RCMP SCHOOL LIAISON PROJECT AIMS FOR TRUST BETWEEN
STUDENTS & POLICE

New Program Set Up At Elementary & High Schools

Oliver-Osoyoos RCMP Staff Sergeant Kurt Lozinski says the new school
liaison program, which co-ordinates visits to the elementary and high
schools by local officers, is about building trust between youth and
the police.

"I want the youths to see us as people, friends, fathers, mothers, and
not just as police officers. I want the youths to have trust and
confidence in the police," Lozinski says. In addition to the DARE
(Drug Awareness Resistance Education) program, which places officers
in the elementary school to teach a 10-week program to Grade 5
students, Lozinski says the school liaison officers will attend the
schools on a regular basis.

Lozinski is the designated school liaison member for Osoyoos
Elementary School, as he has two children enrolled there. Constables
Jody Koleman and Dan Minkley have been selected as the liaison
officers for Osoyoos Secondary School.

"The members will be working with the local teachers to address the
school's needs. We already have DARE in the elementary school but I
feel the priority is the high school," he says. He recognizes every
school has its own issues -- such as bullying, drugs and suicide --
and feels the liaison officers can help determine what those are and
begin to deal with them.

Unlike the DARE program -- which is fully-funded by donations and the
RCMP -- Osoyoos doesn't have a dedicated school liaison, so members
must fit these additional duties into their schedules. But Lozinski
says it's difficult to put a price tag on such a program.

"Drugs, and the availability the youths have with them, concern me.
And recently, both communities have been the victims of vandalism and
graffiti. In some of these cases youths have been responsible. I feel
members need to find a connection with these kids, so that when things
like this happen in the community we have a relationship and trust
with this group who will help us."

Lozinski says the liaison officers will visit the school on a weekly
basis, and he hopes to see them get other detachment members involved
in helping to organize school activities such as sporting events. In
the elementary school, events such as bike rodeos, reading programs
and detachment visits might be offered.

As far as enforcement opportunities, such as looking for drugs in the
high school, Lozinski explains this is not the goal of the program.

"This is always a concern amongst the youths. They figure our goal is
to get into the schools and arrest everyone. I am not going to say
that during our contacts -- if we become aware of drug activity in the
schools -- we will not deal with it. Of course we will and the parents
and staff would expect nothing less.

"However, on that same note if we can educate the youth on the dangers
of drugs -- and during our contacts encourage youths to refrain from
indulging and to make better life-long decisions -- that is our
ultimate goal. We are not going in to the schools to turn everyone
into a 'rat'. We truly want to connect with the youths and to develop
a relationship of trust and respect."

He says the school liaison program is common in many communities, but
the difficulty can be finding the officers who can fit the duties into
their busy schedules. He implemented the same program in Princeton,
with positive results.

"By getting involved and developing a really good youth
initiative/plan we were able to decrease the number of calls involving
the youths in Princeton by 80 per cent.

Considering everything, that is pretty significant. In fact this
strategic plan has been used as a template by several other
detachments. Youth is one of the main priorities both divisionally and
nationally within the RCMP."

He adds that school staff, the Parent Advisory Council and teachers
have encouraged and supported the school liaison initiatives.

"I strongly believe that anything that helps encourage and foster
better relationships with the RCMP will be supported by everyone. I
also believe that once the students form those bonds and become more
comfortable with the members they, too, will embrace this and be
encouraged by it."