Citrus Heights approves ‘liaison’ program to boost police presence at high schools

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council voted unanimously on Thursday to create a school liaison program, which would allow for an existing officer from the Citrus Heights Police Department’s traffic enforcement unit to be formally assigned to each local high school.

Last month, Mayor Bret Daniels requested that the city re-explore the option of placing school resource officers at both Citrus Heights high schools, and on May 23 the council was presented with four different school safety options, including hiring and funding two additional full-time school resources officers, which would cost the city $370,000 annually according to the Police Department. Other options were: reassigning two existing sworn officers from other specialty units to become school resource officers; utilizing current Police Department traffic unit team members to create a school liaison program; and continuing with already-in-progress collaboration with the district’s Safe Schools program.

Councilmember Porsche Middleton called the proposed school liaison program a “balanced approach” and said she saw a great benefit to the students and the community through assigning officers to each of the high schools.

In a conversation relayed to the council by the city manager, San Juan Unified School District Superintendent Melissa Bassanelli told Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney that having additional traffic enforcement and perimeter safety at secondary schools would be “welcome.”

“It’s not the ideal solution, but it’s definitely moving in the right direction,” Daniels said. He also praised the city for working together with the Police Department to come up with a solution.

According to Citrus Heights Chief of Police Alex Turcotte, the department’s traffic team already partners regularly with local schools for traffic enforcement and alcohol and drug awareness campaigns.

The school liaison program will designate one main officer to each high school campus, while the rest of the traffic team will operate as backup anytime, and also when a leading liaison officer is sick or on vacation. When school isn’t in session, the traffic unit will operate as normal, enforcing traffic throughout the city.

Turcotte said the officer will be tasked with developing relationships and serving as the “main point of contact” for the school, with a sergeant serving as a secondary point of contact. The school liaison program could also potentially expand to area middle schools in the future, depending on whether additional staff can be hired, he said.

Ongoing conversations have been occurring between the city, school district, and Police Department regarding public safety and police presence within Citrus Heights schools since 2022.

In January 2023, Turcotte provided an estimate on the fiscal impact of hiring and adding a dedicated police officer in each Citrus Heights public school, estimating the initial cost could be $1.8 million, with an annual cost of $2.58 million to continue to maintain police staffing in each school. The liaison program will come at no additional cost to the city, according to a staff report.

In October 2023, the City Council voted unanimously to formally request funding from the San Juan Unified School District to help pay for placing a dedicated school resource police officer at both Mesa Verde and San Juan High School. The decision came following a 2-2 tie to vote on whether the city should use federal coronavirus relief funds to fund the placement of officers in each high school.

According to the Police Department, prior to the pandemic, school resources officers were assigned from within the full-time police officer budget allotment. Following the pandemic, because of staffing challenges, school resource officers were reassigned to ensure adequate patrol staffing citywide.