The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THIRTY police officers successfully graduated and trained to serve in public schools.

On Friday, the school of Professional Development in conjunction with the National Association of School Resource Officers hosted the graduation ceremony for the police officers.

The National Association of School Resource officers is said to be the world’s leader in school-based policing.

Course participants hailed from New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Eleuthera, Andros, Exuma and Ragged Island.

After continuously advocating for the return of police on school campuses, Belinda Wilson, president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers supports the reimplementation of the school policing programme.

“I am pleased the school policing programme is back on stream and I wish all of the success,” she said.

“I hope that this year 2022 will be a positive year for us, especially with school violence because we have seen an increase in school violence over the years,” she said. “But, as I always say when the police officers are on the campus, I say to our school leaders and to our teacher, they are not there to teach the students, they are there to work along with you.”

Ms Wilson is hopeful that the school policing programme will have a positive impact, especially in regard to school violence.

“I believe that the officers will make a great impact, because of their training alone-the intelligence that they use and their skill to detect even sometimes when a crime may occur, so the prevention of a crime with the officer is great.

“I believe that they bring another layer of support for the security officers whose job is really to protect the government’s property. Based on the data and the research we have done and have been shared with us by Chief Superintendent Hanna, the teachers feel safer with the officers on the campuses.”

The president expressed that the union will be working closely with the police to ensure the productivity of the porgramme.

According to Ms Wilson, the first rollout of the school policing programme is inclusive of 15 schools in New Providence and four to five Family Islands.

“The first rollout will be about 15 schools in New Providence and they also identified about four to five Family Islands,” she said.

Commissioner of Police, Clayton Fernander was in attendance as the keynote speaker. He expressed his support for the initiative.

“I believe that this endeavor will have immediate implications on school safety and security with an overall view of youth-related crimes in our schools and communities, “he said in his speech.

“This initiative is so so very important, and I believe with all the stakeholders involved we will win this fight in trying to save our young youths.”

Commissioner Fernander also comments on one of the nation’s most recent murder victims, Omar Davis, Jr. “It is so sad to see a young promising young man who was senselessly killed just a few days ago. Up and coming young man, doing the replay of his speech-he told his story of growing up and seeing so much promise in him and for his life to be cut short like that and how it happened. We have to remain focused,” he said.