To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sheriff’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Maureen Nicklas, 565-8831
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): One
Title:
Title
Agreement for a Community Resource Officer Program
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Sheriff to sign an Agreement with the City of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) for the purpose of providing a Community Resource Officer (CRO) program at SVUSD campuses, within Sonoma city limits, and throughout the unincorporated areas immediately adjacent to the City of Sonoma including west through the “Springs” area and ending at the western edge of Agua Caliente, for the term of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. Average annual revenues received from the City of Sonoma for their share of the costs is estimated at $210,568 per year.
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Executive Summary:
The Sheriff is requesting authorization to sign an Agreement for the purpose of providing a Community Resource Officer (CRO) Program to provide community outreach and law enforcement services at Sonoma Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) campuses, within Sonoma city limits, and throughout the unincorporated areas immediately adjacent to the City of Sonoma including west through the “Springs” area and ending at the western edge of Agua Caliente. The City of Sonoma and SVUSD have requested that the Sheriff’s Office provide the related CRO services to the School District, City of Sonoma, and unincorporated areas adjacent to the City of Sonoma in an effort to increase public safety in those areas.
Discussion:
Prior to 2021, the Sheriff’s Office, City of Sonoma, and SVUSD held an Agreement to provide school resource officer services at Sonoma Valley High School. The School Resource Officer (SRO) program at Sonoma Valley High School campus was discontinued in 2021 after parties decided not to renew the Agreement. After several open community forums held during SVUSD board meetings where members addressed the intention and goals of a SRO assignment, SVUSD, Sonoma Police Department, and Sonoma City Council developed and approved a modified version of the SRO assignment, referred to as the Community Resource Officer (CRO) program.
Beginning January 1, 2024, the Board approved a one-year Agreement, allowing the Sheriff, SVUSD and City of Sonoma to reinstate a modified program that addresses safety concerns on and near SVUSD campuses. Based on the success of the one-year Agreement, the parties wish to enter into a new, three-year Agreement. Under the proposed Agreement, the CRO program provides for one full-time deputy who works as the full-time CRO for the County, City, and SVUSD. The CRO functions as a law enforcement officer both on and off SVUSD property and provides community-oriented policing activities for the communities identified in this Agreement. The goal of this partnership is to collaborate with SVUSD personnel to establish effective policies and practices to ensure safe and secure campuses, conduct classroom activities to educate students about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, collaborate with students and their families to promote healthy lifestyles and appropriate behavior choices, and provide a law enforcement presence on campus to deter criminal behavior. The CRO serves as a liaison to the community regarding student safety issues on SVUSD campuses.
Prior to 2021, Sonoma Police Department (SPD) deputies were dispatched to all school-related incidents requiring law enforcement response, which impacted the SPD’s ability to respond to callouts within the city limits because of minimal staffing levels. Now, a permanent full-time CRO assignment dedicated to all SVUSD campuses allows sufficient attention to ensure SVUSD students and staff receive a more consistent and appropriate law enforcement response to all distressful and concerning SVUSD campus situations, freeing up SPD patrol deputies to focus their attention and time on issues and concerns that impact the safety of the citizens of the Sonoma community.
The CRO primarily responds to calls for service during school hours at Sonoma Valley and Creekside high schools as well as Adele Harrison and Altimira middle schools. During their daily assignment, the CRO may perform tasks off campus as required by their assignment. Additionally, the CRO may be temporarily reassigned during school holidays and vacations and/or during any law enforcement emergency or community need.
The deputy assigned as the CRO will spend 75% of their hours worked on SVUSD campuses and within the city of Sonoma community, and the remaining 25% of their hours worked supporting the Sheriff’s Office Sonoma Valley substation patrol deputies in the same capacity throughout the unincorporated areas immediately adjacent to the City of Sonoma including west through the “Springs” area and ending at the western edge of Agua Caliente. The City of Sonoma will provide 75% of the CRO Program funding, to cover CRO salary and benefit costs, not to exceed $204,375 in FY 25-26. The County will fund the remaining 25% of the full time CRO assignment, totaling $68,125 in FY 25-26. These costs are included in the Sheriff’s Office recommended budget. In the event the City of Sonoma is unable to provide funding to the CRO program, the services will be terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
3-12-24 Board authorized the Sheriff to sign a one-year Community Resource Officer Agreement with the City of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley Unified School District.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$204,375 |
$210,506 |
$216,822 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$204,375 |
$210,506 |
$216,822 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
$204,375 |
$210,506 |
$216,822 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$204,375 |
$210,506 |
$216,822 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Funding associated with the CRO program will be a shared cost with 75% provided by the City of Sonoma and 25% provided by County. Appropriations for the revenue and the expenses associated with this agreement have been included in the FY 25-26 Recommended Budget.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Agreement for a Community Resource Officer Program
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A