CITY OF SAN PABLO
City Council
1000 Gateway Avenue ● San Pablo, CA 94806
Main: 510-215-3000 ● Fax: 510-215-3011
www.SanPabloCA.gov
May 31, 2022
E-TRANSMITTAL/ U.S. REGULAR MAIL
WCCUSD Board President Otheree Christian and Board of Trustees West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue
Richmond, CA 94801
cc: Dr. Kenneth Chris Hurst, WCCUSD Superintendent
Re: SUPPORT FOR POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE POLICY AMENDMENT TO
POTENTIALLY REINSTATE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS FOR ALL
DISTRICT CAMPUSES IN WEST CONTRA COSTA CITIES
Dear WCCUSD Board President Christian and Board Trustees:
On behalf of the City of San Pablo City Council, we are very concerned about the recent increase in school violence incidents that have recently impacted our District schools, and especially in the wake of the blatant disregard for human life from the most abhorrent act of school shooting violence in U.S. History at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
BACKGROUND
In November 2017, the WCCUSD Board of Education (Board) approved Resolution No. #49-1718 which established a Positive School Climate Policy, and directed the full implementation of Restorative Practices and school -wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support Services at all District schools, tiers of interventions and alternatives to school suspension, and the establishment of a plan to re-evaluate the roles, duties, functions and practices of law enforcement in our schools.
Following adoption of the Board’s policy, all School Resource Officer (SRO) funding provided to local police departments in the West Contra Cities was eliminated and diverted to other social and restorative justice programs as part of the WCCUSD Budget Adoption, effective July 1, 2018 . Since then, school campus violent incidents have continued to increase at an alarming rate on local District school campuses, including San Pablo schools, as follows:
WCCUSD Board President Christian and Board of Trustees
West Contra Costa Unified School District
May 31, 2022
On Campus Calls for Service
Since 2018, the San Pablo Police Department (SPPD) has responded to more than 1,700 calls for service in and around WCCUSD school si tes. There ha ve been more than 240 cases generated during that time. Although SPPD SROs, and now Juvenile Education & Welfare Liaison (JEWL) Officers in place since 2020, have been successful in alleviating increased school incidents, violence continues to be a concern on local school campuses.
Unfortunately, there have been at least two incidents where individuals who were not students brandished or discharged firearms while on campus or around students. There have been other incidents o f fighting, threats, and dangerous weapons confiscated in which SPPD has been able to intervene and mediate resolutions. However, additional resources are required as SPPD officers have been compelled to respond to Richmond High School on at least 20 occasions during this current school year to address incidents and threats of violence to prevent escalation into the community.
Community-Oriented Policing
SRO programs are a foundation in the building of a 21 st Century Community Oriented Policing model in San Pablo which focuses on youth and building trust in our local community with local law enforcement. Trust between law enforcement agencies and the people they protect and serve is now even more vital in all communities following the recent school shooting incident that occurred in Uvalde, Texas on May 23, 2022. It is because of these increased school violent incidents that more work needs to be done to keep our local schools safe and secure. We hope that the WCCUSD Board continues to makes school safety as a TOP PRIORITY for all District school campuses.
School campus safety is one of the key services to the stability of our local communities, and represents the integrity of our local community policing programs in our San Pablo Police Department (SPPD). Overall, the former SRO program enabled our community to routinely engage and develop positive relationships and solutions that impact not only faculty and local students within the classroom, but our families and students at home as well.
San Pablo Police Juvenile Education & Welfare Liaison (JEWL) Officers As a result of decisions by the WCCUSD Board in 2018 to implement policy changes which prevented the SRO Program from continuing as it previously existed , the San Pablo City Council approved the implementation a new Juvenile Education and Welfare Liaison (JEWL) Officer program through our San Pablo Police Department as a commitment to maintain positive relationships with our youth and families at local sch ools. The primary goal for this collaborative effort is to reduce juvenile crime and improve the lives of youth by providing positive outlets for expression, learning and character development. Upon approval by the San Pablo City Council in September 2020 , the City’s Annual General Fund Operating Budget expends a total of nearly $ 450,000 annually toward our Police WCCUSD Board President Christian and Board of Trustees
West Contra Costa Unified School District
May 31, 2022
Department’s Priority Oriented Policing (P.O.P) Unit which funds a total of: two (2) JEWL officers, and a portion of (1) Sergeant position for all local schools in San Pablo. Our P.O.P. unit programs are funded out of a dedicated City sales tax measure Q, and were recently extended by Measure S adopted by San Pablo voters in November 2020, for another 10-year period to expire on September 30, 2032. This was a driving mandate from our local voters to continue to fund our POP Units and JEWL officers for another 10- year period in the absence of WCCUSD funding support since 2018.
SAN PABLO JUVENILE ARRESTS
Since implementation of the Board’s policy in 2017, due in large part to the City’s commitment to community policing efforts through our JEWL program, juvenile arrests have steadily declined overall by (-75%) from 20 arrests in 2018 to 5 arrests in 2021 in San Pablo.
In the spirit of cooperation, the San Pablo City Council believes that the WCCUSD Board and local cities should continue to work collaboratively on determining a path to potentially reinstate the SRO funding program to local District campuses in West Contra Costa cities.
Our City is prepared to work with District Admin istration should the WCC USD Board be open to the following policy considerations, as follows:
1) Identify equitable solutions that support both the District’s desire to implement a new Positive School Climate Policy to include a possible amendment to this policy which will restore SRO funding and program to District school campuses; and
2) Explore SRO funding cost options provided by WCCUSD to local Police Departments for these services to be maintained at WCCUSD schools in the West County region to prevent school violence.
I understand that the WCCUSD is facing significant budget shortfalls for FY 2022 -23 period, with a forthcoming US recession looming. The City is also facing significant financial challenges ahead in the coming years. Additionally, the City is very supportive on the WCCUSD’s recent announcement of receiving a $30M State of CA grant recently announced earlier this month.
However, school campus safety on local school campuses cannot be ignored. Our City formally requests to work with you, and other local West County cities , to determine if District funds can be re-directed during your upcoming WCCUSD Budget deliberations in June 2022 to explore these policy considerations, if possible.
WCCUSD Board President Christian and Board of Trustees
West Contra Costa Unified School District
May 31, 2022
In closing, local community-oriented youth policing programs build skills to encourage local students to stay away from at-risk behaviors, and significantly supports the ongoing goals outlined in the joint Beacon Schools/Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) Initiative established by the City of San Pablo and WCCUSD in local San Pablo schools, as follows:
Dover Elementary; Bayview Elementary; Downer Elementary; Lake Elementary; Riverside Elementary; and especially Helms Middle School. By considering the re-establishment of SROs to all school district campuses so that school violence can be deterred and properly responded to in the wake of increased school shootings, programs like Beacon School/FSCS Initiative can flourish and provide the support services drastically needed by all students in District schools to enhance their academic attainment and enrichment.
We stand ready to work with WCCUSD Board and Administration in the coming months should the WCCUSD Board desire to make school safety a budgetary priority for FY 2022- 23, and in future years.
We look forward to your favorable response, and to working with your respective agency in advance on this important community public safety matter in our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely
Rita Xavier, Mayor
City of San Pablo
ccs: WCCUSD Board of Trustees
WCCUSD Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Chris Hurst
San Pablo Councilmembers
San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez
San Pablo Assistant City Manager Charles Ching
San Pablo Chief of Police Ron Raman