Are police in schools protecting children - or just policing them?

Police officers in schools may be doing more harm than good when tackling harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) – with girls affected by sexual harm particularly badly served – according to new research from the University of Surrey. 

The study published in Children & Society, highlights the complex role of police officers in schools, raising concerns about how policing approaches may unintentionally undermine trust and limit the effectiveness of safeguarding responses to HSB among young people. Researchers conducted interviews with police officers, school staff, service providers and young people, and found that well-meaning, relationship-based approaches are often situated within broader objectives of intelligence-gathering and surveillance. For example, police officers described having informal chats with young people in corridors or playgrounds to build trust — but these conversations also served to gather intelligence on peer dynamics, risks or incidents. One officer called it a “goldmine” of information, showing how friendly interactions were used to elicit disclosures for safeguarding or enforcement. While intended to protect, this dual role can blur boundaries and damage trust, especially when young people realise those casual chats fed into formal action.  

Dr Emily Setty, co-author of the study and Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Surrey, said: 

“Young people can become cynical about such conversations and less likely to open up in the future. This not only reduces the chances of identifying and addressing concerns early - potentially allowing harm to escalate - but also fails to model the openness, honesty and transparency that underpin healthy relationships, making the relational dynamics themselves a source of harm.” 

This can create tensions between care and control, especially when working with young people who have experienced harm. For girls and others affected by sexual harm, police presence was often linked to discomfort, fear of punishment and a lack of confidence in meaningful support. Relationship-based policing, though sometimes effective, can lose credibility when it is perceived as a tool for enforcement rather than genuine care. 

Dr Emily Setty continued:

“We heard from professionals and some young people who recognised the importance of trust and support. But there were also accounts of feeling surveilled or let down when police involvement prioritised intelligence over genuine care. Relationship-building cannot be reduced to a strategy for control. It must be grounded in young people’s rights, needs and lived realities.” 

The research looked into how tensions between safeguarding and criminal justice objectives are playing out in schools. Many officers admitted they struggled with the blurred lines between support and enforcement – especially in cases involving image-based abuse or underage relationships, where legal categories don’t match real-world complexities. Officers also admitted that delays, confusion over legal outcomes, and lack of resources leave victims feeling abandoned and perpetrators without proper rehabilitation. 

The study recommends: 

• Shifting police focus from punitive deterrence to genuine support for young people’s sexual development, rights and education - for example, by facilitating relationship and consent workshops, creating safe spaces for disclosures without fear of punishment, and connecting young people to specialist support services. 

• Developing school environments that prioritise trust and holistic safeguarding over discipline and behavioural management. 

[ENDS] 

• Dr Emily Setty is available for interview, please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.   

The full paper is available in Children & Society