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Laguna Beach students, parents urge council to keep female school resource officer
Summary
Dozens of Laguna Beach High School students and staff urged the City Council during public comment to keep Officer Ashley Crotine in the school resource officer post, saying replacing her with a male officer would reduce reporting and access to trusted support for female students.
Dozens of students and parents asked the Laguna Beach City Council on June 10 to keep Officer Ashley Crotine as the school resource officer (SRO) at Laguna Beach High School.
Students and educators told the council Officer Crotine has been a trusted adult who helped survivors of sexual harassment and assault feel safe and supported. “You cannot preach student safety and strip us of the one person who makes us feel safe,” said Ruby Sampson, a Laguna Beach High School student, during the public-comment period.
Why it matters: Students and several school staff framed the matter as one of safety and reporting: they said female students are more likely to report harassment and assault to a female officer and that rotating Officer Crotine out under the police department’s four-year rotation policy would leave the school without any female SRO. Students and a teacher described cases—AI‑generated images and harassment—where Officer Crotine provided support and helped students access resources.
What speakers said: A string of students—Ruby Sampson, Ivy Dabbs, Lauren Norix, Skye Chaney, Sofia Shafer, and others—spoke during the public-comment period about personal experiences and surveys they had carried out of fellow students. “With two male SROs, female students will be less likely to report,” said Ivy Dabbs, who told the council she surveyed 30 students, faculty and community members and reported only two said a female student would feel comfortable reporting certain crimes to a male officer. Michelle Foster, the high‑school health teacher, and Stacey Zuziak, an LBUSD employee, urged the council to reconsider the rotation policy because they said it disrupts trust that is critical to student safety.
Council and staff response: City Manager Dan (transcript: “Mister city manager”) acknowledged the testimony and said the city had taken the issue seriously and was already talking with the district and police chief about options. The city manager said staff and the police chief were available to continue the conversation with interested parties.
What the council can do next: Speakers asked the council to direct staff to amend the rotation policy so that at least one female SRO is stationed at the high school or to allow Officer Crotine to remain in place. No formal action or ordinance related to the SRO program was taken that night; councilmembers asked staff to continue discussions with the school district and police chief and to report back.
Ending: Students and parents thanked the council for listening. Several councilmembers expressed appreciation for the students’ testimony and asked staff and the police chief to continue talks with the district about staffing options and whether other supports could be put in place.
