Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

The Safe Schools initiative is not only helping students learn new ways of resolving conflict, but also the police, according to members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) who have now received certification from the programme.

Speaking during a ceremony held at the Ministry of National Security offices on Oxford Road, New Kingston, Janilee Abrikian, general manager of Peace and Love in Society (PALS), which trained the group of 26 school resource officers (SROs), lauded their efforts which included assisting her organisation draft a curriculum for the training of SROs. Introduced in 2004, the initiative has over 100 SROs attached to 114 schools nationwide.

Troubled schools

The ministry now wants all schools to sign up under the Safe Schools Programme, which was initially launched in troubled schools two years ago.

What Mrs. Abrikian called a "journey" had, she said, allowed all stakeholders - teachers, students, officers and even PALS staff - to learn more about their respective roles.

"It is one of the best things I have ever done," said an enthusiastic Constable Wayne Miller of the Kingston Central police, who is attached to Kingston College.

Constable Miller said the training had enabled SROs to get more in touch with their emotions, and to better understand how to resolve conflicts peacefully. Officers were taught to use so-called 'I-statements', a technique shared with students, wherein conflict situations persons express their own feelings first, rather than verbally challenging their adversary.

However, the constables acknowledged that with personnel shortages, they often had to sacrifice their SRO work for regular policing duties. But next year, an inspector and sergeant from each police division are to be made responsible for coordinating community policing, reflecting its growing priority in the force, said Deputy Superintendent Merrick Watson from the JCF's Community Safety Branch.

- ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com