Coquitlam RCMP’s Youth Detail Team: Promoting positive police interactions with youth

An RCMP Youth Detail officer reads a book to a class of elementary school students while two other officers join them. Photos: RCMP

THE Coquitlam RCMP Youth Detail Team consists of dedicated officers that collaborate with School District 43 (Coquitlam) in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Anmore, and Belcarra. The Youth Detail Team officers also team up with Port Moody Police, as Port Moody is within School District 43.

The officers act as a resource for teachers, parents and youth by working closely with the school and local community partners, youth services and centres. By working with partnering agencies, they strive to ensure a safe environment for all students while also providing education about community safety issues.

Through early and positive interactions, the officers hope to eliminate barriers between youth and police while promoting police as an accessible community service. Often these relationships are established with community partners and parents or guardians.

“Coquitlam RCMP Youth Detail officers are committed to supporting youth within the community,” says Staff-Sgt. Jolaine Percival of Coquitlam RCMP’s Community Policing. “These officers love what they do by creating positive interactions with our youth through community engagement events, such as Reading with a Cop or the school’s breakfast programs.”

Some officers of the RCMP Youth Detail Team.

The Coquitlam RCMP Youth Detail Team delivers safety and crime prevention presentations to youth, school staff and parents. These officers receive additional youth-related training in order to best support the community. The officers often attend community events and engage with students in order to build a positive rapport with the youth within their neighbourhoods. It’s through community engagement that officers hope to have a positive interaction in the child’s life that can last for years to come.

The officers work within the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) to investigate criminal offences involving youth and make referrals to restorative justice when applicable.

Reducing youth involvement in crime continues to be a strategic priority for the RCMP. To learn more, visit the BC RCMP Centre for Youth Crime Prevention.