Windsor police trying to break down barriers in high schools

The handful of Windsor police officers working in city high schools are trying to build relationships with young people that may extend beyond the classroom.

Sgt. Wren Dosant said three police officers make frequent visits to more than a dozen area high schools.

Getting the officers into the schools on a regular basis gives the students a chance to get to know what the police are all about.

"It breaks down barriers," Dosant said Wednesday, when explaining the benefits of the approach to CBC News. "No better way than to do it on a daily basis, year-round."

Dosant said that these officers also handle hundreds of calls each year at these schools.

He said they're well suited to the job and they also help police do their job more efficiently, by ensuring that officers on the road are not diverted from other tasks.

"You're looking at about 900 calls that officers handle," said Dosant, noting that these are a mix of calls from principals, as well as from individuals calling local police stations.