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Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute a new agreement between the Long Beach Police Department and the Long Beach Unified School District to staff School Resource Officers (SROs) for an amount not to exceed $649,000. The net cost to the City's General Fund for the agreement is estimated to be $47,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) is seeking to enter into a new agreement with the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) for the period of September 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011, for the current school year.
LBUSD will reimburse the City for the Police Department’s costs including indirect costs to a limit of its available funding, which is approximately $602,000. Up to five (5) police officers will be available for deployment throughout the term of this agreement on Tuesday through Friday, except on days when students are not present. Said officers will be assigned to LBUSD’s high school campuses. The cost of this service will be split between the City and LBUSD. LBUSD will incur approximately 93 percent of the cost and the City’s share is estimated to be 7 percent, or $47,000.
SROs provide LBUSD with an additional resource to reduce and prevent student-related problems. The LBPD began the program in 1999 as a preventive measure following the Columbine incident. Since its inception, LBUSD officials believe the high schools are safer and benefit from a low crime rate because of this partnership, which serves to meet the City Council's stated priority to further reduce crime, particularly violent crime.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Gary Anderson on August 11, 2010 and by Budget Officer Victoria Bell on August 20, 2010.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested for September 7, 2010, in order to coincide with the start of the new school year and enable the City to bill and recover costs in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total cost of services provided un...
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