HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 - School Resource Officer Program11
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
POLICE DEPARTMENT
July 26, 1999
July 26, 1999
Item No. 12
TO: Honorable Mayor, Members of the City Council and City Manager
FROM: Bob McDonell, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: School Resource Officer Program
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the preliminary direction given by the School /Council Committee
to implement the proposed School Resource Officer program, subject to
the identification and ultimate Council approval of appropriate funding
sources.
2. Approve the 'over- hire" of two sworn officers above our authorized
strength, in anticipation of ultimate program approval.
BACKGROUND:
The Police Department and School District have had a long- standing tradition of
cooperation on issues affecting the safety and security of students and the
surrounding community. The Department has made overtures to the District in
the past about exploring options to expand the D.A.R.E. curriculum or other
positive police presence into the high school environment, however
circumstances and timing failed to result in any positive changes.
Based upon some independent conversations with Councilmembers and
representatives of the School Board, staff was asked by Councilmember
Ridgeway to return to Council with a formal report on the potential for expanding
the D.A.R.E. program or School Resource Officer concept onto the high school
campuses. Prior to bringing the report to the full Council, the matter was referred
to the joint School /Council Committee, comprised of representatives of both the
City Council and School Board.
In an effort to enhance the already excellent working relationship and
cooperation between the School District and the Police Department,
representatives of the City of Newport Beach and Newport-Mesa Unified School
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District met to explore various options by which a constructive police ffpresence
might be established on the campuses of our two senior high schools. Those
options being considered would also address the growing national concern
regarding the safety of students and staff on public school campuses, even
though we believe our local situation is without some of the inherent problems
faced by other Districts.
DISCUSSION:
On June 11, 1999 the Police Chief prepared a report (see attached) in response
to the stated request, proposing methods by which a police presences might be
effectively established on senior high school campuses. The report proposed a
variety of options (i.e., School Resource Officer vs. High School D.A.R.E.
program, one officer dividing his/her time between the two campuses vs. one
officer for each campus, or a combination of the concepts).
On July 13, 1999 a meeting was held at the offices of the Newport-Mesa Unified
School District for the purpose of .discussing the Police Chief's proposal.
Attending the meeting, were elected members of the City Council and the District
Board, the City Manager, the District Superintendent, the Police Chief and
various other representatives of both the Department and the District.
It became readily apparent that all parties to the discussion favored the general
proposition that a police presence would be beneficial. The need for the City and
the District to take a proactive approach was discussed. Although no serious
crime problems are currently known to exist at either of the two high schools, it
was agreed upon that the most appropriate and responsible course of faction for
the City and the District would be to acct before problems develop, rather than
react after problems have occurred. It was also agreed that the implementation
of a program of this nature would continue the long- standing tradition of
cooperation and mutual support that exists between the City and the District.
After a discussion of available options, a strong consensus of opinion held that
the most effective approach would be to assign a School Resource Officer to
each campus on a full -time basis. In addition to performing the standard duties
of a School Resource Officer, this officer would also teach the high school
D.A.R.E. curriculum, which would provide continuity to the already active
D.A.R.E. program in existence at the elementary school level. The special needs
of Ensign Middle School were recognized, and it was agreed upon that the
proposed program should make some accommodation to meet those needs.
An ad hoc committee was proposed which will consist of District and Police
Department representatives. The committee will examine issues relating to
funding and implementation. The representatives will report developments and
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progress to their respective appointed superiors, and the ultimate results of their
effort will be brought back to both elected bodies for final approval. Among other
tasks, this committee was directed to develop a memorandum of understanding
between the City and the District dealing with program implementation, operation
and funding. The District representatives present at the meeting stated they
were willing to consider a shared funding arrangement for the program, if their
ultimate interpretation of some of the recent legislative changes makes .those
opportunities possible.
