The District of Lake Country and the Lake Country RCMP say the RCMP’s school liaison officer position is not being cut due to lack of funding
Lake Country sent out a press release Monday morning to respond to rumours that have been circulating that the school liaison officer position in Lake Country will not be funded after this school year.
The District says Lake Country put a high priority on this role beginning in 2008 when they made a formal motion to ensure that the role of school liaison officer was funded when a new RCMP member was hired.
The school liaison officer is a general duty member during the summer months and outside of school hours and works with students during the school year.
The RCMP are meeting with School District 23 and the District of Lake Country to explore the prospect of modifying the position to meet the needs of the broader Lake Country community, while still having a consistent officer assigned to each school.
“It is good to have the position staffed with members that live here or have kids,” said Sgt Jayson Lucash. “They have a personal investment in the community.”
Besides having the resources to respond to 911 calls and incidents in Lake Country, there is a benefit to giving multiple RCMP officers the chance to connect with students on a proactive level in the schools, according to Lake Country. “Managing resources effectively to meet the various needs of the growing community of Lake Country is the main issue being addressed in the current evaluation of the School Liaison Officer scheduling,” stated the release. “Mayor and council remain committed to funding this crucial role in Lake Country.”
