IT WOULD be very easy to dismiss the news that 13 more police officers are to be based in Merseyside schools as the latest depressing indication of how far society has fallen.

It would be easy . . . but it would also be unfair.

Schools are towns in microcosm; they are functioning, thriving and diverse communities which boast many of the familiar benefits and pitfalls of modern society.

So the idea of secondary schools having their own officers is not something that should be viewed as a fall in standards; it is, rather, a positive step towards instilling in impressionable young people the idea that there is a person inside the Merseyside Police uniform – someone who has the training and life experience to help them deal with specific issues or problems they may encounter.

These officers – 36 in total – will be based full-time at secondary schools across Merseyside. The aim is to eventually have dedicated officers for all secondary schools and their feeder primary schools, with a brief to build trust between the force and community, and help guide youngsters from crime.

The initiative is not taking bobbies off the beat in streets nearby – these extra officers are being provided from funding provided by local authorities and the Merseyside Police Authority in a heartening display of partnership.

Visits by Matrix squad officers to some Liverpool schools to show guns and explain the dangers of firearms certainly make headlines, but this embedding of officers is more likely to have a long-term benefit. There may be nay-sayers keen to claim failures of society are now forcing police into schools. But there is nothing negative about crime prevention, or helping young people make informed choices that may impact on their lives for years to come.