Chief cop in denial claim row; EDUCATION: Teen gangs controversy.

Byline: By Tony Collins

A SCHOOL in Birmingham has dismissed a senior police officer's teenage gang crime claims as "nonsense".

Chief Supt Tom Coughlan claimed during a meeting of the city council's equalities scrutiny committee that local head teachers were in denial over the number of pupils who are joining vicious gangs.

And he said he could walk into Holte School in Wheeler Street, Lozells, and every child would be able to name the gang that they saw themselves joining in the future.

Chief Supt Coughlan, senior officer at Queen's Road police station in Aston helping co-ordinate the Reducing Gang Violence programme, claimed that the 17-year-old "who shoots someone in this city in two years' time is a 15-year-old sitting in our schools in Birmingham at the moment".

But the police chief's comments were dismissed by Holte's arts college director Dr Helen Rudeforth.

She said: "These claims are nonsense and he produces no evidence whatsoever to support them.

"Holte School does an outstanding job in difficult circumstances, countering the problems at their roots.

"We are demonstrably not 'in denial' over the issue of present or future gang membership.

On the contrary, we are strongly committed to improving life chances and reducing future potential crime."

She said they even had a police officer based at the school full-time.

"In short, we are the greatest potential allies for the police in combating this problem.

"I have worked at Holte since September 2004 and I know the school to be outstanding, one that provides an oasis for pupils in the violent area of Lozells.

"Holte pupils know the value of a good education and all pupils succeed in gaining qualifications by the age of 16.

"Chief Supt Coughlan has never visited the school during the working day to see the pupils in action. Furthermore, he has clearly not had the opportunity to interview all of our pupils."

But the senior policeman told the council committee that schools were not highlighting the issue.

"There is no assessment, no framework, no referrals. Some of the head teachers have their heads in the sand over this problem."

CAPTION(S):

CLASH... Holte School in Lozells and (right) Chief Supt Tom Coughlan.