The chiefs of two First Nations based in Greater Victoria say they have "grave concerns" after the Greater Victoria School District (SD61) opted to end the School Police Liaison Officer (SPLO) program in May 2023.
On Monday, Dec. 2, Chief Jerome Thomas of Esquimalt Nation and Chief Ron Sam of Songhees Nation released a joint statement to Lisa Beare, B.C.'s minister of education and child care, condemning the program's cancellation and asking for a review of the board's composition and governance.
The cancellation of the program has garnered controversy since local police departments started reporting an increase in gang recruitment in Greater Victoria schools from Lower Mainland-based gangs.
"The [school] board's unanimous decision to end the SPLO program without direct consultation with either local Nation constitutes a breach of governance protocols and a lack of respect for our inherent rights and responsibilities as rightsholders in education," noted the statement.
The cancelling of the program resulted in the removal of the Indigenous police liaison officer from their catchment schools, who they say is a trusted individual who spent 10 years "building meaningful relationships with our students, families and communities."
"This abrupt decision has caused immediate and tangible harm, eroding the sense of physical and cultural safety that our students are entitled to."
They said they met with the board chair, Nicole Duncan, and other school trustees in 2023, telling them the lack of communication and consultation was "egregious," and asking for the reinstatement of the Indigenous liaison officer.
In a Dec. 4 letter to the chiefs, Duncan acknowledged the need for further dialogue and said the board is committed to working together to ensure their concerns are heard.
"We take your feedback seriously and remain open to dialogue with the Esquimalt Nation and Songhees Nation to work towards a solution that addresses concerns," noted the letter. "Since we met with you last year, and as part of our engagement efforts with regional police services, we have been working to establish a communication protocol with all four police services operating within the boundaries of the Greater Victoria School District to clarify roles, responsibilities, and service delivery so we can move forward in a productive manner."
She said the board still does not support the use of police services to manage student behaviour or discipline in the schools unless the student's behaviour constitutes criminal behaviour.
"Prior to the multi-year review, the activities of police liaison officers had not been evaluated by the school district. The anonymous survey conducted as part of our multi-year review and feedback received during review committee meetings and speaker’s series surfaced negative interactions with police, including allegations of police misconduct," noted the letter.
The board decided to cancel the program following a recommendation from the B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender, who based her judgment on a 2022 study done in the U.S. that found school officers made marginalized students feel less safe.
She also mentioned a 2021 Argyle survey done in Vancouver, which surveyed 1,900 students, that found those who identified as being people of colour expressed negative feelings and experiences with the school liaison program, pointing to negative personal experiences and broader concerns about the program’s ties to policing.
Govender has maintained that the programs should be ended unless school districts can demonstrate an evidence-based need for the officers, which SD61, local municipalities and police departments have not provided.
