Islington Lib Dems extend funding for schools police

5.02.52pm GMT Mon 9th Mar 2009

Councillor Terry Stacy with Islington's Safer Schools police team.

A pioneering project by Islington's Liberal Democrat council to put Police Community Safety Officers into Islington's primary schools has had its funding extended. In London's first initiative of its kind, since 2007 18 PCSOs funded by Islington Council have worked closely with the borough's schools and young people.

As part of their duties officers have set up patrols around the main routes to school, run lunchtime "Detective Clubs", and talk to misbehaving pupils.

They also conduct regular truancy sweeps, last year helping to identify 218 pupils who were out of school without permission.

The project has been hailed a success and Islington Council has now agreed to continue funding for the PCSOs.

Cllr Terry Stacy, Islington Council's Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Community Safety, said:

"We're determined to do everything we can to keep our young people safe and out of trouble. That's why we became the first place in London to put PCSOs in our schools, something which other boroughs are now looking at."