Police sent into ‘problem’ schools

THERE will now be an official police presence in 53 schools identified as having risks of violence.

Education Minister Luc Chatel and Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux went to a lycée in Seine-et-Marne to launch the scheme officially, accompanied by the school’s new “policier référent”, as the school police will be known.

Some of the pupils shouted insults and members of large parents association FCPE held up banners saying “a police officer in schools is not the solution”. A “small homemade bomb” was let off shortly after their arrival, according to the newspaper Métro.

The police will be in the schools only four hours a week, but will be provided with their own offices.

The officers will be uniformed and armed, and will advise the headteacher on security, do prevention work with pupils and if necessary “identify young people who might be “going off the straight and narrow”, according to the national secretary of police union Alliance, Frédéric Lagache. They will also be looking out for problems such as pupils selling drugs or bullying other young people for money.

The union is in favour of the idea, although it thinks four hours will be insufficient. Mr Lagache said a better idea might be to send in retired police in plainclothes, for longer periods.

The scheme is controversial. A recent survey by Harris Interactive found 74 per cent of people are opposed to police in schools. The largest secondary teachers’ union, Snes, has said it is not against the idea of a police attached to schools, who could come in in cases of serious violence, but it does not think they should have a regular presence. It is also not opposed to occasional visits for prevention purposes, but then police should “leave their arms behind”, it says.

An expert on violence in schools, Eric Debarbieux, has supported the scheme, saying it will create stronger links between police and communities and make sure police really know their patches and the local people.

Photo:Jonas Roux