‘Reimagined’ school liaison officer program set to launch in Vancouver this semester

With classes set to resume in the coming days, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) is set to provide an update on its “revised School Liaison Officer (SLO) program.”

The program is set to start this school year after the VSB greenlit implementation in November of last year.

“We are pleased to see the return of the SLO program in VSB schools this school year,” stated VSB chair Victoria Jung in a release.

Open Gallery 5 items

In a media availability announcing the updated program on Thursday, Supt. Helen McGregor says schools must remain safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces for students, families, and staff.

“The reimagined SLO program will provide proactive and preventative measures to further the safety in VSB schools. SLOs will be available to any student or family member for support and guidance,” she said. “They may also work with school teams, school clubs and support staff, and school activities and events.”

Since that time, the board says its staff and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) have developed what it’s calling a “reimagined program that considers what was heard in the 2021 SLO engagement report and further input by community members, staff, and students.”

Related articles: 

• Vancouver School Liaison Officer program changes include uniform, training

• Vancouver School Board trustees want changes to police officer program

Deputy Chief Const. Fiona Wilson says changes were made to the program because of a lot of “big moments” the world has seen in the past few years.

“It’s important that we as community leaders reflect the changing values and expectations of the people we serve,” she said. “That’s why we’ve incorporated a number of big changes. into this new reimagined School Liaison Officer Program.”

“We’ve taken a close look at our training to make sure we continue to use the most current and up-to-date methods of communicating with the entire student body — including people who have experienced trauma, people who come from diverse backgrounds, and people who may not have always had the best experience with police.”

In April, the VPD announced that there would be changes when officers returned to Vancouver schools. Some of those changes include a new uniform, smaller guns and batons, and more training.

“The cars are going to be unmarked now. There’s going to be more diverse hiring and also increased cultural awareness … I think it’s a great idea, it’s going to provide a safe learning environment for the students, and that’s all we want,” VSB trustee Preeti Faridkot added at the time.

The VSB officer program was disbanded by previous school board members in 2021 after it was put under review in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Related video:

Trustees in favour of removing the program at that time said the presence of police in schools has a negative impact on BIPOC and other marginalized students, who are more likely to see armed officers as a threat than a source of protection or support.

While school trustee Lois Chan-Pedley said in April that she didn’t want officers to wear uniforms or carry guns if the program came back, she told CityNews the changes that were being made were a step “in the right direction.”

“Of course, I’m a little disappointed. But if it’s something that can be addressed on an ongoing basis, I think we have to keep making sure that our students are feeling safe, that our students are feeling supported in the schools – that’s the most important thing for me,” Chan-Pedley said.

The current school board is mostly made up of ABC Vancouver members, and reinstating the SLO program was one of the party’s key campaign promises.

-With files from Kier Junos