The debate over the School Resource Officer (SRO) program is far from over in Peel Region. The SRO program, which saw uniformed police officers stationed in local high schools for over 20 years, was established to build rapport with students and address on-site incidents. However, following a comprehensive review, the program was cancelled by Peel Regional Police in November 2020. This decision was made after significant community consultation revealed that the presence of officers contributed to negative experiences and systemic harm for a substantial portion of the student body, particularly within Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities. The cancellation was an acknowledgement that the previous approach was not serving all students equitably.
Despite the gravity of those past harms, the reality on the ground has changed, and not for the better. Schools are now grappling with serious incidents—ranging from escalating violence to the presence of weapons—that educators and administrators simply aren’t equipped to handle alone. The absence of a dedicated, on-site police presence slows emergency response times and forces schools to rely on the general 9-1-1 system, diverting officers from community policing duties.The answer isn’t to ignore the past; it’s to fix the system.
Reintroducing SROs is vital, but only if they operate under a radically reformed model. Peel Police must ensure the new program is non-punitive, emphasizing de-escalation and informal counseling over arrests. This requires officers who are selected and trained specifically for youth engagement, with mandatory and rigorous anti-racism education. The focus must be on building relationships and being a resource, not a patrol. By implementing these strict, community-mandated controls, Peel can restore a necessary layer of security while finally earning the trust of the very students the officers are meant to protect.
