SCHOOLS

The Community Services Team is largely responsible for supporting the twenty-one schools within the District of West Vancouver. Our goal is to eliminate barriers between youth and police by actively promoting accessibility and education in the schools. Officers regularly visit the schools to present material to students to increase awareness about safety concerns and protecting themselves from criminal activity. In addition to this programming, the Community Services Team also attends many events throughout the year such as Remembrance Day, Pink Shirt day and various sporting functions to show support for the school administration.

The following presentations are available to the schools to assist with educating their students on safety and the West Vancouver Police Department’s role in the community:

K-3: The Role of Police in the Community

This presentation serves as an introduction to policing to remove stigma, fear and anxiety about calling, seeing or approaching police. The media and different cultures around the world have a variety of views about police. The Community Services Team endeavours to challenge some of the controversial ideas by creating a positive first experience while we discuss the roles and responsibilities of police officers.

K-3: Reading Program

A member of the Community Services Team attends the school library and they read books to young people. This program encourages a love for literature while also humanizing the police. The books are age appropriate with content that centers on kindness, anti-bullying and pro-social behaviour.

K-5: Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

Unfortunately, vehicle collisions with pedestrians and cyclists continues to occur; as a result, the Community Services Team aims to arm students with knowledge about road safety to prevent potential future collisions. We discuss visibility, vehicle awareness and rules of the road.

4-7: Cyber Safety

Social media and internet access is usually obtained by students between the ages of eight to thirteen years old. There is a limited amount of education around safeguards and making good choices when exploring online platforms. The Community Services Team discusses the dangers of befriending unknown individuals online, sexting, sharing intimate images, cyberbullying, and the permanent nature of their digital footprint.

10-12: The Law and You

Twice a year, a member from the Community Services Team attends Law 12 classes to discuss a variety of topics that are of interest to youth in relation to the police duties and authority, the Motor Vehicle Act, powers of arrest, and search incident to arrest. The presentation is meant to enlighten students on their rights while providing insight to future career opportunities and the expectation for police officers.

10-12: Consent

The Community Services Team is currently developing a presentation to be delivered simultaneously with the Sexual Assault Response Program (SARP) with Family Services to give a comprehensive introduction into healthy relationships, consent to intimacy, risks of sharing intimate images, online exploitation and resources to help navigate these complex issues.

International Student Presentation

On several occasions throughout the year, West Vancouver Police Department partners with Impact North Shore to provide in house presentations and tours for internationals students travelling to Canada. Again, the goal is to reduce negative perceptions of police, offer education, decrease apprehension about speaking with police, and reduce the vulnerability of these students to criminal activity.

In addition to programming, through increased communication with staff and students, the Community Services Team often investigates offences associated to youth in schools. The Community Services Team makes alternative measure referral, when appropriate, to divert youth from the criminal justice system. With a combined approach, the West Vancouver Police Department strives to reach collaborative resolutions and help ensure that West Vancouver schools are a safe learning environment for all students and staff.

To request or enquire about a presentation, please contact the Community Services Team at [email protected].