The Greater Victoria School District has submitted their Draft Safety Plan, as well as two backup plans, to the Ministry of Education and Child Care for approval, as ordered by the BC government.
Notably, the plan submitted does not include a reinstatement of the School Police Liaison Officer (SPLO) program.
In May 2023, The SPLO program was cancelled after years of an in-depth review process, which many viewed as a controversial decision.
Since then, VicPD, and other police precincts have been working to get the program reinstated, but SD61’s position to end the program has been firm.
Though the SPLO program has been discontinued, SD61 stipulates that it does not mean that police are not welcome in schools when needed.
The decision to end the SPLO program was largely due to some members of the school’s student population and staff feeling unsafe with the presence of police officers.
While there is no plan to end police involvement with SD61 schools entirely, the District’s Draft Safety Plan calls for their presence only when needed in a professional capacity.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and staff in the School District has always been the Board’s top priority,” wrote SD61’s Board of Education in a media release.
“The Board continues to collaborate with police services and other community partners. In particular, police have always been and continue to be in District schools, activating safety protocols, participating in risk assessments and responding to emergency and non-emergency calls, as well as delivering training and other initiatives.”
They added that by formalizing expectations to ensure all services provided by police in District schools are clearly outlined and subject to appropriate oversight in order to support school safety and protect student rights.
Police responsibilities in SD61 schools
Under SD61’s plan, police precincts will be able to select one officer to be assigned to a school.
Additionally, they will have to follow the rules set out in the Draft Safety Plan, which include informing the principal when onsite and meeting with them once a month, providing support when requested as well as adhering to police responsibilities as laid out by the plan.
In SD61’s Draft Safety Plan, police responsibilities at District schools are as follows:
- Meeting with SD61’s Superintendent three times a year to discuss the safety plan
- Working collaboratively with SD61 to help address proactive safety, crime prevention and crisis response
- Provide oversight mechanisms for any police officer assigned to schools and create a complaint protocol for them that includes a resolution process
- Select appropriate officers to be assigned to schools who are able to work through a trauma-informed lens
- Provide contact information for the officer assigned to a school to the Principal and Safe School Coordinator
- Supporting and participating in cultural sensitivity, restorative practice and trauma-informed training, when invited
- Sharing data with SD61 regarding the presence of youth activity in gang activity when possible
- Sharing expertise with SD61 staff through initiatives such as presentations at assemblies, professional development days or other training opportunities
In the two backup Draft Safety Plans submitted to the Province by SD61, the roles and responsibilities of police involvement in schools are similar with only slight variations on protocols.
Neither backup plan calls for an ongoing SPLO program to be reinstated.
Ministry of Education and Child Care’s position
Minister of Education and Child Care Lisa Beare says she has received the Draft Safety Plan and its backups from SD61.
“On January 5th, I received multiple safety plan submissions from the SD61 board, and we are working through reviewing them,” said Beare in a statement to Victoria Buzz.
“My priority continues to be student safety, and I’ll have more to share when our reviews are complete.”
According to the Ministry of Education and Child Care, the multiple plans submitted by SD61 will take some time to thoroughly review.
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