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Council approves pilot to place a sheriff deputy as school resource officer for next school year
Summary
After hearing support from parents and school officials, the council approved a pilot to reassign one special‑assignment sheriff deputy as a school resource officer (SRO) for the 2025–26 school year; the district said it does not support private security alternatives but will continue to collaborate on training and deployment.
Malibu City Council voted July 14 to pilot a school resource officer (SRO) assignment by reassigning one of the city's special‑assignment sheriff deputies to serve primarily at Malibu High School with collateral availability at other Malibu schools.
Staff said the sheriff and school district preferred a deputy SRO because deputies are trained in de‑escalation and juvenile investigation tactics and can communicate directly with dispatch to speed broader law‑enforcement response. "A deputy is more trained to evaluate a situation and communicate that to dispatch in a way that speeds up response," staff said.
Parents and community advocates urged approval. Jake Lingo, chair of the AMP Security Council and parent of two children in the district, said the roaming SRO pilot would address long response times in Malibu’s stretched, rural jurisdiction. "Please vote to support this recommendation," he told council.
Santa Monica‑Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) officials said the district favors an SRO model and does not support private‑security substitutes. Carrie Upton, SMMUSD chief operations officer, told council the district and its schools were "very supportive of placing a school resource officer, at the schools, primarily in Malibu High School." Council approved the pilot and added a friendly amendment directing staff to continue exploring private‑security options for longer‑term solutions.
Outcome: Motion to approve the SRO pilot passed unanimously. Staff said training can be arranged over the summer so the deputy is ready for the start of the school year.
