Police to crackdown on school bullies 01/09/2006 00:00

1 September 2006

BRUSSELS — Bullies in the 21 primary or secondary schools in the Wetteren region can expect trouble with the police in future.

Earlier, truants could expect a visit from the police, but it is the first time in Belgium that the law has been extended to school bullies.

The aim of the new law is that bullied children can make contact with police via a school's confidant, newspaper 'De Morgen' reported on Friday.

Officers will then make contact with the bully, who will be invited to a conversation at the local police station.

It is hoped that the police response will have a lasting impact on the involved teenagers. 

Regional police will first try and make the bully understand the consequences of his or her actions.

If that does not succeed, the bully van be issued with a court summons and sent to the juvenile court.

The initiative for the new law comes from police, not the region's schools, following the success of recent efforts against truanting.

[Copyright Expatica News 2006]

Subject: Belgian news