Belleville police team up with Loyalist College journalism program

By Lori-Anne Little

BELLEVILLE – Loyalist College journalism students are learning new skills while collaborating with the Belleville Police to conduct a major survey that will shape the way policing is conducted for the next three years.

Belleville Police Inspector Sheri Meeks said the police force re-evaluates its community safety plan every three years. The survey is a critical piece in creating the plan, she said.

“It addresses some very general things – like what do you feel are some of the major issues that we are facing in this community. Whether it’s violence; whether it’s road safety; internet crime; or cyberbullying; it’s what people’s perceptions are on what they feel are the top priorities,” Meeks said.

The idea to recruit journalism students to conduct the survey for the police department began three years ago.  The current chief decided a partnership with the journalism students at Loyalist College would be beneficial for both groups, she said. The collaboration gives the students a chance to use the skills that they learn in class and the police get the information they are looking for, she said.

Katherine Sedgwick, the director for the journalism program at Loyalist College agreed there are many benefits.

“From our end, we thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to get our students having conversations with people. Which is something we find more and more young people are shy and anxious about,” she said.

The students are doing interviews at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre this week. So far, the collaboration is going well and the students seem to be warming up to the idea of asking strangers questions, Sedgwick said.

The learning taking place is already showing, she said.

“I know that the first time we did this some of our shyer students – students with anxiety about talking to people were quite stressed beforehand. But the more they did it the more they realized it was fine. It helped them really gain confidence and I think at the end of it they were feeling pretty happy about the skills they acquired. Like anything else the more you push yourself to do something that you are a little bit afraid about doing the more you realize you didn’t have anything to be afraid of in the first place. Let’s face it, you try to talk to somebody the worst thing that can happen is they say no,” said Sedgwick.

Students also realize the benefits.

Hollie Davidson, a first-year student conducting the surveys said it is a real challenge.

“When we went in there last night it was pretty chaotic, and a lot of people would zip by you and avoid eye contact, but once you get in there and actually start talking to people it’s actually quite fun,” she said.

The in-person surveys end this week.