Summary
"In early 2008, Chief William Blair approached the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto
Catholic District School Board about implementing a School Resource Officer program in Toronto
schools. The School Boards agreed to participate in the program and provincial funding allowed the
placement of up to 30 School Resource Officers (SROs) in Toronto schools. The SRO mandate was to
work in partnership with students, teachers, school administrators, School Board officials, parents,
other police officers, and the community to establish and maintain a healthy and safe school
community.
The evaluation of the School Resource Officer Program focussed on measuring related perceptions
of students, teachers/administrators, parents and SROs in those schools where a School Resource
Officer was assigned. Over 11,500 surveys were distributed in October 2008 and again in May 2009.
The surveys were designed to benchmark and measure changes in perception of safety in and
around the schools, relations with police, student comfort with and willingness to report crime and
victimization to the police, and overall value of the program. The evaluation also included an analysis
of crimes and victimization in and around the schools, and a review of the activities of the School
Resource Officers."--Executive Summary.
Contents
1. Executive summary -- 2. Background -- 3. Purpose/research questions -- 4. Methodology -- 4.1. Surveys -- 4.1.1. Distribution to students -- 4.1.2. Distribution to school administrators and teachers -- -- 4.1.3. Distribution to parents -- 4.1.4. Distribution to school resource officers -- 4.2. SRO data collection -- 4.3. Crime and victimization data -- 5. Findings -- 5.1. Overview: Research questions -- 5.2. Student surveys --5.2.1 Thoughts on safety -- 5.2.2. Thoughts on police and the SRO program -- 5.3. School resource officer survey -- 5.4. SRO activity sheets -- 5.5. School administrator/teacher surveys -- 5.5.1 Thoughts on safety -- 5.5.2. Thoughts on police and the SRO program -- 5.6. Parent surveys --5.6.1. Thoughts on safety -- 5.6.2. Thoughts on police and the SRO program -- 5.7. Crime and victimization data -- 5.7.1. Offences on school grounds only -- 5.7.2. Offences on school grounds or within 200 metres of the school -- 5.7.3. Victimization on school grounds only -- 5.7.4. Victimization on school grounds or within 200 metres of the school -- 6. Discussion and recommendations -- 6.1. Discussion -- 6.2. Recommendations.