POLICE PRESENCE AT SCHOOLS

The school year is up and running and, with it, the Cumberland
District RCMP are making their plans to maintain a presence and
involvement with each of the schools within our district.

While we do not have full-time school liaison officers, each of the 13
schools in the district has a member assigned from the respective
offices or detachments. This way, the students and staff will have an
opportunity to get to know the member over the school year and vice-versa.

We cannot always spend as much time in the schools as we would like to
but we try to attend as requested and when there are specific programs
to deliver or events to cover. In all honesty, not everyone is as
comfortable in a school surrounding as they might wish to be but this
makes it a learning experience for all concerned. Hopefully a positive
one, at that!

The DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program is a popular one in
elementary schools and this program requires the RCMP member to attend
a two-week course in order to become a DARE instructor. The member
then goes into the school for a six to eight week period, conducting
classroom exercises and education around drug awareness. The program
is time-consuming and, in some cases, members have conducted classes
on their own time in order to complete the course. DARE is not an RCMP
program but is taught by law enforcement officers.

We have two members; one in Parrsboro and one in Pugwash, who are DARE
trained. Unfortunately, when members are transferred, we sometimes
lose that expertise.

PARTY (Preventing Alcohol Related Trauma in Youth), is another program
involving specific training and we have a number of members as well as
EHS personnel, teachers, and health professionals who have taken the
training necessary to conduct this program. PARTY is primarily a
half-day session, geared to junior/senior high students.

On top of this, all schools in RCMP jurisdiction will be entered into
computer and hard copy database under the RCMP's SAFE (School Action
for Emergencies) Plan. This will be completed over the next few
months. This program allows us to maintain a complete file on each of
our schools that can be accessed for any emergency and is carried out
with the cooperation of the regional school board and Chignecto Family
of Schools.

Along with the specific programs, RCMP members find themselves
involved with schools in a variety of ways from assisting with MADD
sponsored video programs to helping teach soccer skills at the
elementary level and delivering lectures to law classes in senior high.

It is all part of education and our contribution to the overall
education system. Resources and enthusiasm are always challenges; but
hopefully, challenges that can be met.

Until next time.