Students urge female school resource officer as Laguna Beach leaders praise SROs

Mayor Alex Renaghi said students at Laguna Beach High School gave “compelling and articulate testimony” asking that a female school resource officer remain assigned to the campus after the current officer was reassigned.

The testimony, Renaghi said, came from graduating seniors and other students who spoke during a council meeting the night before. Renaghi told radio host Tom Johnson that the city manager and the police chief are “in conversation with the students and the parents” about the concern and that the school district has expressed interest in an SRO arrangement that could help ensure female representation.

Renaghi said the council did not make a decision because staffing assignments are a personnel matter under the police chief’s authority. “Ultimately, this is a personnel issue,” Renaghi said in the interview.

Renaghi and Johnson also discussed the long-term value of the SRO program in Laguna Beach. Renaghi described the program’s local legacy and said officers are well known in the community. He singled out Officer Crowdeen, saying she has “had an impact on the students at Laguna Beach High School” in navigating difficult issues.

Johnson and Renaghi also noted the service of Lieutenant Ashton, who recently graduated from the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Virginia. Renaghi described Ashton as “beloved by the students” and said his presence and engagement at school events illustrated the broader community role SROs play.

No formal council action was reported on the matter in the interview; Renaghi characterized the current steps as staff-level conversations among the city manager, the police chief and the school district.

What’s next: Renaghi said the city manager and police chief are continuing discussions with students and parents and that the school district has expressed interest in SRO coverage that could address the representation concern.