The St. Thomas Police Service wants the province to instruct school boards to allow community policing programs to return to schools.
The call comes as St. Thomas Police are experiencing an increase in violence in schools.
Police want city council to request a delegation with Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education at the the Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual conference Aug. 18-21 in Ottawa.
In 2021, the two main area school boards hit the pause button on allowing police officers to attend schools, except in emergencies.
In a report to city council for the June 3 meeting it noted, “A 2020 review of the School Resource Officer Program remains active today with police unwelcome within school buildings, except for emergency response.
“There is a remedy for this violence. STPS officers need to return to some form of school presence immediately.
“STPS requests that the Ministry take decisive action to instruct all school boards that the invitation for police officers to attend schools to support safe school communities, deter crime, and bridge the gaps between police and our youth is not open for review any longer.”
