Three Oaks Senior High School hoping to add police officer

A Summerside city councillor who has been lobbying to have a police officer work from Three Oaks Senior High School says it now looks like the school will get one this year.

The need for an officer was brought to Barb Ramsay's attention by a school official right after she was elected, she said.

"Three Oaks is a wonderful high school but it's no different than any other high school on Prince Edward Island or across the country. And we're just simply trying to deal with the issues that we have," said Ramsay, who is the city's chair of police services.

The city set aside $50,000 for the pilot, Ramsay said.

"I think it's going to be a very positive thing for Summerside. You know, I know it has to be a special person and we have some special officers down at the Summerside police force that may fit into this role very well," she said.

Working with province

Ramsay said for the pilot to go through she also needed to have the province on board, so she has been working with the cabinet minister responsible for the city, Matthew MacKay, to try to make it happen.

"We worked really hard on this to make it happen," Ramsay said.

Education Minister Brad Trivers said the request is going through internal government approvals and the expectation is that it will be approved for the coming school year.

"He gave us the go-ahead," Ramsay said.

Now a police officer will be put in the school for one year as a pilot project, Ramsay said.

"It would be permanent full time for the year," she said. She said more talks have to take place with the police department, but she is hoping an officer will be in place by September, Ramsay said.

"I think it has to be a special person that goes into this role. Working with young people is a wonderful opportunity for someone."

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