Halifax security expert says Nova Scotia schools could benefit from patrol officers

A security professional and former school patrol officer is calling on Nova Scotia to take precautionary measures in light of the school shooting in B.C.

As Canadians mourn the lives lost in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting in British Columbia, teachers and students across the country are reflecting on their own safety.

In Nova Scotia, a security professional and former school patrol officer is calling on school boards and the province to take precautionary measures before it’s too late.

“We don’t want to turn our schools into fortresses. The mindset needs to change. People need to acknowledge that it’s a necessity, especially now,” said Ben Joly.

On Tuesday afternoon, a shooter opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, killing a female teacher and five students. More than two dozen others were injured.

Alongside the six victims from the school, two others were shot and killed at a separate location before the school shooting — the shooter’s mother and sibling.

During his 10 years as a school patrol officer, including with the Halifax Regional Municipality, Joly says he’s seen the benefit of having someone in uniform walking the halls.

“I was able to build relationships with the staff and the kids, the students,” he said. “They knew they can come to me anonymously and say, ‘Hey, so-and-so is doing this, or this might happen at lunch hour.'”

But he adds that to step into a security role, all it takes is “a well-trained person” to be able to assess threats.