BC Civil Liberties Groups Demand End to Police in Schools

BCCLA and Policing-Free Schools Canada petition BC ministers to end police programs in schools.

On June 9, 2026, the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) alongside Policing-Free Schools Canada issued a formal letter urging the Ministers of Education and Child Care, and Public Safety and Solicitor General to end all police-in-school programs across British Columbia. The groups cited serious concerns about student rights and safety in educational environments, motivated by reported incidents.

Among these incidents was a case where a school worker was detained at gunpoint by a School Liaison Officer, and another involving a Vancouver Police Department officer's inappropriate relationship with a former student that began through school contact. These events underpin their legal and ethical concerns regarding policing in schools.

This call follows a high-profile 2025 event in which the provincial government dismissed the Victoria School Board after it barred police from schools, citing student safety risks. The BCCLA intervened in Duncan v. British Columbia, challenging the dismissal and advocating for school board independence and Charter rights adherence.

Despite this, new police programs continue to emerge. For example, in June 2026, New Westminster’s school board and local police launched a Police Partnership Program. This initiative permits police officers in schools under a revised framework distinct from previous School Liaison Officer models.

Policy Director Meghan McDermott of the BCCLA expressed concern, stating: "Police presence in schools is counter-productive to maintaining a safe and inclusive learning environment." Andrea Vásquez Jiménez, Director of Policing-Free Schools Canada, added: "There is renewed urgency for everyone to support our call for Policing-Free Schools across Canada as governments are normalizing policing as a fundamental feature in Canadian schooling." Meanwhile, BC’s Minister of Education Lisa Beare emphasized government dissatisfaction with the Victoria School Board’s failure to act effectively on safety.

These developments mark a critical juncture in BC’s ongoing debate over the role of police in public education, with legal professionals and policymakers closely observing the implications for student rights, privacy, and school governance.

Yes, but: New programs like New Westminster’s Police Partnership Program indicate continuing efforts to maintain some police presence in schools, despite civil liberties objections.

What's next: Legal outcomes of Duncan v. British Columbia remain pending, as debates over school policing frameworks continue across the province.