School boards and police services seek input on investigation protocol

Local school boards and police services are seeking public input on a protocol outlining the working relationship and appropriate responses to occurrences requiring police investigation or response to schools and boards.

The document Police-School Board Protocol for the Investigation of School-Related Occurrences outlines a protocol between the following partners: Guelph/Orangeville/Shelburne Police Services; the Ontario Provincial Police; Upper Grand District School Board, Wellington Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud.

The protocol was designed to encourage, enable and maintain a positive relationship between police officers, school administrators, staff, students, parents, members of the school community and establishes guidelines for these various relationships.

Under ministry guidance, the protocol has been revised to strengthen the language on threat management/awareness services, include new bomb threat procedures, incorporate changes to lockdown procedures and training provisions, and increase the prominence of the section on violence prevention.

The revised protocol is just one way that the boards and police services are working together, as partners in education, to create and sustain safe and accepting schools, while promoting the well-being of all students.

Members of the public are encouraged to review the draft protocol and submit feedback online by Sept. 30.

To review the draft protocol and submit feedback, review document at https://www.ugdsb.on.ca/board/article.aspx?id=67067.

Hardcopies and French language versions of the protocol are available upon request.

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