The head of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) Special Victims Department (SVD) says investigations into recent incidents of school bullying and violence are nearing completion.
In confirming the status of some of their investigations yesterday, SVD head Michelle Rowley-Powder, who was at the Fyzabad Secondary School for an anti-bullying exercise, said timely mediation is important in dealing with school bullying and violence.
“We are here to define and to get down to brass tacks with the students and let them know the negative effects of bullying. We have a situation where in Princes Town we lost a student to bullying and we see the need to educate students on how to treat issues not having to resort to violence,” she said.
Rowley-Powder said investigations into the alleged bullying of 15-year-old Jayden Lalchan, who took his life earlier this month, should be wrapped up soon, while a Fyzabad Secondary student captured on camera assaulting another could soon face the courts.
“I have been liaising with the corporal of that police station up till Tuesday, we have a good bit of information so far and we also have evidence so that person can be before the court shortly,” she said
Rowley-Powder said support is provided to victims of school violence and bullying.
“We have on board a member of the Police Victim and Witness Support Unit to lend assistance as well as an expert in child psychology,” she said, as she encouraged the public to continue reporting incidents so the necessary action and interventions can take place.
Allyson Joseph-Guerra, head of the School Intervention Team, said there has been an increase in requests from schools for the anti-bullying programmes.
“We have had an increase in requests and it is not just from secondary schools. We also have requests coming from the primary schools, we are also involved with some of the pre-primary schools,” she said.
Joseph-Guerra said the programme is holistic and deals with strategies for stamping out bullying in schools.