Lancaster Council approves joint-powers agreement to provide police services for Westside schools

Lancaster City Council voted to approve a joint powers agreement (MB1) that will allow the city to provide police services to the Westside Union School District and to authorize the city manager, in consultation with the city attorney, to negotiate and execute the final agreement.

City staff told the council the district and the city previously entered a school law enforcement services agreement on 07/08/2025 and that the district now wants Lancaster to police all its campuses, "including the ones that are not within the city of Lancaster," a staff member said. Council members asked for clarification; staff said the agreement gives the city authority to work on district campuses but does not authorize police action off campus.

Supporters spoke in favor of the arrangement at the meeting. Sean Cannon, an Eastside Union School District board member who addressed the council, cited what he described as "an uptick in violence on campus," incidents involving students bringing or threatening to bring weapons and staff assaults and said he supported having a resource deputy in Eastside schools. "Having a resource deputy on the in our Eastside Schools is something that me, as a board member, you have my support for," Cannon said.

Council members emphasized the decision was driven by service options and cost. One council member said, "We're not doing this because the sheriff's department is not doing their job. We're doing this because we can do it more affordable for Westside," and staff confirmed Superintendent Regina Russo had raised the request with the city.

At the meeting a council member moved to "approve MB1, approving the joint powers agreement for Westside School District's Police Services Authority," and to "authorize the city manager in consultation with the city attorney to negotiate and finalize terms and execute the final joint powers agreement for Westside School District Police Services Authority." The motion was seconded and passed with three yes votes.

The agreement's supporters said it would allow the district to redirect savings to students; however, the city did not provide detailed budget comparisons or specific cost figures during the meeting. The city manager is authorized to complete negotiations and execute the final agreement; the council did not set a date for implementation during the session.

The council adjourned after routine business; no members of the public signed up for additional comments.