As police officers return to Greater Victoria School District 61 this fall, high school principal Heather Brown is among those welcoming them back.

When her school board ended its School Police Liaison Officer (SPLO) program two years ago, the administrator in Saanich, B.C., could still access police in emergencies, but felt she'd lost a valuable connection.

She'd previously teamed with SPLOs to advise and counsel students recruited into gang activity — a major concern in her area. With their help, combined with family and community support, she says they pulled some teens out of those situations.

In the absence of SPLOs, however, seeking police assistance "meant that I was working with people who didn't have [a] relationship with me or relationship with youth in the same way," Brown said.

Less than a decade ago, schools in many Canadian communities began dialing back programs stationing police officers in their hallways. In some schools, the move followed reports that these programs caused some students to feel uncomfortable and even intimidated. Elsewhere, programs ended from lack of funding or resources.

Now, amid reports of increased violence in schools, these programs are returning or being contemplated anew — a shift being celebrated in some corners and sparking outcry in others.

Whether officers visit on sports days, give safety presentations or discussing safety tips more casually in the hall or on the playground, building relationships is the goal, Chief Const. Dean Duthie of the Saanich Police Department told CBC's On The Island just ahead of the school year.

LISTEN | Saanich police chief discusses return of officers to schools: On The Island 8:25 Greater Victoria School District's poli