FUND YOUTH SQUAD OFFICERS

Mayor George Peary, chair of the police board, would like to see the
Abbotsford board of education pony up the funds for three more youth
squad officers in local schools.

The initiative has much merit.

Having full-time dedicated officers assigned to schools is a major
factor in building trust and relationships between police and teens.
That's essential in a community environment which, unfortunately,
features an increasing presence of gang-related violence and influence
among young people. Measures which assist kids who are being drawn
into the gang and drug lifestyle can literally save lives.

The additional security provided to staff and students in schools is
no small matter, either.

Consequently, we share Peary's disgruntlement upon learning that the
education board isn't willing to fund this initiative.

The board says it doesn't fall within its mandate, and it's not in a
financial position to subsidize increased police manpower in schools.

Agreed, police funding isn't a common budget item for a school board,
but there's nothing to prevent the trustees from thinking beyond the
norm on this one, particularly given the circumstances.

And in fact, the city is strapped for cash, while the board of
education is not in the same squeeze.

The money does exist, as the board has, to its credit, consistently
managed a surplus - $800,000 in 2009/10 - and it currently sits on a
$9-million reserve.

We're not sure what the trustees have in mind for this considerable
stock of cash, but it seems that a modest expenditure of $300,000 per
year on more youth squad officers is a highly justifiable expense for
the benefits it represents.

The board of education should reconsider its position.