News Summary
Due to significant budget constraints, Santa Rosa City Schools will begin the academic year without school resource officers (SROs) on campus. The decision follows a recent increase in safety concerns, and despite previous support for the SRO program after a fatal incident, financial challenges have halted its implementation. The city and school district face multi-million dollar deficits, complicating efforts to secure funding for enhanced school safety measures. In lieu of SROs, temporary civilian safety staff will supervise campuses, as discussions continue regarding alternative security strategies to redress the rising violence within schools.
Santa Rosa – Students in Santa Rosa City Schools will return to classes without any school resource officers (SROs)
The estimated cost of the SRO program is projected to be $1.7 million annually, along with an initial expense of $570,000 for necessary equipment and training. With the city facing a long-term deficit of $45 million and the school district managing its own deficit of approximately $11 million, acquiring funds for the SRO program has proved to be unfeasible.
Santa Rosa City Manager Maraskeshia Smith indicated that difficult financial decisions have made it challenging to commit to the SRO program. Meanwhile, the City Council recently approved over $11 million in budget cuts for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which includes a reduction of around 40 positions.
Santa Rosa Police Chief John Cregan emphasized the importance of having police officers patrolling school campuses to create a visible presence that enhances safety. However, in light of the current financial situation, the school district has had to close six schools and lay off 150 staff members. As a temporary measure, civilian safety staff teams will be appointed to oversee secondary campuses, though these teams are not intended to replace SROs but rather to improve supervision on campuses.
Over the past few years, the Santa Rosa City Schools have experienced an increase in violence and safety incidents, raising concerns among parents and students who are advocating for enhanced security measures. The SRO program, which was initially set up in 1996, was effectively paused by the school board in 2020 due to national conversations surrounding police brutality. The fatal stabbing of Montgomery High School student, Jayden Pienta, has been a significant factor driving the recent push for the return of SROs.
Following this tragic event, the school board expressed support for the development of a new pilot campus officer program, with various meetings held to discuss its specifics. The Santa Rosa Police Department identified a potential grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that could partially fund the SRO initiative. However, city officials have deemed the eligibility criteria linked to the grant unacceptable due to concerns surrounding immigration law enforcement mandates.
Additionally, the city is currently involved in a federal court challenge against newly proposed federal grant criteria, which are considered discriminatory. Amid these challenges, public frustration is increasing over the school district’s handling of communication during emergencies, particularly regarding violent incidents. Many parents have voiced their dissatisfaction with the lack of immediate notifications concerning incidents that involve their children.
In response to the ongoing budget crisis and previous layoffs, the district has altered the roles of safety advisors as part of its overall safety strategy. As funding for the SRO program remains uncertain, Santa Rosa City Schools plan to strengthen community ties and outreach initiatives aimed at addressing the underlying causes of violence and enhancing youth safety.
With the absence of SROs, the district aims to ensure safer campuses through collaboration with local law enforcement and educational initiatives focused on violence prevention. The ongoing situation continues to develop, and both city and school officials remain committed to exploring all possible funding sources to support safety measures in the future.
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Additional Resources
- Press Democrat: Santa Rosa School Resource Officers
- San Francisco Chronicle: Santa Rosa City School
- Oak Leaf News: Santa Rosa School Closures
- La Prensa Sonoma: Gabriel Quintana Aguilar
- ABC7 News: Santa Rosa Schools Safety Issues
- Wikipedia: School Resource Officer
- Google Search: Santa Rosa School Resource Officer
- Google Scholar: Santa Rosa School Resource Officer
- Encyclopedia Britannica: School Resource Officer
- Google News: Santa Rosa School Resource Officer

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