ACPO is pleased to announce the publication of Joining Forces - Drugs: Guidance for police working with schools and colleges, following extensive consultation with police, education, drug education experts and young people. The aim of the document is to encourage stronger partnerships between police, schools and other partners on drug issues. Chief officers have welcomed the guidance as comprehensive and evidence-based.
Ian McPherson, ACPO spokesman on Drugs and Young People and Deputy Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police, said:
While most young people dont use illegal drugs, we know that a significant minority of young people are at risk of harm from drugs including alcohol.
Schools often seek advice and support from the police for drug education, policy development and drug incidents in schools. Similarly, the police often have drug-related information which they can share with schools. Prior to Joining Forces there has been little consistency in the way that individual forces responded. This new ACPO guidance spells out how police can work with their partners in education to develop local protocols which have the interests of young people at their centre.
The consultation and development of the document was carried out by DrugScope, the UKs leading centre of expertise on drugs. Jenny McWhirter, Head of Education and Prevention for DrugScope, said:
"The consultation phase revealed the high level of commitment there is from police and education practitioners to work together to reduce the harm that drugs cause to young people. "
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Source: www.acpo.police.uk/
Posted: 30th June 2006
