I have great respect for City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, but I think he's wrong when he suggests city school department needs its own police force because Baltimore City Police Department officers aren't capable of interacting with youths ("Need for city school police force questioned," March 10).
Students are only in school and under the auspices of the school police force for 35 hours each week. During the other 133 hours, any law enforcement involving youths is the job of the Baltimore City Police Department, so they have to be ready for that challenge.
The School Police Force officers are no doubt well qualified to do what they do. But given the chronic under-funding of the city schools, having a private police force is a luxury the system can't afford. We'd do better investing those funds toward reducing class sizes.
There may always be tension between the city's police and its youth. But Baltimore is making real progress through the Inner Harbor Project, which connects officers and youth leaders to minimize conflicts and improve communication.
Instead of trying to keep them apart, Mr. Young and others should support IHP and other efforts to bring police and youth together. The result could be immediate savings for the school department and a long-term payoff for the city as a whole.
Hugh Bethell, Baltimore