RCMP presence at Howe Sound Secondary is likely to become a familiar sight this fall. Following on the heels of threats to student safety last week, council is offering to help fund a school liaison officer to be stationed out of the high school.During a District of Squamish council strategy session on Tuesday (April 22), RCMP staff sergeant Guy Pollock and principal Nancy Campbell spoke to council outlining the benefits of an onsite officer in schools."I consider this quite a priority," said Pollock, adding that RCMP staff are currently too stretched to spend adequate time in schools.Through daily interaction with students, Campbell said a dedicated officer could improve relations between RCMP and youth."Students are more comfortable with police when they get to know them on a personal basis," she said. "The more they get to know someone the more they're willing to give information to them, which is an issue with adolescents."RCMP members were at Howe Sound Secondaryon April 14 and 15 after two separate threats to the school were made. A 15-year-old girl has since been arrested in connection with the incidents.Mayor Ian Sutherland said he has heard from about 30 different kids who said they appreciated the police presence."It's amazing how many people were talking about what a positive experience it was to have the RCMP in the school," he said. About three years ago, council offered to split the costs of a school liaison officer with the school board 50/50 but the board rejected the offer, Sutherland said.He asked whether their willingness to fund the position had changed.Schools superintendent Rick Erickson said money for the position could potentially come out of funds now directed at working with youth who have left school.When his suggestion to bring up the idea at an April 30 board meeting was deemed too late, he said he would have a conference call even sooner to discuss the issue."I didn't bring my wallet with me," he laughed.This time around, council has made a more generous offer, unanimously passing a motion proposing to fund two thirds of the officer's costs, with the school board picking up the additional third. Howe Sound Secondary would also be responsible for providing a secure space for the officer along with a workstation.Pollock said adding a new officer would cost about $120,000. Under the proposed formula, the district would cover $80,000, while the board would fund the additional $30,000."I do think it's important that the school board becomes a financial partner in this," said Sutherland, who added part of the funding could come out of the district's community policing budget.Campbell said in Vancouver, where some schools have officers and others don't, school liaison officers are funded entirely by the municipality. She added that Parent Advisory Committees would not be allowed to allocate funds to the position based on spending restrictions set by one of their main funding sources, the B.C. Lottery Corporation.Coun. Corinne Lonsdale suggested council vote on whether or not it would fund the full 100 per cent. "I don't think the school board is going to come up with the money you're requesting," she said.Coun. Raj Kahlon made an amendment to the motion which said the private business community would be encouraged to contribute funding to the position as well.He said it was important to increase local police presence since the 2010 Olympics could increase drug trafficking in town."Dealers are recruiting and training their staff to work smoothly and get ready in distributing during the Olympics," he said. "Council, community, and RCMP should start a counter strategy right now."Although the officer would be based out of Howe Sound Secondary, both Campbell and council members agreed it would be important for the officer to frequent all of the schools in town. They also agreed only one person would fill the position rather than having a number of officers share school shifts.Pollock said if a funding formula is agreed upon soon, the position could be filled by September.
