New Wrinkle for Police Officers in Schools

Because state funding for education remains threatented, the West Contra Costa school district and the City of El Cerrito are divided over the city's share of paying for three El Cerrito police officers in the city's high school and middle school, Police Chief Sylvia Moir told the City Council Tuesday night.

The district has been paying for two El Cerrito officers to be assigned to El Cerrito High and one to Portola Middle School, an arrangement that has been widely lauded by the district and the community.

The district has indicated its willingness to continue paying the bulk of the cost in the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, but the city and district have not agreed on the exact amount and the term of the contract, Moir said.

Moir and City Manager Scott Hanin asked the council for authorization for the city to pay up to $25,000 as its share to keep the officers in the schools, provided the district agrees to a two-year contract, in contrast to the current one-year contract, which includes a one-year advance termination notice.

The council agreed to the request on a 4-0 vote. Councilwoman Ann Cheng was absent.

"The Superintendent of the district, Dr. (Bruce) Harter, expressed to Mr. Hanin and to me, and really to this council and our community, that he was committed to funding the SROs (School Resource Officers) and continuing the district's commitment to school safety," Moir told the council.

But, she said, Harter was concerned about the continued uncertainty of school funding, which hinges to a subtantial degree on the outcome of proposed tax measures in the November election.

She said the district offered to pay what it took to support three officers a few years ago, $420,000 for a year, and the city responded with a request in line with the cost for the upcoming year, $470,000. She also said the district sought another one-year term for the contract, while the city asked for three years.

"These two points are the two components where the city and the district differ in terms of the content of this contract," she said. She said she anticipates a response from the district on these two points "very soon."

If the district does not agree to a city share of $25,000 or less and a minimum contract term of two years, the police department and city manager's office will return to the council with a new proposed contract, she said.

For alerts to future updates on this topic, click "school resource officers" next to Related Topics below.

You can "like" El Cerrito Patch on Facebook and enjoy another way to get local information from us and connect with other readers from El Cerrito and Kensington.