Golf shirts, smaller guns part of VPD's 'softening' approach to revamped school liaison officer program

Thursday's Vancouver Police Board meeting provided a glimpse into what the new school liaison officer (SLO) program will look like starting in September.

"We have built a program from the ground up," said Insp. Gary Hiar with the Vancouver Police Department's youth services and mental health unit.

The Vancouver School Board voted to remove police from schools in 2021 after a third-party report raised concerns regarding discrimination, particularly against Black and Indigenous students.

But after Mayor Ken Sim's ABC party won majorities on city council and the Vancouver School Board (VSB) this past October, the VSB narrowly voted to bring back the SLO program, citing public safety issues.

"We looked at those recommendations, those themes, those concerns that were highlighted in that report, and we wanted to address them," said Hiar.

Hiar says the revamped SLO program will include cultural awareness training for officers, more diverse hiring, the use of unmarked vehicles and a new uniform.

"We instead now are going to be transitioning into a golf polo style shirt, hiking pants," Hiar said.

Adding to the new image, police are also planning to carry smaller, less exposed firearms.

"This is going to be a softened approach of coming back into the schools," said Hiar. "Something the students wanted."

Despite promises to make noticeable changes, one VSB trustee is skeptical of the outcome.

"If a police officer is wearing another colour shirt or pants, they're still a police officer," said Suzie Mah, a VSB trustee who voted against bringing back the SLO program.

"We have to look back at, you know, some of the fundamental principles about how people feel about having police officers in schools."

Hiar says police are consulting several groups, including Indigenous committees and the Vancouver School District. The program will feature 15 constables, two sergeants and one youth coordinator. The cost will be tied into the VPD budget, but Hiar couldn't provide an approximate amount Thursday.