Reintroduction of police resource officers into Edmonton public schools mostly positive experience: report

Edmonton Public Schools says feedback from the reintroduction of its school resource officer program has been mostly positive.

The Edmonton Public School Board says feedback from the reintroduction of its school resource officer (SRO) program has been mostly positive.

Its trustees discussed a report evaluating the first phase of the reintroduction on Tuesday during a board meeting.

The report says SROs are generally being well-received by students, staff and families.

About 4,500 students, 400 staff and 142 family members took part in surveys as part of the evaluation, with many students saying the program made them feel safe, secure and protected. Some, however, said it made them feel intimidated and uncomfortable.

The school board suspended the SRO program in the fall of 2020 over concerns about the impact it had on racialized and marginalized students. It was reintroduced into six high schools a year ago. Seven more added SROs in the fall.

The program includes a resource officer as well as a mental health therapist and is being expanded again this month, bringing SROs into another high school and six junior highs.

The second part of the board’s evaluation will occur throughout the 2025-26 school year as the administration continues to assess the program.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nahreman Issa