It was further agreed that approval and implementation efforts should move
forward without delay, subject to ratification of the approach by the full City
Council and School Board. While no specific timeline was set forth, it would be
desirable to begin implementation as soon as practicable, perhaps during the
upcoming school year. It was recognized that while certification issues may
cause a delay in the implementation of the high school D.A.R.E. program, the
School Resource Officer component may be initiated as soon as personnel
needs are satisfied to "backfill" those selected for the assignments. Toward that
end, the Police Chief proposed that the City Council would need to authorize the
hiring of two officers to fill those positions, over and above the current sworn
officer complement. This will allow for the recruitment and training of new
officers, so that the proposed positions might be filled without diminishing existing
service levels. As you may be aware, the recruitment and training process can
take up to 12 months, depending on whether the officer hired has any police
experience (2 months to recruit and complete the background, 6 months of
academy training, and 3 to 4 months of field training). While we will make an
effort to recruit and hire lateral (already trained) candidates in order to minimize
the delay in the training process, our recent experience has shown it is a difficult
recruitment.
In summary, the proposal before you enjoys virtually unanimous support from the
School /Council Committee and the staffs from both entities. As a result, we
recommend your approval of the recommendations listed in order to proceed
consistent with the preliminary direction given.
Respectfully submitted, Approved b
Doug`Fletcher Bob McDonell
LIEUTENANT CHIEF OF POLICE
E
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
POLICE DEPARTMENT
June 11, 1999
TO: Honorable Mayor, Members of the City Council and City Manager
FROM: Bob McDonell, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
RECOMMENDATION:
Establish a positive police presence at our City's two senior high schools. This
objective may be effectively accomplished in one of two ways: expand the
existing D.A.R.E. program to the high school level, or establish a School
Resource Officer (S.R.O.) program.
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While both programs would accomplish the desired goal at local high schools,
the programs are really quite different in concept, operation and purpose. This
report will discuss the relative merits of both programs and is intended to provide
policy- makers with the foundation upon which an informed choice may made, M
assuming there is a continuing interest by the City Council and School Board to
accomplish the stated objective.
DISCUSSION:
The development and safety of the youth of the City of Newport Beach has
always been of paramount importance to our community. Issues like drug
abuse, crime in schools, and violent acts committed both by and against children
are of great concern to all of us.
Currently, the Police Department addresses some of those concerns in the
elementary and junior high schools through the "D.A.R.E." program. There is,
however, no follow -up program or proactive police presence at the senior high
schools in Newport Beach to reinforce the lessons taught at the lower levels, or
to deal with the more complex types of police and social problems that occur with
high school age children. Many jurisdictions deal with these concerns through
the use of School Resource Officers. Those Officers primarily deal with crime,
safety and security issues on campus, as well as provide more approachable
access to law enforcement for students. The recently developed High School
D.A.R.E. program also addresses safety issues, but is more structured and
directed towards substance abuse and violence prevention education.
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Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
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Proactive programs such as D.A.R.E. and School Resource Officer programs
can ultimately reduce the incidents of crime and drug abuse to society by
preventing crime before it occurs and reducing the demand for illegal drugs. In
fact, one government study ( "Violence and Discipline Problems in U.S. Public
Schools: 1996- '97 "), reported that 39% of schools with 1000 or more students,
had a full -time law enforcement presence. These programs must, however,
compete with existing needs for funding and resources. Therefore, a priority
must be placed on how available resources will be used.
Research was conducted by Officer Tom Monarch into the High School D.A.R.E.
program and by Officer Andy Halpin into School Resource Officer Programs.
The research included interviews with agencies that use both programs,
examination of literature, and informal conversations with school personnel.
Additionally, both of these officers have extensive experience working on school
campuses with the existing D.A.R.E. program and are familiar with the relevant
issues important to schools and students. While both programs have merit and
have been successful, they are designed to address campus issues in a different
manner. Each officer looked at an individual program and provided an analysis
of it. The results of their research are contained in this report.
Senior High D.A.R.E.
The D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), has been in place in
Newport Beach elementary schools and in the junior highs for a number of years.
The program puts specially trained police officers in the classroom to educate
children about the dangers of drug abuse and to teach them life skills to avoid
the deadly consequences of substance abuse. Over the years, the program has
evolved to also deal with gang deterrence and self esteem issues.
