The Carlsbad City Council approved an updated agreement between the city and the Carlsbad Unified School District to split the cost of school resource officers, extending a more than two-decade-long partnership to provide a safe and secure environment at local schools.

The Carlsbad Police Department has five school resource officers:

• One for Carlsbad High School
• One for Sage Creek High School
• One to cover middle schools and elementary schools in the Carlsbad Unified School District
• Two to serve schools in Carlsbad that are not part of Carlsbad Unified School District

Although Carlsbad Unified School District serves most of the city, three other school districts have campuses in Carlsbad, including Encinitas Union School District, San Dieguito Union High School District and San Marcos Unified School District. These other districts have opted not to have dedicated school resource officers through a similar cost-sharing agreement.

School resource officers handle law enforcement during regular school hours as well as sporting events and other school activities. They also provide emergency response training, school safety plans, and special training for campus supervisors and lunchtime duty personnel. By promoting positive relationships with students, parents and others in the school community, they are often in a position to de-escalate conflicts and provide connections to social services.

Under the cost-sharing agreement, Carlsbad Unified School District will pay half the cost, or $222,076, for school resource officers during the 10 months of the school year.

Read the staff report