Const. Dwayne Peace is a 42-year-old high school teacher, counsellor, friend, confidant and high school hallway monitor. With a gun and a badge.

Constable takes time to share life lessons on school patrol

Each morning, Const. Peace goes back to school.  While his uniformed colleagues hit the streets of Calgary, Peace hits the hallways of Bishop O'Byrne High School in the southwest.  He is one of 16 Calgary Police Service officers working in the city's schools, as part of its school resource officer program.

The program has operated since 1974 and now involves 26 Catholic and public schools citywide.  Peace says the job has given him an extended family of students throughout Calgary. The students say he is their friend first, a teacher second, and a police officer third.

"Through education and having a classroom presence, we are breaking down walls that exist between youth and the police. Being a part of their school life, it makes them more comfortable with the police," said Peace. "They come and talk to us, tell us their problems, ask for career advice, talk about conflicts they are having. We gain their trust and respect. Sometimes students feel they have no one to turn to. They can turn to us."

Peace became involved in the school program seven years ago. He spends much of his time in the classroom, talking to students. He is available as a counsellor, acts as a mediator, helps students with career choices and maintains the long arm of the law.

Violence in schools has become a much-talked-about issue in recent years, following killings such as the Columbine High School massacre in the United States two years ago.

However, Peace says schools are not dangerous places. He says life in the city's schools mirrors society, and his job mirrors that of officers working on the streets.

"The issues are the same, the only difference is on the street you deal with someone, then you may never see them again," he said. "In school, you deal with someone, then you see them again and again.

"Anything that happens in society can happen in schools, and anything that happens in schools can happen in the adult world."

Peace is quick to defend the youth of today, so often the subject of criticism. He says many kids get a bum rap from society and claims the school hallways are far more positive than city streets. "It is so positive to deal with kids. Working in the schools is like working a small country town. You really are part of the community.

"There are so many positives with working in this program," he said. "If the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow, then we are in good hands."

Sgt. Brad Berrow, who runs Calgary's school resource officer program, said the work enhanced the relationship between the police and students. "It creates a positive attitude towards the police and the law. It lets the kids see what we are about so they don't think of us with the authority mentality kids have," he said. "It certainly seems to work."

"We have heard from people out of school who say they relate back to their school resource officer and use him or her as a building block."

Berrow said it took "a special kind of person" to become involved in the program. Police officers who worked with students "loved it" he said. "They get so involved in the school community and school life. At times, police work can be pretty negative, but this is just so positive. It really rejuvenates the officers," he said.

"The schools are a super positive place and the guys just love their work."

Kerry Williamson
http://www.canada.com/calgary/news/story.asp?id={4A5F2D9F-538D-4638-BF9E-CF2AED8864BD}