Latest news with #policeinschools
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘We feel it builds trust': Police back possible return of School Resource Officer program
London police are welcoming new provincial legislation mandating the return of school resource officers. CTV's Reta Ismail reports. It's been four years since a controversial police-in-schools program was paused by the London Police Service (LPS), but the province is introducing new legislation that will require school boards to implement the program. The decision to pause the School Resource Officer (SRO) program was made after some found it could be a source of trauma for racialized groups. A review was launched, led by leadership representatives from the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB), the public-school board, local police services (Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, and London), and community leaders from Indigenous, Black, and people of colour communities, according to SRO Program Review Update. 'In 2021, as a result of feedback between police services, community leaders, and school boards, the program was paused until further review,' explained Inspector Pete Testa, LPS, Community Mobilization and Support. Testa said LPS fully supports having officers within the schools, 'We feel that it builds community trust, it provides support for youth, and it provides an opportunity for police to connect with the youth, and support people in vulnerable positions.' The LDCSB issued a statement to CTV News, saying, 'The LDCSB has always had an excellent working relationship with our local police services. We look forward to new opportunities to work together in collaborative ways that help our students and their families.' However, in response to an interview request regarding the return of the program, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) said, 'We will respectfully decline to comment at this time.' The proposed legislation announced May 29 would require school boards to implement a school resource officer (SRO) program, which places officers in elementary and high schools. LPS say they will be having conversations with school boards and stakeholders – when/if legislation passes.
CBC
09-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Local police services have different plans as province pushes return of cops to schools
As the Ontario government moves to bring police officers back into schools, two local police services share different reactions to the news. While the St. Thomas Police Service (STPS) is on board with the idea of bringing back School Resource Officer (SRO) programs, the London Police Service (LPS) expressed less interest. Nonetheless, both police services said officer engagement with students is an important priority. "I think that this is the right step forward," said Marc Roskamp, the St. Thomas chief of police. "[The new bill] would allow police officers back into the schools and the traditional school resource officer program." Roskamp's endorsement follows closely behind Education Minister Paul Calandra's announcement of the Supporting Children and Students Act, which aims to consolidate ministry oversight over school boards and requires the return of SRO programs if local police offer them. In 2021, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), the largest in the region, paused its SRO program and, in 2024, resolved not to re-initiate it due to concerns from students over surveillance and feelings of unease. The STPS has been vocal in its dissatisfaction with removing SROs and has also reported an uptick in officers being called to schools. Following a firearm scare at a school in January, Roskamp told reporters those incidents have risen by 55 per cent since 2021, with officers now attending schools once every two days. In his eyes, the police are a clear part of the solution to the problem. "Presence is deterrence," Roskamp said. "Whether expected or unexpected, visits to schools might reduce those incidents of violence, and what we're talking about is assaults, sexual assaults, bullying, it's all happening." That's not to imply deterrence is the only goal of officers in schools, he added. "When we're in the schools, it's never been about enforcement or intelligence gathering. It's always been about high fives and smiles and interacting and engaging with youth." Roskamp said his police service is engaged with local school boards and is working to "re-establish, refresh and reimagine the role of the school resource officer." London Police's response to the question of whether they would offer an SRO program to the board included an effort to distance the force from official SRO programs. "We have moved away from the title 'School Resource Officer' and instead focus on broader community engagement," said Peter Testa, head of the LPS community mobilization and support branch. Testa said the LPS has worked closely with school boards in the city to support students, with the goal of promoting positive behaviour and enhancing safety through "mutual respect." He also said the LPS supports boards without the use of an SRO program "by having our officers attending and presenting when requests are made." Regardless of the intentions as stated by police, some students remain opposed to police presence in schools in general. One of those students is Shivani Vimal, who is in grade 11 at the TVDSB's Lord Dorchester Secondary School. "I firmly believe that police officers do not belong in schools. I believe there's a time and place for security personnel, but schools are spaces for learning, growth and trust, and that's just not the place for police officers," she said. A common thread in opposition to officers in schools, especially as stated in the past by previous TVDSB student trustees, is a concern that students from marginalized communities could be made doubly uncomfortable by police presence. "I just feel that it would harm BIPOC students, and it would impact them a lot more than people think," Vimal said. Vimal said the opinions of her peers seem to be divided. However, the prevailing thought is that students "don't want to feel like they're being watched. And they also believe that police officers in schools might just escalate situations." She said she'd rather see funding for social workers and counsellors as a solution, but if the police do return, the process needs to be student-centric and collaborative.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Ontario education minister to get more school board powers
Ontario is set to give the minister of education power to more easily put school boards under supervision and require more boards to put police officers in schools. Siobhan Morris reports.
CBC
29-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Ontario set to give education minister more power over school boards
Ontario is set to give the minister of education power to more easily put school boards under supervision and require more boards to put police officers in schools. CBC's Lorenda Reddekopp has the details.
National Post
29-05-2025
- General
- National Post
OSBCU Responds to New Education Legislation: 'Police in Schools Won't Fix an Understaffed, Underfunded System'
Article content TORONTO — Earlier today, the Ford government and Education Minister Paul Calandra introduced the Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, which includes provisions to make it easier for the province to take control of local school boards and mandates School Resource Officers (SROs)—police—in schools. Article content Article content In response, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) is sounding the alarm. 'This legislation does nothing to address the real crisis in Ontario education: chronic underfunding and critical understaffing,' said Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. 'Instead of investing in more frontline education workers to support students and reduce violence in schools, the government is choosing to bring police into classrooms—a failed, harmful experiment that puts Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students at greater risk.' Article content These legislative changes represent a direct attack on the democratic governance and autonomy of school boards, allowing the government to exert greater control over decisions that may seem minor—such as naming rights or ancillary fees—but which have real impacts on equity and support for students. Forcing boards to implement police presence in schools is another example of this overreach. Putting police in schools does nothing to address the root issue: the lack of supports for staff and students due to years of chronic underfunding. The funds earmarked for this ineffective and harmful initiative would be far better spent on hiring permanent, full-time education workers who are trained to support students. Article content 'Forcing the return of police into schools is a deeply regressive move that ignores the lived experiences of those most affected—particularly Black, Indigenous, and other racialized students,' said Jehan Bisnauth, Educational Assistant with the Durham District School Board and Equity Representative on the OSBCU Executive. 'The Ontario Human Rights Commission has made clear recommendations on creating safer, more inclusive schools, and this legislation disregards them entirely. Police in schools are not the answer to anything. Our students need trained, compassionate education workers—not officers—in their classrooms.' Article content Since 2018, the Ford government has shortchanged public education by over $12 billion in cumulative funding. In the current school year alone, boards are operating with a $2.3 billion shortfall due to inflation and enrollment outpacing funding. The results have been devastating: fewer supports, unmanageable workloads, and growing inequities in our schools for staff and students. Article content Today's legislation is the first introduced by Minister Calandra, and it sends a troubling message: rather than provide meaningful support, the government is choosing centralized control. When asked about governance, the Minister's response — 'everything is on the table'— reveals a willingness to further undermine public accountability of education and the role of democratically elected school board trustees. This is yet another example of the Ford government's total disregard for local democracy. Article content 'This is not about safety or respect—it's about power,' Tigani said. 'If this government was serious about tackling the real issues, it would be hiring thousands of new education workers, not giving the Minister more authoritarian powers.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
