School Officials Say Campus Cops Tentatively Funded

The school district has tentatively budgeted funds to preserve police officers in West County schools, district officials said Tuesday night.

West Contra Costa Unified School District Superintendent Bruce Harter and school board member Charles Ramsey told the El Cerrito City Council that the provision for officers at schools is included in the 2012-2013 budget.

"We understand safety comes first," Ramsey said. "So we fully funded throughout the school district, not just El Cerrito, but Richmond, Pinole and Hercules. So we have a steadfast commitment to ensure that our campuses are places were kids can learn safely," he said.

The school district has paid cities for school resource officers in schools in the past, but gave notice last year that it may not continue funding them past June 30 this year.

Pinole has school resource officers at Pinole Middle and Pinole Valley High schools.

After Tuesday night's joint meeting with the El Cerrito City Council, schools Superintendent Bruce Harter told Patch that school district funding for the currently funded officers in the district is included in the working budget for the upcoming fiscal year. He noted that the budget is not final unless the school board officially approves it.

El Cerrito City Manager Scott Hanin told Patch after the meeting that the city considers the district's intent solid enough, so that the city is proceeding to hire police officers to fill the three vacancies in the department.

Harter also gave a presentation at the meeting on Measure K, on whether to extend and increase the current parcel tax for schools. He said the district has endured draconian cuts in excess of $40 million in the past five years.

Measure K would not make up for the cuts, since it would generate only $4 million extra a year, but it would nevertheless make a substantial difference by allowing the district to preserve its current class sizes and librarians and improve teacher recruitment and AP course offerings, Harter said.

The current tax, first adopted by voters in 2004 and renewed with 79-percent voter approval in 2008, is 7.2 cents per square foot of building area and is due to expire June 30, 2014. The new tax would be increased to 10 cents a square foot, effective July 1 this year and last five years. Seniors would be exempt.