Police, schools try new approach to drug-free schools

Police and educators have banded together in a new concentrated push to get drugs out of area schools. The new program was jointly announced today at City Police headquarters, by area school boards and police agencies.

Police and educators have banded together in a new concentrated push to get drugs out of area schools.

The new program was jointly announced today at City Police headquarters, by area school boards and police agencies.

It's called Action for Building a Community that is Drug Free (ABCD) and it incorporates a four-phased approach aimed at long-term reduction of drug abuse.

The program will began with building partnerships.

It's also about to move into an education phase and will, when necessary, incorporate a third phase with intervention and treatment.

Phase 4 involves deterrence and enforcement.

"It's not about throwing kids in jail," said Sault Ste. Marie Police Chief Bob Davies (shown). "It's about sending a message: 'don't bring drugs to schools.'"

Chief Davies said that police actions such as searches, seizures, arrests and charges would be possible, but would be only the last in a series of measures aimed at changing attitudes toward drugs.

But if charges are necessary, charges will be laid, he said.

The full text of a joint release from partners in ABCD follows:

************************* On Wednesday September 16th at 2:00pm key police services and education partners announced a joint partnership to address the significant impact that drug use has in our community and its impact as it finds its way into our schools.

Project Action for Building A Community That is Drug Free (ABCD) will be a community-based initiative targeted at deterring drug use in our upper elementary and secondary schools.

Most importantly, priority will be placed on mobilizing students to effect change in their own school environment.

This will be a 4-phase approach that will be rolled out over the 2009/2010 school year with a focus on engaging firstly students, staff and parents and in the longer run, the general public.

The partners involved include:

Education Partners

- Algoma District School Board (ADSB)

- Conseil Scolaire Catholique du Nouvel-Ontario (CSCNO)

- Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board (HSCDSB)

- Lake Superior State University (LSSU)

Police Partners

- Anishinabek Police Service

- Batchewana First Nation Police Service

- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

- Sault Ste. Marie Police Service (SSMPS) The ADSB, the CSCNO and the HSCDSB will lead the educational component of the initiative, developing and rolling out educational plans over the course of the school year.

ADSB and HSCDSB are both currently involved with the SSMPS through the High School Liaison Officers and that partnership will be capitalized upon in this initiative.

The various policing agencies will undertake the enforcement actions with the SSMPS being the lead agency in this facet of the project.

The issue of drugs in schools has been tackled before.

The difference this time is that it is being addressed in a concentrated, collaborative effort. A priority of the initiative will be on prevention and early intervention.

The purpose of ABCD is not to simply punish individuals for their behaviour but to place a concentrated effort to deter young people from engaging in drug use.

SSMPS Chief of Police Bob Davies is optimistic about the goals of the ABCD program. “In the past when dealing with drugs in schools, we often targeted our efforts around enforcement. We believe that to make a lasting impact, especially with young people, we need to have a plan in place that addresses education, treatment and intervention as well as enforcement. The goal of this initiative is to provide leadership in a comprehensive effort to reduce the drug use in our community or at the very least to disperse it away from the school environment.”

Anishinabek Police Service Deputy Police Chief Claude Chum echoed Chief Davies’ comments. “The Anishinabek Police Service is very excited to be part of Project ABCD. It is now being recognized that drugs in our communities and schools is a community problem, not a policing problem. With this project the police will be able to assist with problem solving and provide some leadership to our education partners, parents, kids and community. With this collaborative approach we can make our schools more safe and drug free.”

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