Vaping and tobacco violations remain the most frequent behavioral issue inside local schools, but state restrictions on student cell phones have led to a noticeable drop in social media related incidents, according to the annual report delivered by Sault Ste. Marie’s School Resource Officer (SRO) at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Officer Trevor Atkins, who recently completed his fourth year as the district’s SRO, briefed city officials on safety trends, emergency preparedness, and daily operations across the Sault Ste. Marie Area Public Schools during the 2025–2026 academic year.
Responding to questions from commissioners regarding the top challenges facing students, Atkins noted that tobacco and vape possession continues to represent the highest volume of officer interventions on campus.
The nature of student complaints shifted over the past year. “It used to be social media, but now that the state passed some new requirements for phones in the schools, it’s not as big of an issue,” Atkins told the commission, pointing out that tight restrictions on device usage during school hours have curbed online-driven disruptions.
Throughout the school year, Atkins handled nearly 102 formal calls for service—a figure that excludes the final month of the school year, where official complaint numbers were assigned.
These cases included threats, assaults, vape and tobacco violations, truancy, 911 hang-ups, well-being checks, and social media disputes. Atkins said the figure does not count informal daily check-ins and situational assistance provided to students and faculty.
The 2025–2026 school year marked the first operating under the district’s newly updated facility footprint, which combined middle and high school students while consolidating elementary buildings.
According to Atkins, having campus facilities positioned closer together yielded an immediate operational benefit by reducing emergency response times between buildings. The consolidation also increased daily interactions with younger students, including eating lunch with elementary classes where students regularly peppered him with “20 questions” about his uniform gear and police dog.
Beyond day-to-day enforcement, Atkins detailed several security system enhancements implemented alongside district IT and administrative staff.
City commissioners expressed continued support for the SRO program following the presentation. Commissioner Habusta commended Atkins and local law enforcement for their quick action during a threat incident at a local school during the prior academic year. Commissioner Bauer highlighted the seamless working relationship between Sault Public Schools and JKL Bahweting Anishnabe School, emphasizing that an SRO is “one of the most important positions to keep our kids safe”.
Atkins emphasized that building trust remains his core focus. “Each day that I’m in the schools is an opportunity to have a positive and meaningful interaction with students and staff while helping provide a safe and secure learning environment,” he concluded