There is nearly universal agreement that the most effective way to fight the drug
problem in our society is to reduce the demand by consumers. Education,
starting at an early age, is the best way to do this. The D.A.R.E. program is the
best vehicle we have available to accomplish this task. A weakness exists in the
current program, however, in that there is no follow -up education after junior high
school. There is also no formal program (to our knowledge) in the high schools
that addresses concerns about violent behavior and violence prevention.
The current high school D.A.R.E. program curriculum in use by other cities in
California has been in existence for two years. This includes pilot programs.
L.A. County schools have used it for the past year. No Orange County School
currently uses it, although Fullerton will begin using it next year.
The purpose of high school D.A.R.E. is to educate students about the personal
and social consequences of substance abuse and re- enforce lessons taught at
the lower grade levels. The lessons also work towards helping students
recognize and cope with feelings of anger without causing harm to themselves or
Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
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others and without resorting to the use of alcohol or drugs. The i program
recognizes current events, such as recent outbreaks of violence on school
campuses and teaches students ways to deal with their emotions without acting
them out. Several Southern California cities that have high school !D.A.R.E.
programs in place were surveyed for this report. Feedback on those programs
has been very positive.
The core of the high school D.A.R.E. program curriculum consists of a'Iseries of
ten lessons taught cooperatively by a swom police officer and the classroom
teacher. These lessons would be best incorporated into the high school health
classes, and are generally taught at the sophomore level; however, follow -up
sessions could be held in the junior and senior classes. This would necessitate
that the health program be extended from its current nine -week format to
eighteen weeks, and would require the addition of one sworn police officer to the
Police Department's current authorized staffing level. The Officer would teach
full time at one of Newport Beach's senior high schools one semester, then full -
time at the other the next semester. Another approach would be to have the
assigned officer teach at both schools on alternate days of the week, to insure
some presence on both campuses during the particular semester. Over the two
semesters, the program would reach approximately 700 students. The high
school program would have two major components.
The first component would be prevention education. This would consist of a
series of lessons on social skills and violence prevention strategies taught by a
police officer. These lessons would require follow -up activities to be
implemented by the classroom teacher.
The second component of a high school D.A.R.E. program provides for
procedures and strategies to deal with the identification, early intervention and
after -care support of students whose behavior indicates substance abuse or
other personal crisis likely to result in harm to the student or others. This
component also provides for prevention strategies outside the D.A.R.E.
instruction portion taught in the classroom. These prevention and intervention
programs can include things like faculty in- service training, education meetings
for parents, talkshops, interest groups, other alternative activities during or after
school, and school based support groups for identified and referred high risk
students.
The curriculum set out for high school D.A.R.E. is flexible to allow for cultural and
social difference in individual schools. The program can be tailored to address
specific areas of concern, such as domestic violence, date rape, or teenage
drunk driving. The use of an experienced police officer in the classroom lends a
great deal of credibility to the program. The built -in flexibility insures that the
content of what is being taught is current and relevant to the students.
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0 School Resource Officer
School Resource Officer programs have been in place for many years in
different cities throughout the country. These programs provide better law
enforcement assistance to school administrators and their faculty. They also
provide a resource to students and faculty for law enforcement related issues,
and make the police more accessible to students. Their mere presence on
campus serves as a deterrent to crime.
The most obvious benefit of a School Resource Officer is that the officer
provides a more immediate, but positive law enforcement presence on campus.
When present, the officer would be responsible for handling any law
enforcement matter that occurs on campus or in the immediate vicinity.
Maintaining a stronger presence on campus means that response times could be
much quicker to calls, thereby providing for increased safety to students and staff
alike. Although in Newport Beach, our response time to emergencies is already
quite good.
School Resource Officers are usually responsible for most investigations and
follow -ups on crimes that occur on school campuses. This means that not only
would they handle crimes as they occur, but depending on the offense, they
could do any necessary investigative work and follow -up with the courts, juvenile
authorities or school administrators as required.
