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Council debates SRO funding split with Corona‑Norco Unified; motion to seek full district payment fails for lack of second
Summary
Police Chief Robert Newman updated council on the five‑year MOU with Corona‑Norco Unified School District for school resource officers, including a planned year‑five compensation increase; one councilmember moved to renegotiate for full district funding but the motion received no second and died.
Police Chief Robert Newman and staff returned to City Council to report on the five‑year memoranda of understanding with Corona‑Norco Unified School District governing campus School Resource Officer (SRO) coverage and to respond to council concerns raised in a June 4 meeting about perceived inequities in funding among jurisdictions.
Chief Newman summarized the MOU and said it includes incremental increases in district reimbursement over five years, with year five showing about a $200,000 increase in total compensation paid by the district to the city. He told the council that, unlike the Corona arrangements, the Norco SRO position has historically been fully funded by Corona‑Norco Unified at approximately $121,000 and that some SRO or deputy arrangements in the district vary by campus and historical agreement.
Newman and Lieutenant Justin Perez also reported the city secured an MOU amendment requiring the district to reimburse 100% of overtime expenses for SRO coverage at special events. Newman said the school board approved that amendment the night before the council meeting and that the change will bring approximately $140,000 per year in additional revenue for the city to reimburse overtime that had previously been split informally.
Council members discussed the broader fairness of the cost split. One councilmember moved to "renegotiate with Corona‑Norco Unified School District to full compensation for our police officers in the schools," stating, "We are not a discount police department." That motion received no second and therefore failed. Other council members said they supported memorializing the existing program and noted value in having officers on campus beyond enforcement, and several members supported moving away from past "handshake" or formal‑absent agreements.
No additional formal action was taken; council directed staff to continue discussions with the district and implement the newly approved overtime reimbursement MOU amendment.
