What? - Police wake truants and drive them to school

from http://logan-west-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/truants-pulled-out-of-bed-and-in-to-class/

STUDENTS wagging class have been hauled out of bed and carted off to school in police cars in a crackdown on truancy in the Logan West area.

The students were among 63 truants picked up by police and returned to Park Ridge and Browns Plains high schools between Monday and Wednesday last week, the Logan West Leader can reveal.

And next time, police warn they will start taking action against parents.

Ten officers on horses, trail bikes and bicycles and two Logan City Council park rangers were involved in Operation Chrome.

A juvenile was charged with possession of a dangerous drug during the operation.

Browns Plains officer in charge Senior Sergeant Andrew Dupere said apart from the 63 students “bludging” school, officers spoke to a further 100 wandering streets during school hours.

“Several of the 63 were roused from their beds and taken to school,” Sgt Dupere said.

Police copped “a bit of stick” from some students, but many were simply shocked, he said.

“They’d never had a police officer turn up at their house and drag them out of bed and take them to school,” he said.

The operation had been a partnership between police, Grand Plaza Shopping Centre retailers who declined to serve students in uniform unless they had a current leave pass, and the two high schools.

Park Ridge High deputy principal Deb Day said truancy had been an issue, but the rate had been cut by 80 per cent in the two months since the appointment of a student attendance officer.

She said now only a handful or less than 0.5 per cent of students were regular truants.

Ms Day said it was important the school worked with police to reduce absenteeism.

“Those 63 children (picked up last week) came from a number of schools - they didn’t just come back to us,” she said.

Sgt Dupere said the partnership was formed following an increase in break and enters and truancy.

“Most of the break and enters were occurring in school hours and 70 per cent of all break and enters in the Browns Plains’ division involved school-age children or those in school uniform,’’ he said.

Sgt Dupere stressed he was not singling out any school, but police were working with the two schools to combat truancy which would hopefully reduce minor crime.

He said the truancy campaign would continue for 12 to 18 months.

“If the same kids are picked up again for truancy then enforcement action will start to be taken against their parents,” he said.

“Parents have got to be made aware that just dropping their kids at the school gate doesn’t mean they’re there for the full day. They’ve got to take an interest and make sure they’re kids aren’t wagging.”

“I’m confident we can get truancy down to nearly zero like they’ve done in the Beenleigh district where they’ve been doing this for nearly two years,” Sgt Dupere he said.

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The article did say “Several of the 63 were roused from their beds and taken to school,” didn't it??? OMG ... this is in Queensland, AUSTRALIA ... I can't believe that POLICE dragged MINORS out of their beds to take them to school ....

Under what legislation / authority can they do this???

I commented on the story at http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26012869-421,00.html. Previously when I've commented on a news story they have never been published so we'll see what happens this time.

Most of the comments there were positive, applauding the actions of the police and calling for the action to be extended to other states.

My comment was Police dragging MINORS from their beds to take them to school??? This is horrific. Parents aren't parenting so we applaud handing the responsiblity over to the "state" and having it carried out by armed police. Is this really the world you want to live in???