It is important to note that in the role of a law enforcement officer on campus, it is
not the S.R.O.'s job to tell Principals or Administrators how to run their schools or
how to discipline students. The S.R.O. is there as a resource for students and
faculty to enhance the educational experience of the student, and to assist in the
prevention of crime on campus. While engaging in their secondary role as a
resource to teachers and students, they are available to assist in classroom
instruction as guest lecturers on topics such as government, law, child abuse,
and gang deterrence. They can also be integrated into health classes dealing
with violence prevention. In some cases, depending on staffing levels, S.R.O.'s
teach in the classroom in regularly scheduled classes such as D.A.R.E., but
unless there was an officer assigned to each of the schools, such a dual role
(D.A.R.E. and SRO), would not be possible.
S.R.O.'s participate in after school and extra- curricular functions with the
students. They also are available for parent meetings and faculty training.
These, combined with the other functions they perform, make them an integral
part of the school. Their presence on campus and their familiarity with both
students and the school, make for a closer, more effective working relationship
with outside public agencies such as Social Services, Probation, and the Courts.
Student attitudes about law enforcement and the criminal justice system are
positively affected by the type of daily interaction that occurs when a police
Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
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officer is on campus on a regular basis in a non - enforcement role. These types i
of positive relationships with studeints result in proactive law enforcement.
Positive contacts curb criminal activity and delinquent behavior. Students are
more likely to discuss emerging problems with an officer with whom they have
regular, non - threatening contacts. This can lead to stopping problems before
they start.
S.R.O.'s in existing programs frequently offer help or referral information for
students that are "at risk" or heading that direction. In addition to being able to
recognize students who have the potential for problems with drug use; violence,
or criminal behavior, the S.R.O.s' status and experience as sworn police officers
give them credibility when dealing with students. Just being available to listen to
students and parents concerns and provide answers to questions about police
related issues has a positive impact on students. An S.R.O. program, does not
make the Officer responsible for all of the preventative or counseling types of
duties for "at risk" children. However, experience from other jurisdictions tells us
that when that trust level is established with an S.R.O., students will routinely
confide in the officer who is on campus. Ultimately, a cooperative relationship
develops between the police, teachers, school counselors, and school
administrators.
The specific role that an S.R.O will take on a high school campus is something
that must be mutually agreed upon by the Police Department and the School
District. Depending on the school, the role can emphasize any one or more
characteristics of enforcement, counseling, confidante, or teacher. This role can
also change as the needs of the school change.
Studies in different parts of the country (Tulare, Ca., Flint, Mi., and Miami, Fl.)
have shown both reductions in juvenile crime and positive changes in
perceptions of personal safety on campus where S.R.O. programs are in place.
The degree to which each of these improves depends on the goals of the
program and the role the S.R.O. takes in the school.
School Resource Officer programs have been in use since the 1950's. As early
as 1973, the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and
Goals recommended School Resources Officer programs be established in high
schools. Several school districts in Orange County, including Irvine, Tustin, and
Santa Ana, have S.R.O. programs in place. Each of those cities has a slightly
different focus for their programs, based on the needs of the school and the
community. These cities report that their programs accomplish the goals set for
them.
At a minimum, the implementation of a School Resource Officer program in
Newport Beach would require the addition of one sworn officer to the Police
Department's current authorized staffing level. That officer could cover both
Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
Page 6
Newport Harbor and Corona Del Mar High Schools, spending approximately half
time on each campus.
It is important to note that due to the classroom and curriculum demands of the
High School D.A.R.E. program, the addition of a single officer would not be
sufficient to cover both D.A.R.E. responsibilities and S.R.O. duties at both
campuses. These duties could be combined if there were a single officer
assigned to each school. This has been done successfully in other jurisdictions
throughout the country.
Cost
The cost associated with either of these programs would depend upon which
program was chosen and how heavily it is to be staffed. If a decision is made to
incorporate both concepts (the optimum model), it will require an officer to be
assigned to each high school campus. In doing so, the officer could teach the
structured high school D.A.R.E. curriculum, and still have time to fulfill the added,
less structured S.R.O. role. The average cost for one additional officer's salary
and benefits is $63,609 a year. An additional one -time expense of $5,496.00
would be needed for uniforms, safety gear, and training. This figure includes a
cost of $2260 in fees to send an officer to the basic police academy, should that
be necessary for backfill. The existing fleet could accommodate vehicles for the
officers to use during daytime hours. Currently, without reducing field
deployment in the Patrol Division, or eliminating some level of investigative
follow -up, there is no way to accommodate the expanded program(s) with
existing staff, since our existing service level to the general public would be
adversely affected.
