Cops in all high schools

The decision taken by members of Falkirk Council’s education committee on Tuesday means it will be the first local authority in Scotland to have campus police officers in every one of its secondary schools, with officers scheduled to be in place before the start of the summer holidays.

Braes, Denny, Larbert, Falkirk and Grangemouth high schools already have police officers, now Bo’ness, Graeme and St Mungo’s high schools will have them too.

Police Scotland will fund six of the police officers while the council will pay for two – at a cost of £84,000, with cash from the Children’s Services revenue budget and each school chipping in £9300 from their own devolved budgets.

The move was praised by members, who listened to the benefits school-based police officers had brought to Denny High, including a reduction in exclusions at the school and less youth offending in the area.

Head teacher Stephen Miller said: “Many pupils have considered joining the police themselves after seeing what a positive role model a police officer can be.

“We have also seen a 30 per cent reduction in youth disorder in the local community.”

PC Iain Taylor, who has been in place at Denny High School since January 2015, said: “I have pupils coming to speak to me about an assortment of things. I’m thoroughly enjoying my job at Denny High and I can see the benefits it brings.”