Two months after it was implemented to stem the level of violence in selected public schools, the cops-in-schools programme – initially greeted with skepticism and criticism – is getting high marks.

While the police have refused to release any data on interventions and weapon seizures in the selected schools, they say their objective to transform the schools into safe zones is partly achieved. But even more significantly, they said, there has been increasing acceptance of the programme, generally, by school officials, teachers, parents and students.

“We have ironed out all the teething problems which were mainly based on misconceptions and lack of information as to what the programme was about,” explained Deputy Superintendent Norman Heywood. He is in charge of the islandwide programme.

“With the additional information to the schools, principals, guidance counsellors, teachers, the acceptance level has become very high,” he told the Sunday Observer. “In fact, some schools that were not originally a part of the plan have been calling us to take the programme to their schools as well.”

An evaluation of the programme – which was officially launched last week – that would supply data from the more than 60 schools in which it has been implemented, is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. However, according to DSP Heywood, the information would not be made public. This, he argued, was in the best interest of the schools.

“One of the things we don’t want is for the police to disseminate information on the schools because when it started some schools were afraid of being stigmatised,” he explained.

The safe schools programme was implemented in early September against the background of increasing concerns by both public and private sector officials about the high level of violence in public schools.

Figures for 2004 were not available, but last year violence in schools left three students dead while attacks on teachers and students left another 25 persons injured.

Under the safe schools programme police officers, specially trained under the School Resource Officer (SRO) Programme, have been deployed to 69 public schools across the island.

In its initial stage, the programme was perceived as a heavy-handed approach by the law enforcers and there were objections by some school officials, parents and teachers who argued that the deployment of cops in their schools would only serve to paint a bleak picture of the institutions.

But DSP Heywood said he and other programme officials had been able to get the various stakeholders to view the programme in a positive light. Progress was made only after many meetings with the selected institutions.

“There is now a general acceptance right across the board; the students are comfortable, the teachers are comfortable with the police around, the programme is progressing and well accepted now in all the schools,” he told the Sunday Observer.

School officials are equally upbeat.

“The initial resentment was out of ignorance over what the programme was about,” explained Al Slolan, principal at the Swallowfield Primary and Junior High.

“Now that the misconceptions have been cleared up and we are having regular visits from a police officer, the programme has our full support,” he added.

With its population of approximately 1,400 students, the Swallowfield Primary and Junior High is located along Whitehall Avenue. The neighbourhood is perceived by many outsiders as a violent area even though the police statistics have proved otherwise.

It was felt, by some, that the school was selected for the cops in schools programme because of its location.

At the outset, Slolan confessed, he saw no need for what he felt was the “heavy hand” of the law being brought into the school.

“Suffice it so say we were not of the view that we needed to have a cop at our school because the behaviour of our children had been good over the years,” he noted. “But we have come to understand that the programme is much more than that and we are now fully behind it.”

His students, too, are behind the programme.

“I am happy that the police is here,” said seventh-grader Reynold Samuels.

“I am happy that the police is here to prevent other students from doing bad things,” added his peer, Nico Ashley.

While Oberlin High’s principal Thelma James said it was too early to evaluate the programme other schools, like Calabar High, that have moved to embrace the programme are happy with its progress.

“There is a general acceptance from the parents and the boys; we are experiencing no problems,” explained principal Captain Lincoln Thaxter. “It’s working well, it’s really working well.”

Corporal Carron Taylor of the Constant Spring Police Station is the SRO deployed to the school. He described the intervention as a “work in progress”.

“The type of cooperation extended by the principal, dean of discipline and students is second to none,” he told the Sunday Observer. “I don’t see myself there as a policeman, but as a big brother to talk to the boys, listen to them and see how best I can appreciate the reality of why they do the things they do and say the things they say.”

He has witnessed, he said, a transformation in the students’ behaviour and has received positive feedback from parents.

“I have been told by students, teachers, that there’s a big difference,” Corporal Taylor said. “There’s no secret that the school had experienced disciplinary problems. (But) the environment has improved significantly, you can even see it in how the boys are attired these days.”

He added: “It’s about education, engineering and enforcement, to work with the group of boys and gain their trust. We (police) don’t have all the answers but it is indeed a learning experience.”

Divisional coordinator for Kingston and St Andrew North Inspector Stephanie Lindsay-Clarke said, based on the feedback from the schools in her area, she expects the programme to be around for much longer and expanded to cover even more schools.

The selected schools in the area are New Day All Age, Constant Spring and Swallowfield Primary and Junior High schools, Oberlin High and Calabar High.

“Since we have managed to sensitise the principals, teachers, parents and students about the benefits, there has been a general acceptance and I am very upbeat about the level of support and cooperation we have been getting from the schools,” she said.