Funding
Funding for both D.A.R.E. and School Resource Officer programs on high school
campuses can come from several sources. Some jurisdictions share the cost
equally with their school districts, since there is a direct benefit to the district
involved. Others absorb the cost as a general fund expenditure. Locally, Irvine
PD currently has three full -time officers assigned to high schools in their city. All
of these positions are paid for out of the general fund through the regular budget
process. Irvine PD recently submitted an application for a COPS MORE grant to
fund a fourth position. They have not used grant money for these positions in
the past.
Tustin PD has two D.A.R.E. officers and a School Resource Officer. All of these
positions are funded through the regular budget process. No grant money has
been applied for or used.
We explored several possibilities as it relates to grant funding in the preparation
of this report. The Federal Office of Justice Programs in Washington D.C.
Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
Page 7
advised that a COPS MORE grant could fund additions to the D.A.R.E.Iprogram,
however the competitive application process closed in April. More funding is
anticipated in the future, however the timing is uncertain.
There is currently a bill in committee in the State Senate (SB 425) that will
provide 190 million dollars in grant money to put police officers on school
campuses, although those officers may be employed directly by school districts,
instead of coming from local agencies. While this bill is still in the early,stages, it
may eventually fund School Resource Officer type programs. As with any
legislative process, the ultimate outcome is uncertain.
Contact was made with the Director of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention Branch of the Office of Criminal Justice Planning (OCJP). OCJP is
the State agency which awards grant funds for a variety of programming,
including School Resource Officer Programs. She stated there would be an
announcement in a month or so about a new round of funding, which may offer
some grant opportunities to consider; however, since it is a competitive process,
there is no guarantee of funding. In addition, if there was an interest in
considering a fall start up of any programmatic expansion to the high school
campuses, the timing of the selection and award of recipients (assuming we
were successful), may not permit it.
Conclusion .
The High School D.A.R.E. program seeks to impact the safety and behavior of
students through the re- enforcement of concepts taught in elementary school
and junior high. It also touches on some new concepts dealing with violence
prevention education as a means of addressing the concerns of crime on
campus and threats to the safety of the students, faculty and' affected
community. D.A.R.E.'s primary benefit is in providing students with life skills for
dealing with the pressures of drugs and violence. Since this is usually .done in a
classroom setting or in specific group meetings with the officer teaching during
most of his /her workday, there is only a minimal amount of increased police
response to immediate problems that develop on campus. There is also no
increased police presence or proactive patrol activity on the school campus or in
the surrounding neighborhood.
School Resource Officer programs provide a greater police presence on campus
to deal with crime in both enforcement and prevention settings. The Officer's
presence on campus provides for a faster, more efficient method of dealing with
crime and safety issues. The easier accessibility of the police also provides for
clearer routes for information to pass between the school, students, parents, and
the police about developing problems. Preventative actions and intervention can
then be taken to stop problems before 'they start, or to end them quickly once
they manifest themselves. Additional gains can be accomplished by using the
police as an educational resource for teachers in the classroom. This close
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Expansion of Police Presence to Senior High Schools
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working relationship between the police and the schools accounts for an
increased sense of personal safety for students at schools where S.R.O.
programs are in place.
Selection of one of these programs requires that the specific goals for the
program be identified. If the desire is to educate students and provide them with
additional life skills for dealing with drugs and crime, then the High School
D.A.R.E. program would appear to be the best vehicle. If the desire is to provide
increased 'protection from violence and safer, more secure educational
institutions, a School Resource Officer program would be more appropriate.
Obviously, both models incorporated together offer the best approach. The
ultimate decision must be made after in -depth discussions with the policymakers
of both the City and the School District.
Prepared by,
Mike McDermott, Sergeant
Community Relations
Approved by,
COL L 964
Bob McDonell
CHIEF OF POLICE