and rising by the 12 months,” he stated.
The P.E.I. RCMP also saw an increase in psychological well being calls in 2022.
McConnell stated these kinds of calls can take numerous time and assets.
