New deal signed by police, school boards

JOINT NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE. MARIE POLICE SERVICE

ALGOMA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

HURON-SUPERIOR CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

************************* Signing of Ontario North East Region Police Services and School Boards Protocol On June 18, 2008, representatives from local school boards and the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service met to sign the Ontario North East Region Police Services and School Boards Protocol.

As part of the Safe Schools initiative the document, which has been in place for a number of years, has been updated in part to reflect some of the language and reporting protocols from that legislation.

On hand for the signing of this updated protocol were Algoma District School Board (ADSB) Director of Education Mario Turco, Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board (HSCDSB) Director of Education John Stadnyk and Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Detective Inspector Romano Carlucci.

The signing took place at the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service station at 580 Second Line East. The purpose of the document is to have school boards and police services establish a protocol for the investigation of school-related occurrences, a directive implemented by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

The protocol supports and reflects the principals of community policing and ensures a consistent approach to the way police services and schools respond to school-related incidents of violence and/or criminal behaviour.

The terms of the agreement are based on the necessity to foster and maintain a safe, non-threatening environment for students, staff and community members within all north eastern Ontario school board jurisdictions.

This will be done through the implementation of effective measures to deal with pupils while at school, school related activities, or in other circumstances where engaging in activities will have an impact on the school climate.

The measures include the:

- Establishment of preventative procedures

- Provision of appropriate early intervention procedures, and

- Administration of disciplinary action in accordance with the Ontario Education Act, board policy, the criminal code and other appropriate legislation. Spelled out within the document are the roles and responsibilities of both the police service and school boards.

It outlines the procedures schools will follow for the reporting of incidents that involve students as victims and students as alleged perpetrators.

The protocol details the types of incidents that would require police involvement or response.

It also provides information on legal rights and procedures in the investigation of school incidents, spelling out protocol around grounds for a search, right to search persons and property, and police interviews of students.

Also in the document is a Violent Incident Emergency Response Plan which covers the preparation and planning prior to a violent incident, as well as what to do in a “Code Red” situation. The protocol is also being signed by representatives throughout the Ontario North East Region to include all school boards and school authorities, all community police services and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) North East Region.

PHOTO CAPTION: Signing the Ontario North East Region Police Services and School Boards Protocol are (from left) ADSB Director Mario Turco, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Detective Inspector Romano Carlucci and HSCDSB Director John Stadnyk.

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