School fundraising for police officer

Charlottetown's Colonel Gray High School is seeking money from private donors in order to keep a police officer in the school.

Const. Tim Keizer set up an office in the school in September for a provincial pilot project. But the funding was for just one term, and despite pleas from teachers it was not renewed.

Charlottetown Coun. David MacDonald has been working with the school to keep the officer in place. He said the city is committed to paying for one quarter of the costs, and the school has been fundraising to cover the rest.

"When we didn't get any money from the province it became necessary for the school to be involved in it from a fundraising perspective," said MacDonald.

"They were able to get some private funding in place that will allow the program to extend closer to the end of the school year. However I'm not going to know exactly how much money is in place or how long the program can be extended to until the end of this week. That's when apparently all the fundraising efforts from the school will be accumulated."

MacDonald commended the school's fund raising efforts, but said long-term funding must be in place to continue having an officer at the school permanently.

He said the city will be meeting with the province over the summer to try to work out long-term funding.