City Police are helping welcome over 300 First Nation high school students to our community.
Chief JP Levesque took part in an orientation session yesterday, and says they want to do what they can to help parents and students from remote communities feel safe when staying in the city.
“People are apprehensive about sending their kids here to go to school – they want them to be safe, and that’s just understandable,” Levesque says. “I’m hoping that in some small way, me being here, it shows that we, Thunder Bay Police support the students that are coming into town, and it helps alleviate some tension with the parents.”
The orientation session for all remote first nation students comes in the wake of seven aboriginal students who died while attending high school in the city last year.
Levesque adds it pays to acquaint themselves with the newcomers to the city.
“A good first impression as far as if they happen to have any interactions with police,” he says, “because police are the people you turn to when you need help.”
