Black Gold and City of Leduc approve additional SRO position
As part of their shared commitment to student and community safety, the Black Gold School Division (BGSD) and the City of Leduc have approved funding for a second School Resource Officer (SRO) from September 2024 to June 2027.
Funding for the position, including salary, equipment and benefits, totals $110,000 a year and will be paid for equally by BGSD and the City, with each contributing up to $55,000 a year for the next three years.
“The City of Leduc is a valued partner in the overall safety and well-being of our school communities, and it is crucial that we work together to ensure the security of our students and staff, and the positive development of our youth,” said Board Chair Esther Eckert. “Black Gold looks forward to working with the City and the RCMP to determine the responsibilities for both school resource officers prior to the start of the 2024 school year.”
For the past several years, an RCMP member has served as an SRO in Black Gold schools. This new position, to be filled by a Community Peace Officer (CPO), will allow the current SRO to spend more time working with junior and senior high students and dedicate time to Violent Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) protocols.
The CPO will promote safe learning environments, build positive relationships with students and provide mentorship, education and programming aimed at elementary school students.
“Keeping schools safe and fostering positive relationships between youth and authority figures like RCMP and CPOs helps our whole community thrive,” said Mayor Bob Young. “Our school resource officers play an important role in that and we believe this investment will pay dividends in the development of responsible, respectful, and productive young citizens in Leduc.”
Superintendent of Schools/CEO Bill Romanchuk noted that with Ohpaho Secondary School opening in September of 2024, the number of schools in Leduc will increase to 15 and the total student population will exceed 4,000. “We are grateful for the City of Leduc’s partnership on this important safety initiative, as the numbers present a challenging workload for a single school resource officer to provide effective and meaningful service,” said Romanchuk.
