DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
ACTION ON THE PROPOSED
MODIFICATIONS TO THE CITY'S
CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM
City Manager’s Office, Public Works & Police
May 5, 2026
OUTLINE
1. Crossing Guard Program Overview & Challenges
2. Subcommittee Goals
3. Proposed Modifications
4. Implementation
5. Recommendations
2 CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM OVERVIEW
• 27 Total Crossing Guard Locations
• 22 staffed by City-employed part time guards
• 5 staffed by contracted services (ACMS)
• FY 2025-26 Budget: $552,600
• $212,600 for 12 ongoing City-employed part time guards • $201,842 for 10 one-time City employed part time guards • $138,158 for 5 contracted guards
• Cost per guard
• City: $18,954 vs. Contract: $27,631
3 CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM CHALLENGES
• Hiring & retention difficulties for part-time guards
• Currently, City employs 24 part-time guards, but absences create frequent vacancies
• 675 call-outs between Aug 2025–Apr 2026
• Police Department frequently reassigns Municipal
Services Officers, Code Enforcement Officers & Sworn
Officers
• Contract costs rising & disputed terms
4 SUBCOMITTEE GOALS
• Ensure equitable allocation of limited resources
• Prioritize high-need, high-traffic intersections
• One guard per school
• Improve safety through traffic calming and visibility enhancements
5 PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS
• Reduce total locations from 27 18
• Maintain guards at highest-need intersections
• Relocate guards where appropriate
• Remove guards where data shows lower need
• Implement tactical safety measures at removal sites:
• Striped curb extensions
• Flexible bollards
• Cone-based school-time curb extensions
• Visibility enforcement (hedge height compliance)
6 School Site Proposed Modifications
Alta Vista Remove: Julia & Knob Hill; Julia & Serpentine Keep: Prospect & Camino Real; Prospect & Knob Hill
Beryl Heights Remove: Beryl & Prospect
Keep: Beryl & Maria
Birney No Changes
Jefferson Remove: Harkness & Carlson; Harkness & Morgan Relocate: Flagler & Morgan to Ford & Aviation
Keep: Flagler & Havemeyer
Lincoln Relocate: Robinson & Vail Artesia & Bike Path Keep: Rindge & Plant
Madison No Changes
Parras Remove: Vincent & Lucia
Keep: Emerald & Lucia
St Lawrence Remove: Prospect & Ave G
Tulita Remove: Prospect & Palos Verdes Blvd
Keep: Palos Verdes Blvd & Helberta; Prospect & Helberta Washington & Adams Remove: Ralston & Lilienthal
Keep: Inglewood & 182nd; Grant & Felton; Inglewood & Ralston; Ripley & Felton; Ripley & Lilienthal
7 FISCAL IMPACT
• Current Annual Cost: $552,600
• Proposed Annual Cost: $378,000
• Increase ongoing part-time staffing from 12 → 18
positions
• Eliminate contract personnel
• Reduce reliance on one-time appropriations
• Annual Savings: $174,600
8 IMPLEMENTATION
• Changes effective 2026–27 school year
• Install tactical safety measures at removal sites
• Increase enforcement of visibility codes
• Monitor effectiveness
• Consider permanent curb extensions using Metro
Measure M grant
• Continue collaboration with RBUSD principals
• Develop joint communications plan
9 RECOMMENDATIONS
Subcommittee recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve the proposed modifications to the Crossing
Guard Program
2. Support development of a joint communications plan
with RBUSD
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