For City Council Meeting April 9, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: David N. Carmany, City Manager
AUTHOR: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Consideration of Memorandum of Understanding with the Rialto Unified School District and the City of Rialto for Three School Resource Officers, (2) Approve the Addition of Three Police Officer Positions to the FY24/25 Staffing Model of the Rialto Police Department, and (3) Authorize the City Manager to Execute all Documents.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the Rialto Unified School District and the city of Rialto for three School Resource Officers,
2) Approve the addition of three police officer positions to the current staffing model of the Rialto Police Department, and
3) Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute all documents.
Body
BACKGROUND
On June 11, 2019, the City Council approved the MOU between the Rialto Police Department and Rialto Unified School District (RUSD). The MOU allocated three (3) School Resource Officers (SRO’s) to be funded through mutual partnership with the City and RUSD. SRO’s were an important part of campus safety for schools throughout the City and performed campus specialty services to all RUSD High School and Middle Schools within the City limits for the fiscal years of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021.
On March 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, as well as state and local emergency orders, continue to affect the operations of schools. As a result, all 29 RUSD schools discontinued the in-class learning environment on March 23, 2020, and transitioned to an online learning environment. RUSD executive members and the Rialto Police Department held a meeting to discuss how RUSD would proceed with the fiscal impacts associated with the pandemic. RUSD requested the existing contract be amended to suspend the mutual agreement until in-classroom learning reconvened. The three SROs were removed from the schools and were assigned back into the patrol functions of the department. Ultimately, upon the expiration of the contract in June of 2021, RUSD opted to not renew the agreement with the police department.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Since the cessation of the partnership with RUSD, a noticeable increase in school related issues requiring police response has been observed. This increase is likely related to the lack of the School Resource Officer presence on RUSD campuses. Recently, RUSD contacted staff and commenced discussions related to reintroducing SROs in high school campuses, with the goal of providing a deterrent to misconduct by visible presence, mentorship to students, rapid response to criminal behavior, and relationship building with students, among other mutually beneficial duties.
The Rialto Police Department has agreed in principle with the RUSD to reintroduce three (3) School Resource Officers into schools with an emphasis on education, mentorship, and deterrence of criminal behavior. The Rialto Unified School District has agreed to the salary and benefit cost of three (3) additional sworn police officers with the City. SROs would begin performing their duties at the beginning of the 24/25 school year, starting in August of 2024. The term of the Memorandum of Understanding with RUSD is for five years. If, at the end of the agreement, the Rialto Unified School District determines not to extend the School Resource Officer Program the Department will absorb the positions into patrol functions or reduce staffing by attrition.
The implementation of the SROs back into the schools would burden the current staffing model employed by the Police Department. As previously determined by the City Council, the staffing level identified for the police officer positions were determined using only patrol and operational related functions. Evaluating the construct and staffing of our School Resource Officer Program, staff finds this analysis demonstrates the need for additional positions to be added into the current staffing levels of the department. To fully staff the School Resource Officer positions, staff recommends the addition of three (3) police officer positions to be added to the FY24/25 staffing model of the police department. The RUSD has agreed to reimburse the City for the salary and benefit cost of the three additional police officer positions.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1) Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, Personnel-related actions, general policy and procedure making
2) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or in direct physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objects relating to public safety. The addition of School Resource Officers is consistent with meeting the following objective:
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report and related Memorandum of Understanding with the Rialto Unified School District.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Currently the salary and benefits for three School Resource Officers is $596,495.36 for fiscal 2023/2024. Allocation for these officers will be budgeted in fiscal years 2024/2025 through 2029/2030 proposed budgets. Revenue for the reimbursable amount of the officer’s salary and benefits in fiscal years 2024/2025 through 2029/2030 will be requested in the proposed budgets to represent offsetting entries for the Memorandum of Understanding with the Rialto School District.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
There is no capital improvement budget impact.
Licensing
A city of Rialto business license in not required with this staff report.