STUDENTS, POLICE CAN FORGE POSITIVE RELATIONS AT SCHOOLS

A police officer assigned to Cape Girardeau's public schools? Are drugs and other problems that bad? Is this the start of some kind of police state?

Relax. This new partnership between the public schools and police department is an effort to deter crime and foster mutual trust between students and police. It is all part of a federal grant that finances a School Resources Officer Program. The program here will begin in August and was approved as part of the district's master plan last October. The police officer will be based at Central High School but will serve all school buildings.

Take the matter of crime deterrence. If a motorist knows that police routinely use radar on a certain street, that driver will be less likely to speed. If students know that an officer is assigned to the district full time, they may be less likely to cause trouble or bring drugs on school grounds.

It can be assumed the officer's presence won't simply grow into a uniformed locker patrol. That would be a waste of taxpayers' dollars and do little to build trust among students.

Too often, teen-agers are involved with police officers when something goes wrong. They don't see the helping side of law enforcement. An officer in the schools could provide a less threatening way to learn that officers can be friends and allies.

Police officers aren't new to the schools. For years, officers have worked with the very successful DARE program to help deter drug use. But much of that focus was at the elementary level. The fact this officer will be based at the high school should allow more constant positive interaction with a different age group of students.

And if a crime does occur on school grounds, an officer is there to react quickly and with familiarity to the students involved.

Of course, the key to the success of this program may be the individual officer. Many teen-agers won't judge the officer's presence on the merits of the program but on the personal appeal and abilities of the officer. The individual must also be able to work well with teachers and administrators as a resource.

Cape Girardeau's new police chief, Rick Hetzel, helped start a similar program when he was chief in Norcross, Ga. The success of that program spurred Hetzel to take a leadership role in its establishment here. His knowledge should give the program an automatic boost at its start.

Building rapport between a police officer and students won't happen overnight. But the right kind of officer can make a difference in the Cape Girardeau Public Schools -- both in deterring crime and building positive relationships with students.