Crime falls in policed schools
November 19, 2009
Robyn Doolittle
Kristin Rushowy
Crime is down and victims are more willing to speak up at high schools where an officer is stationed, says a new report evaluating the first year of a program launched by Toronto police.
Although the number of students who feel safe is high at 90 per cent, that is virtually unchanged from a year ago, says the report released Wednesday at police headquarters by Chief Bill Blair.
"Now our schools are very safe (but) the perception of safety is just as important as the reality of safety. If young people are fearful in the school environment they aren't going to be able to learn," Blair said. "Change doesn't happen overnight. I'm hoping people will give the program a chance to work."
More than 11,500 survey forms were distributed to students, teachers and parents last October and then again this year in May. They show that since Toronto officers were stationed in 29 public and Catholic high schools across the city last fall, offences on school property have dropped by 21 per cent over the 2007-2008 year, and the number of victims of assault or theft has decreased 15 per cent.
The survey also shows more students willing to report being victims of an offence, but still reluctant to report a crime they have witnessed. The number of teens describing police-student relations as good or excellent jumped from 56 to 67 per cent.
Toronto District School Board director Chris Spence called the findings "an encouraging first step."
Police officers have been assigned to 50 schools this school year, due to demand.
But the program hasn't been without controversy. Parents at Westview Centennial recently fought off a plan to put an officer into their school, and in October a group of students protested the police presence at Northern Secondary School following the arrest of a student.
Trustee Chris Bolton said the families in his Trinity-Spadina ward oppose armed officers in any of their schools.
He also said the board has never been given a clear definition of the officers' role – "we rush into things because they are free" – and wonders how long police will continue to cover the cost.
Toronto Star