San Diego School District Considering 25 Percent Reduction in Police Department

The budget cut proposal will likely be voted on by board members Feb. 28.

The San Diego School District Board of Education is considering reducing its police department’s budget by 25 percent amid wider budgetary concerns.

Proposed budget cuts were discussed by the district’s board of trustees and community members at a meeting Feb. 21.

“Our community service officers are police officers, our first line of safety and security on the campuses they are assigned to,” San Diego School Police Officers’ Association President Dana Ellis said. “In this time and age, safety is not anything to mess around with.”

The meeting’s agenda showed the cuts would eliminate 10 officers, but Ellis told fox5sandiego.com that up to 20 officers stand to lose their job.

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The department currently has 43 sworn police officers and 17 community officers serving 30 elementary schools, which Ellis said makes for a low ratio of about three officers per 10,000 students. Municipal police departments have a nationwide ratio of about 21 officers per 10,000 residents.

“These eliminations are not in alignment with the district’s philosophy of restorative practices,” Ellis said at the meeting. “These cuts will significantly impact school security and classroom safety.”

The cuts come as the district looks to address a projected $124 million budget deficit.

Facing a crowded auditorium of district employees and community members, the board laid out its plans to reduce the district’s estimated 2017-2018 budget of $1.3 billion.

The district plans to eliminate 850 positions, including police officers, mental health clinicians, PE teachers, arts instructors, counselors, library clerks, food service workers, custodians and occupational therapy specialists.

In a closed session prior to the meeting, the trustees authorized 79 layoffs and agreed to release all temporarily certificated employees at the end of the school year.

A vote on the proposed cuts is scheduled for Feb. 28.

District trustees did not discuss the budget cut proposals after public testimony.

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