Delta's men and women in blue will be sporting a new colour today to support Anti-Bullying Day.
Delta police officers will don pink shirts in support of the B.C.-wide anti-bullying initiative.
"This is an important issue and we cannot underestimate the impact of bullying," said Chief Jim Cessford.
"Our police officers are visible in the community and the message that bul-lying is not acceptable needs to be delivered. We need to do whatever we can and wearing a pink shirt is something we can do in an effort to show our support on this significant day."
The department's school liaison officers work with Delta students on a variety of issues around bullying. The officers cover teasing (Grade 3), peer pressure (Grade 4), bullying (Grade 5) and cyber bullying (Grade 6).
"We understand that bullying doesn't stop in elementary school but our goal is to address it early and prevent it from taking root as young people navigate their way through school," said Delta police spokesperson Const. Ciaran Feenan.
Delta police officers will join representatives from the DOVE (Delta Opposes Violence Everywhere) Committee and the Delta Police Youth Advisory Committee (DPYAC) at all seven secondary schools to spread information about bullying and to give the Pledge against Bullying.
"During the lunch break, students at all the schools can attend a station where they will be available to take a pledge against bullying, at which point they can dip their hand into pink paint and then place their palm print onto a large white dove," Feenan said. "The dove shaped murals will stay in schools to remind students of their pledge."
Student members of the DPYAC spearheaded the initiative with the goal of bringing all schools together to fight bullying and bring attention to all forms of relationship violence.
