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Washington Unified board approves letter of intent to explore school resource officer partnership after extensive public debate
Summary
After hours of public comment for and against school resource officers (SROs), the Washington Unified School District board directed staff to draft a letter of intent with the West Sacramento Police Department to plan services, community engagement and timelines; the board also recorded a funding set‑aside and emphasized that designated funding will not impact current staff positions.
Trustees on the Washington Unified School District board voted to direct staff to draft a letter of intent formalizing a process to explore School Resource Officer services in partnership with the West Sacramento Police Department.
The action followed a lengthy public comment period during which parents, teachers and community members gave competing perspectives. Amber Bradley, a River City teacher, urged the board to hold off on any funding decision and said, "SROs do not stop school shootings," arguing the district should prioritize counselors and mental‑health services instead. Parents and other speakers described recent lockdowns and arrests on school grounds and argued that designated officers could have aided those incidents.
Police Chief Steve Strange told trustees the police department wants to be a partner in a broader safety strategy but said those conversations should be led by the district, not the police, and emphasized the need for inclusive planning. Trustees asked that the letter include clear deliverables, timelines and community engagement — surveys, town halls and input from labor partners, students, staff and neighboring businesses.
Board materials estimate annual costs for a fully funded officer at roughly $280,000–$377,000; final costs and the funding source will be determined through the budgeting process. The board specifically directed that any designated funding "will not impact current staffing positions." Staff will draft the letter of intent with milestones and return it to the board for approval.
What happens next: staff will prepare a letter of intent that spells out the scope of the proposed partnership, timelines for community engagement, and an estimated cost timeline to inform future budget decisions. The board indicated it expects the district to seek broad community input before committing to an operational model or contract.
