Local police and educators are heralding the return of a school resource officer to the town’s high school.
Const. Julie Towton was officially welcomed to St. Marys DCVI Thursday morning.
Towton comes into the role with nine years experience with the OPP, most recently with the West Perth detachment. She says the opportunity to work with youth and help form a positive relationship between police and teens is what appealed to her about the position.
“Quite often (youth will) shy away (from police). Even my first day here maybe four people made eye contact with me ... today I’m at 10,” she notes.
Towton also has experience talking with students about self worth and law enforcement, and is involved with peer mentoring and coaching sports.
“I’ve done a lot of extra curricular stuff outside the OPP with youth, so this flowed naturally to bring this into my work,” she adds.
Perth County OPP community relations officer Kees Wijnands says school resource officers have been an integral part of schools across Ontario for many years, adding the goal of the position is to form a cooperative effort among educators, police and the community which leads to a  healthy and safe environment within the school.
In addition to being a visible presence within the school and handling any criminal activity, her duties include being available to students and staff as a resource and working with other community agencies to ensure students’ safety and assist with the education of such things as drugs, drinking and driving and other crimes.  
“There’s a lot of things the kids think is the law, but they need proper clarification,” says St. Marys DCVI vice principal Rob Larsen. “They need to know these things so they can make proper decisions.”
Towton takes over the position left vacant last May by Const. Bill DeKoning, who filled the role on a trial basis before assuming a position at another detachment within the county.
“(Const. DeKoning) spent a lot of time here and created quite a rapport with students,” notes Wijnands, adding his presence helped with the prevention and detection of crimes within the school and community, and allowed other officers in town to focus their efforts elsewhere.
With support from the OPP and school administrators, the town (as part of its new policing contract with the OPP) negotiated to have its new full-time officer fill a dual role in the school and out in the community.
As such, Towton will work in the school during her day shifts, but still work through the night until September, by which time the OPP hopes to have another officer added to the detachment, allowing her to work full-time at the school.
Acting staff Sergeant Greg Dafoe points out Towton’s work over the next couple of months will be beneficial.  
“The students will be out and about within the town, so this will flow into the summer months,” he adds.
St. Marys DCVI  principal Ralf Mesenbrink notes Towton will also be able to begin forming relationships over the summer with the Grades 7-8s who will be joining the high school in the fall. The earlier she can get to know them, the better, he adds.
Mesenbrink says the school officer is another great resource available to students to help them through what can be difficult and confusing years.