School Resource Officers shift to youth engagement

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - LETHBRIDGE HERALD on November 9, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The Lethbridge Police Service School Resource Officers (SROs) have changed their name to take a proactive approach to engaging and intervening with youth, and helping them develop into successful and law abiding citizens.
The scope of this new initiative, which was presented to the Lethbridge Police Commission at the Oct. 27 meeting, determined that a name change was appropriate and that the title of School Resource Officer (SRO) be changed to Youth Engagement Officer (YEO) ‐ Youth Engagement Unit (YEU).
During the meeting, Acting Sgt. Rob Thibeau of the Youth Engagement Unit stated that this was necessary considering the current social climate and the need to offer relevant services to the youth within our community, both inside and outside of the school setting, as there has been an increase in youths engaging in serious criminal behaviours.
The YEU will focus on providing outreach in the forms of early intervention, positive mentorship, recommending support services, building positive relationships, and keeping young offenders out of the criminal justice system through diversionary programs where appropriate and where legislated. Circumstances at times may dictate that criminal charges are warranted but the overall focus of the unit is diversion as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
“This new direction requires the continued partnership between Central Officer Senior Administrative Leadership Teams, School Administrators, Counselling Coordinators, Counsellors, Wellness Teams, FNMI Coordinators, and Mental Health Capacity Teams,” said Thibeau during the Lethbridge Police Commission meeting.
It will also expand to include other community partnerships outside of the school setting, such as the Youth Justice Committee, Children and Family Services, and various youth homes.
It is important to note the changes will not remove the YEOs from the school setting, as this partnership has proven to be invaluable. This new approach will ensure that the YEOs remain focused on matters pertaining specifically to youth and offering relevant services that are both proactive and reactive.
“We have a very dedicated, amazing Community Peace Officer unit that will be looking at youth and utilizing them, to be also in schools and provide some of the services that this group can’t offer due to the school still having their presence but in a different format,” said Chief of Police Shahin Mehdizadeh during the Oct. 27 LPC meeting.
Mehdizadeh added that both school boards have been engaged and very supportive of this program moving forward and both of them along with school administrations, can be key partners to really let them know if this is actually working, going in the right direction or if they need to tweak it.
In interviews with the Herald both school divisions agreed on the fact that they have been involved in the process, and the benefits of it.
“I have been very much included in conversations and what direction that this movement was making, and we certainly feel that this is a very proactive move on behalf of Lethbridge Police Service and we embraced the change. We see it as being positive and it is going to be helpful for our youth, because with the Youth Engagement Officer and how their roles have somewhat expanded it is going to give them additional time to connect with our children, youth and families,” said Anita Lethbridge-Gross, coordinator of counselling and wellness in Holy Spirit Catholic Schools.
Cheryl Gilmore, superintendent for the Lethbridge School Division, echoed the comments of Lethbridge-Gross.
“We think that it provides opportunity for the Youth Engagement Unit to have a comprehensive approach to supporting youth, and it’s very proactive so certainly there is opportunities for early intervention, greater opportunities for mentorship, different kinds of support services and we really see ourselves in this Youth Engagement Unit community process as valued partners.”

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