Young Students Using Gang Symbols
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
July 14, 2015 (SKNIS)
As part of its plan to forge closer links with the community, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force will be re-branding and expanding its School Liaison Officers programme where constables will be assigned to every school in the federation.
This role will see law men and women become an integral part of the school environment where they will establish working relationships with the principal, teachers and other staff at the respective school, interact positively with parents and mentor the students.
“The officer will be readily available,” explained Assistant Commissioner of Police responsible for Crime Ian Queeley, noting that the interaction will include participation in morning assemblies, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings and other school-based functions.
The information collected will be shared with the Police High Command and factored into the design of various strategies and programmes targeting young people and the community. In the meantime, officials will engage personnel at the Ministry of Education to fine-tune the framework of the liaison initiative.
The initiative builds on already existing programmes geared towards youth including Operation Future, the Mentoring, Advising, Guiding and Instructing Children (MAGIC) program, Teens and Police Service Academy (TAPS), and the Police Drum Corps. It is hoped that the early intervention with students will instill positive values and deter from antisocial activity.