Kingsburg committee weighs more youth outreach after helmet donations, drone update

The Kingsburg Public Safety Committee on Aug. 12 heard a school resource officer describe giving away nearly 100 bicycle helmets and safety pamphlets at the district's YouMatter Day and discussed how to allocate the committee's annual $10,000 fund between community outreach and police equipment.

Christian, the Kingsburg school resource officer, told the committee the helmet distribution “was a big hit,” saying the department bought roughly 100 helmets and had handed out nearly all of them at the May event and at a recent health fair. Christian said the department also distributed pamphlets on bicycle safety, fentanyl, vaping and internet safety, and that a local vendor, Trax Bicycle Company, donated about $400 in $20 vouchers to help people who needed a different helmet size.

The discussion moved from that public comment into the committee’s review of its annual funding. Committee members said the committee began receiving $10,000 annually in about 2017 and that last year the committee allocated about $5,000 for Christian’s YouMatter Day outreach and the remainder toward a police outdoor drone. The committee reported it received another $10,000 in July. Committee members said the police department told them it is “waiting for our first drone to arrive” and is considering a smaller, less expensive indoor drone later in the year; the department asked to return with a formal request when it is ready.

Members debated whether to prioritize hardware such as drones and cameras or to spend more on youth-focused programs and materials that committee members said may yield longer-term community benefits. One member urged shifting some funding away from hardware toward programs that reach children and families; another said the committee should try to get the “best bang for the buck” because the $10,000 is a finite, recurring sum.

The committee agreed to invite the police department back to the next meeting with two separate presentations: an update on the drone project and a briefing on the school safety outreach and materials Christian and colleagues distribute. Members also discussed school safety-day planning for the 2025–26 school year: committee members said the district will hold five safety days (with one site combining a homeschool group) and recommended the department bring pamphlets and handouts to those events.

Committee members briefly approved the meeting agenda at the start of the session and later approved minutes from the May 13, 2025, public safety committee meeting; both actions carried without recorded opposition. The committee set the drone update and the school-outreach presentation as future agenda items for the next quarterly meeting.

Next steps noted by the committee included asking the police department for updated cost information for the indoor drone, an estimate of remaining funds needed for the outdoor drone, and an inventory of pamphlets and materials Christian needs for upcoming school safety days.