Bulllying is Preventable and Unacceptable, Says Local Cop

Suffolk auxiliary police officer and Babylon resident Karl Chin gives presentations to students in the Town of Babylon about what he sees as an epidemic of bullying in schools, and he recently brought his message to the larger community in a presentation at West Babylon library that addressed the problems of gangs and bullying in schools.

"Not only have the old ways of bullying— in the school yard, on buses—not gone away, but now we have new ways of bullying on the Internet," he said.. YouTube and Facebook have become new avenues for bullying classmates, and Chin believes children and parents need to take awareness and prevention into their own hands. The school districts can be overwhelmed with cases, he said, and so he tries to be another resources for targeted teens.

"When I talk to the kids at schools, they don't say anything in front of their peers, but I leave them my phone number, my email, and they call me later with their stories. I sit down with the parents and try to find a way to work it out with them."

Chin stressed the old-fashioned way of looking at bullying as a necessary evil, or as a part of growing up, is no longer appropriate.

"Sure, kids will be kids, but if you're going to school and getting physically assaulted, then we have a problem with that. Schools, and the law, have an obligation to act in these cases," he said.

The presentation highlighted some typical qualities of bullies and the bullied. Students who are different in any way are often targets for bullying, explained Chin, and one of the most crucial ways youngsters can protect themselves is to stand up for themselves and project an air of confidence.

Chin recommends parents keep an open line of communication with children. He said the issue of whether or not to notify school officials can be tricky, and depending on the particulars of the case, can help, or exacerbate the bullying.

Some tips were offered for parents whose kids are being targeted:

• Make sure to listen to your kids, and be willing to hear the whole story.
• Document each incident.
• Consider contacting the bully's parents.
• If need be, escalate to the school, or law enforcement.

Chin, who is also an expert on local gangs, often gives community presentations about gang activity at the First Precinct open meetings. "Bullies are like gangs," he said. "They just won't go away on their own. You need to be proactive. Get kids involved in as many activities as possible. Sports are great for that."

Above all, he recommends parents keep informed through by participating in meetings and groups as a preventative measure against violence in schools: "Go to the parent-teacher conferences, go to the PTA meetings. Come to the First Precinct community nights. Get involved."