For City Council Meeting [September 28, 2021]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Rialto Unified School District and the City of Rialto to Provide Uniformed Presence at Eisenhower High School and Carter High School Football Games During the Month of October 2021.
Body
BACKGROUND
The Rialto Police Department over the last several years provided School Resource Officer (SRO) to the Rialto Unified School District (RUSD). This agreement was suspended on August 1, 2020 by RUSD during the COVID-19 pandemic. RUSD has not reinstated the SRO position.
RUSD returned to in person learning for the 2021 school year. RUSD has had several incidents during school sanctioned events which required police department personnel to respond. Based on this need, RUSD has requested that the City furnish five (5) officers or corporals for uniformed presence at RUSD sanctioned High School football games, which will be funded through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with RUSD.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The calls for services to the police department from school related incidents, civil and criminal, at RUSD school events necessitates the need for uniformed presence at these sanctioned events. In the past the Police Department would have used the School Resource Officer (SRO) to serve as a liaison between the school district and the police department who would handle all calls related to these sanctioned events. This presence of the SRO was to alleviate the burden on daily patrol staff to respond to every incident occurring on school grounds. The agreement between the police department and RUSD recently ended and there is no longer a SRO assigned to RUSD who can respond and handle these incidents at RUSD sanctioned events.
Due to the increase in incidents, specifically the high school football games, RUSD has requested the Rialto Police Department to provide uniformed presence at all remaining football games.
The term of the MOU shall be from October 01, 2021 through October 29, 2021. Based on this agreement, the City will provide the following:
• Five (5) sworn peace officers or corporals to be present during the home football games on the dates identified herein.
• The officers or corporals will be in place for the duration of the shift from 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM.
• The officers or corporals shall provide a uniformed presence at Eisenhower High School located at 1321 N Lilac Ave. on the following dates:
• Friday, October 1, 2021
• Thursday, October 21, 2021
• Friday, October 29, 2021
• The officers or corporals shall provide a uniformed presence at Carter High School located at 2630 N Linden Ave. in the City of Rialto, on the following dates:
• Friday, October 1, 2021
• Friday, October 8, 2021
• Thursday, October 21, 2021
• Friday, October 29, 2021
RUSD will agree to pay for each of the five (5) sworn peace officers or corporals at their fully burdened rate of $289.88 per hour. This will result in a total cost of $45,656.10 over the term of the MOU. The total amount charged by the City during the Term of this Agreement shall not exceed $45,656.10.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), 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. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objectives relating to public safety.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
Policy 5-8.4: Initiate proactive crime suppression and prevention strategies throughout the community.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Estimated fully burdened revenues in the amount of $45,656.10 will be applied to the General Fund RUSD-Fiscal Affairs Account Number 010-400-6288-7520. Overtime expenditures is projected to be approximately $15,125.67 and will impact the Community Service Overtime Account No. 010-500-6288-1020. During the FY2021/2022 midyear process the Rialto Police Department will seek budget allocations for the unexpected impact to the expenditures and revenues accounts for the agreement with the Rialto Unified School District.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
This report does not impact the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
This action does not trigger a requirement for a business license.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding Between the Rialto Unified School District and the City of Rialto to Provide Uniformed Presence at Eisenhower High School and Carter High School Football Games During the Month of October 2021; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all documents.