Edmonton police officers are set to return to some public schools by the Winter 2025 semester, according to Edmonton Public Schools Superintendent Darrel Robertson. Robertson announced at a recent meeting that the school division is negotiating a new arrangement with the Edmonton Police Service.
Depending on the duration of the necessary training, up to six officers could be deployed to public schools before the end of the 2024-2025 school year. The program, which was paused in September 2020, previously saw officers stationed in 21 city schools.
A study over the past decade revealed that the previous program resulted in thousands of suspensions, hundreds of expulsions, and tens of thousands of students labeled as “offenders.” Despite these concerns, some principals have requested the return of police officers, citing challenges in managing criminal activities such as weapons possession and drug sales in schools.
