Yellowknife (Dec 22/06) - RCMP officers are patrolling schools to discourage vandalism and smoking on school property.

"(We want to) start working with the kids and build stronger relationships with the schools," said Insp. Roch Fortin.

He said that schools are also requesting more patrols.

"It allows us to be more proactive instead of reactive," Fortin said.

Fortin said that with more resources for the RCMP, he is considering putting one officer on full-time duty just for the schools in the new year.

"It's a new initiative but it's always been a priority with the RCMP... Our main goal is an open line of communication," he said.

Officers go to the school and talk with the kids, take part in games (like dodgeball and volleyball), and show that the RCMP is there for them.

"It opens a lot of doors," he said. "It allows (the officers) to speak the same language."

One student smoker at Sir John Franklin high school, who asked not to be identified, said even with the police coming by it had little impact on their smoking.

"Generally you have to walk a little further (from the school)," said the student.

Mel Pardy, assistant superintendent with Yk1, said the increased patrols are good news.

Pardy said more of a police presence at the schools should have a positive impact on students.

"Kids usually view the officers as enforcement," he said.

Sir John Franklin principal Mieke Cameron said that Fortin had mentioned enforcing the drug-free zones especially in the high school areas.

"Police around would definitely have an influence on kids," she said.

However, she said that she doesn't feel that the patrols would have much of an effect on smoking.

Cameron said that when she first became principal in the early 1990s, the school board required that there be a smoking section on school property for students.

Cameron said that though the student body has increased over the years, she sees fewer students smoking.

"Ten times more kids smoked then compared to today," she said.