Raphael Wolf
The city and province yesterday launched a school-safety pilot project they say will create safe environments at and around schools plagued by gangsterism, drugs and violence.
The School Resource Officers unit (SRO), was launched by Education MEC Debbie Schäfer and Mayor Patricia de Lille at Cedar High in Rocklands, Mitchell’s Plain.
There are 36 officers who will be at 18 schools in the city. US consul-general Teddy Taylor said they had provided training to the officers. He said the programme was similar to one in the US.
The high schools are Bishop Lavis and John Ramsey in Bishop Lavis, Fairmount in Grassy Park, ID Mkhize in Gugulethu, Woodlands and Tafelsig in Mitchell’s Plain, Lotus High in Lotus River, Silverstream, Phoenix and Downville Primary in Manenberg, Crystal in Hanover Park and Oscar Mpheta in Nyanga, Leiden in Delft, Iqhayiya and Sizimesele in Khayelitsha, Forrest Height in Eerste River, Dr Nelson Mandela in Crossroads and Wesbank High.
Schäffer said SROs would control access to schools, conduct searches, seizures and patrols and identify and address, with principals and safety committees, the underlying problems that lead to disorder and crime at schools.
Other responsibilities include early identification of illegal activities by youth at risk, developing safe movement corridors with the help of the SAPS, metro police, neighbourhood watches and other agencies, and to nurture positive relations with pupils.
SROs must also assist school safety committees and principals in emergency and disaster preparedness planning and security.
Cedars’ principal, David Charles, said pupils’ behaviour had deteriorated over the past four years, with an influx of unauthorised people coming on to the school’s premises.
“The SROs started at our school in July with two officers. We have since noticed that it deters aggressive behaviour of pupils. They improve safety on the school premises and reduce school-based crime,” he said.
SRO member Cameron Hendricks studies psychology at UWC and has been with Law Enforcement since last year.
“The main problem we have at schools is the drug and subsequent domestic problems. I’m passionate about children and what I’ve learnt is that teenagers need someone to talk to about their problems,” she said. “And that is why I feel I have the patience and understanding to interact with them in a positive way,” she said.