The Huntington Park City Council voted to renew the city’s crossing-guard services on a month-to-month basis, direct staff to reissue the solicitation and to complete a needs assessment and outreach to the Los Angeles Unified School District before making permanent changes to guard locations.

Council members said the action preserves current service while the city evaluates options including rebidding the contract, bringing the work in-house, or partnering with nonprofits. The motion passed by roll call after a friendly amendment that kept existing guard locations in place during the short-term renewal and required a needs-based assessment.

Staff presentation and recommendation

The police department presented staff’s recommendation to adjust several crossing-guard locations and to renew the agreement with All City Management Services (ACMS) at higher cost. The chief told council staff reviewed police collision data during school arrival and dismissal times only at intersections currently served; staff recommended eliminating guards at some intersections that are controlled by overhead traffic signals and keeping guards at some uncontrolled or wide crossings. The presentation said eliminating the recommended locations would reduce the city’s FY cost by approximately 66 percent — roughly “just over $170,000,” according to staff — and that LAUSD has declined to cost-share the service.

“Staff recommends consideration and adjustments to where crossing guards are positioned,” the Chief of Police said during the presentation.

Council concerns: safety, equity and contractor costs

Several council members said they opposed immediate cuts without a formal methodology, a citywide equity review and clearer data. One council member said, “I am very concerned that we eliminate safety for our youth and students. So I personally would not support this.” Another council member criticized the contractor’s pricing and overhead, saying the contract pays roughly $32 per hour while field staff appear to be paid closer to $19 per hour; that council member added, “so that means 66¢ goes towards administrators who are not even from the state,” pressing the city to consider rebidding or bringing the service in-house.

Council discussion repeatedly raised points that staff had not yet provided a citywide formula for deciding placement: the current deployment grew incrementally over many years, principals and parents requested guards for particular schools, and LAUSD has not provided the traffic studies staff requested. Staff said previous RFPs found ACMS to be the primary respondent and that competing vendors were typically security firms that proposed similar prices.

Direction to staff and short-term action

Council voted to: (1) authorize a month-to-month renewal of the existing crossing-guard contract at the current level of service; (2) direct staff to reissue the service to RFP to seek competitive bids; and (3) complete a needs-based assessment of crossing-guard locations and to engage LAUSD and potential nonprofit partners about cost‑sharing and alternatives. Council additionally directed staff to return with analysis of options including in‑house staffing or contracting with local nonprofits, and to consider a short transition plan rather than an immediate elimination of service at any location.

The vote followed a friendly amendment to keep the 12 existing locations and preserve current service while the assessment and RFP proceed. On the final roll call the motion carried (recorded as unanimous by the clerk).

Why this matters

Huntington Park operates crossing-guard services at school arrival and dismissal times across dozens of school sites; the program intersects public-safety priorities, school-district responsibilities and city budget choices. Council members emphasized that a rushed reduction in coverage risks later costs and emergency responses, while fiscal concerns and questions about contractor overhead prompted calls for a competitive procurement and clearer, data-driven policy for future placement.

What’s next

Staff will return with results of the needs assessment, RFP timeline and options for in‑house or nonprofit-led alternatives. Council asked that the city continue to pursue LAUSD for cost sharing and data, and to provide a plan for any proposed longer-term changes.

Votes and formal action

Motion: Renew the existing crossing-guard contract month-to-month, maintain current service levels, submit the service to a new RFP, and complete a needs-based assessment including outreach to LAUSD and potential nonprofit partners.
Mover: Mayor Flores (recorded in the minutes as moving the item).
Second: not specified in the transcript.
Outcome: Approved by roll call (motion carried).

Sources: Staff presentation and council debate recorded on the Huntington Park City Council meeting transcript; police department presentation and communications director comments included in council discussion.