HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM

The Brantford Police Service's High School Resource Officer Program is proud to have celebrated 10 years of operation in the Year 2000. In the early part of 1990, both local Boards of Education were invited to join our Service in a partnership to bring the H.S.R.O. to Brantford. This innovative, pilot, project was the first of its kind on Ontario.

The Separate School Board agreed to enter our partnership and in September 1990, Constable Bill Doherty, our first H.S.R.O., was assigned to St. John's College. Constable Doherty and the principal of St. John's College, at the time, had traveled to Balfour Collegiate in Regina, Saskatchewan, for 1 week prior to the start-up of the program, for orientation.

The mandate of the H.S.R.O. Program is:

To provide the opportunity for students to form a better understanding of the role of the police officer in the community, and the individual citizen's responsibility to the community, the law and the enforcement of the law.

Some of the duties of the H.S.R.O. include:

  • provide guidance and direction to students, parents and teachers;
  • participate as a resource person in classroom discussions, assemblies, and with parent groups;
  • interpret the law to students;
  • prevent juvenile delinquency through close contact with students and personnel
  • to improve the image of the police service
  • to assist in the protection of the school, staff and students in accordance with the duties of a police officer.

The H.S.R.O. was well-received by School Board officials, the principal, teachers, parents, and most importantly the students themselves. In September 1992, Assumption College, a second Separate high school, was built and the duties of the H.S.R.O. at St. John's were divided between the 2 schools.

Due to the increasing success of the program, beginning in September 1999, the H.S.R.O. was expanded into the Public School Board, with the addition of 3 secondary schools taking part, thanks to partial funding from a Community Partnerships Grant from the Ministry of the Solicitor General. Pauline Johnson Collegiate, North Park Collegiate, and Tollgate Technical Skills Centre became involved in the program.

The program expanded again when Brantford Collegiate Institute welcomed a Resource Officer in September 2000. There was no better way to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the H.S.R.O. Program than by the full participation of all high schools in the City. What started out to be 1 high school involved in a pilot project has now grown to include all 6 secondary schools in Brantford.


Former H.S.R.O. Constable Gary Potts talks to students at Tollgate Technical Skills Centre.

Since the inception of the program, the Constables assigned as Resource Officers are selected by a panel of school principals and Senior Police Officers. These professionals must have a demonstrated keen interest in working with young people. They are all involved in the extra-curricular activities taking place at their high schools such as coaching football, volleyball, and basketball. The high-caliber officers selected as Resource Officers is the major reason for the ever-growing success of the program, and when you consider that during a school year the H.S.R.O.'s will be interacting with approximately 7,000 high school students in Brantford, the positive affects will be evident for years to come.

The program runs from September to June each school year. During July and August the H.S.R.O. are reassigned to other areas of the Service to strengthen manpower over the summer months.

Our High School Resource Officers are (from left to right):
Constable Mike Zomer - Assumption/St. John's
Constable Ed Bragg - Pauline Johnson/North Park
Constable Scott Gibson - Brantford Collegiate/Tollgate Technical

For further information about this important, community-based program, e-mail us at hsro@police.brantford.on.ca.






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