The Chico Unified school board approved a plan Wednesday to bring police officers back to three high schools and some middle schools.
It’s part of a $4.5 million grant-funded effort led by the Chico Police Department. The district will also contribute $230,000 a year for the program.
NSPR’s Claudia Brancart recently reported on what this means for the district going forward. Listen to the conversation.
Five things to know
- Officers will be cracking down on marijuana use among students. Chico police have said a KidsData survey of students in 7th, 9th and 11th grades found about 41% of Butte County youth reported using cannabis in the past 30 days, more than twice the statewide average of 17%.
- Students can be arrested, but police say that’s not the goal. The Police Department says the program aims to steer at-risk students away from trouble through warnings and citations, education and referrals to diversion programs.
- The board’s decision to bring school resource officers back was contentious. A group of parents supported cops in schools, saying they help make campuses safer. Others expressed concerns about marginalized students being criminalized at an early age, pointing to what the American Civil Liberties Union cites as the “school-to-prison pipeline.” Some parents also worried about how officers’ presence could increase fear among students who are undocumented.
- The research on school resource officers and their benefits is mixed. Several studies, including one posted by the U.S. Department of Justice, show Black and Latino students are disciplined at disproportionately higher rates than their white peers. On the other hand, some research shows officers can positively affect perceptions of school safety.
- Officers could be deployed by July 2027. In the meantime, administrators will work with Chico police to develop program guidelines and goals, including metrics to meet and built-in review periods.
