Former Vancouver school trustee calls for ‘reasoned’ judgement on police liaison officer program

As members of ABC Vancouver are set to make up a majority on the Vancouver School Board (VSB), there is concern one of the party’s key campaign promises will be fulfilled too quickly.

One of ABC’s platform points on schooling is a plan to reinstate the School Liaison Officer (SLO) program that was discontinued by the VSB in 2021.

Former school trustee Sadie Keuhn, who has since advised both the school board and the Vancouver Police Department on racism and inequity, is hoping the new trustees will properly review the data from the 2021 decision before making any moves.

“I think the perception was that there wasn’t due process and that there was very little thought given and it may have been a knee-jerk reaction. But in fact, it was over a long period of time and much discussion that the decision was made. It wasn’t made lightly at all,” she told CityNews.

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The VSB’s decision to end the program happened as conversations about systemic racism in policing were percolating worldwide in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Trustees in favour of its discontinuation said at the time, BIPOC and other marginalized students were more likely to see armed officers as a threat rather than a source of protection.

Keuhn says since the 2021 decision, there has been even more research done in Canada to explore how policing affects marginalized communities. She hopes this data will be reflected in any conversations surrounding the SLO program.

“Given the information we have about the impact on particular students, which is similar to the information and the data that’s collected on our society as a whole … I’m hopeful that people who are elected to the school board — who are committed to ensuring that the best outcome would be their obligation like any trustees … will accept what is now the case that has been adopted,” she said.

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“I’m looking forward to this board being willing to leave things where they are, at this time. And then, with more information, being able to make a more reasoned judgment and decision.”

In an email to CityNews, the VPD says it will engage with the VSB on the SLO program when the new members are sworn in.

“The school liaison officer program provides invaluable support to students, parents, and administrators. We have always known the program is widely supported in schools and in the community, and we’re disappointed with the outgoing school board’s political decision to cancel the program,” the email said.

CityNews also reached out to ABC Vancouver for comment but was referred to the party’s initial campaign platform on the matter.