DATE: 09/03/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Police Department
2025-348
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
COUNCIL REQUESTED UPDATE TO FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED SCHOOL
RESOURCE OFFICER AGREEMENT WITH CORONA NORCO UNIFIED SCHOOL
DISTRICT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report provides an update to Council regarding questions of inequity amongst the law enforcement school resource officer agreements and the Corona Norco Unified School District (CNUSD). On June 4, 2025, Council approved the amended school resource officer agreement (Agenda Item 2025-184) with a caveat that the termination clause may be utilized dependent upon CNUSD’s justification for the apparent disparity of various school resource salary agreements with local law enforcement agencies.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council discuss the explanations provided by the school district and determine if the contract should continue.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
On June 4, 2025, staff presented an amended agreement with CNUSD that would extend the presence of four high school resource officers and one intermediate school resource officer until 2030. This amended agreement would continue CNUSD’s current financial commitment through financial year 2026, but in financial year 2027 and beyond, CNUSD would increase the shared cost for a police officer according to the Police Employees Association memorandum of understanding (MOU), with overtime capped at $84,000 (increasing 5% annually), and motor pool costs capped at $30,000 per vehicle. Please refer to Exhibit 2 of this report, Agenda Item 2025-184, for the complete financial impact.
During the Council discussion of this agreement, Council Member Daddario questioned why CNUSD pays only 50% to the City of Corona for school resource officer service, while the district paid 100% for deputy services at Norco High School and paid 100% for one deputy and 50% for another assigned to Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Council Member Richins motioned to approve the MOU as presented but directed staff to research the disparities and report back to Council for further action.
ANALYSIS:
On June 18, 2025, police department staff met with CNUSD to discuss the matter.
CNUSD understood the Councils’ concerns and agreed to start discussions with the Cities of Eastvale and Norco to evaluate their MOU’s for contracted school resource officers and special events.
On August 18, 2025, Chief Newman met with Superintendent Gadelmawla and learned the CNUSD pays 100% of the SRO cost at Norco High School; approximately $121,000 annually. However, the CNUSD District Office building is leased from the City of Norco at no cost. Roosevelt High School has two SROs, and the CNUSD pays the City of Eastvale 50% for the first deputy, and 100% of the costs for the second deputy with an approximate cost of $181,500 annually.
The CNUSD will pay the City of Corona $520,000 annually, or $104,000 each for the five SROs in Corona schools. Additionally, on September 17, 2025, staff will present to Council a Special Event MOU, which will require that CNUSD reimburse the City of Corona 100% of actual costs for sporting events, graduation, and other school-related activities where the CNUSD requests police presence. CNUSD currently reimburses 50% for officer services at such events. This new MOU will generate an estimated annual revenue of $140,000.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with the recommended action.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CQEA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action of a canine purchase and Records Technician overtime is minimal, and there is no possibility this will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: JASON PEREZ, LIEUTENANT
REVIEWED BY: ROBERT NEWMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
2. Exhibit 2 – Agenda Item 2025-184