Report Prepared by: Kalvin Haygood, Police Lieutenant, City of Merced Police Department
Title
SUBJECT: Approval of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between the City of Merced and Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) for Police Services in the District’s Schools for a Term of Three Years, Fiscal Years 2025 - 2028
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers approving an MOU between MUHSD and the City of Merced to provide Police Services at the District’s schools with four (4) School Resource Officers (SRO), and notes that the school district will fund the purchase of one (1) fully outfitted police vehicle.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Merced and
Merced City School District to provide police services in the district’s schools for a three-year term; and,
B. Authorizing the City Manager to execute the agreement.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended by staff; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
5. Continue to a future City Council meeting.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
DISCUSSION
Historically, the Merced Police Department has assigned four (4) SROs to the four (4) high schools on a full-time basis during the school year. The Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) and the Merced Police Department have decided to continue to staff the high schools with four (4) full-time School Resource Officers.
In July of 2025, the MUHSD and the City of Merced negotiated an MOU to continue the School Resource Officer program. The school district would like to continue the SRO program and sign a new MOU with the City of Merced.
Under the proposed three-year MOU, the Merced Police Department agrees to provide four (4) full-time School Resource Officers to implement the program.
The City agrees to provide and pay the SRO’s salary and employment benefits in accordance with the applicable salary schedules and employment practices of the Merced Police Department which are in effect during the term of this MOU. The MUHSD agrees to reimburse the City 70% of the operational costs of the services of four (4) SROs provided under this MOU for fiscal years 2025-2028 (July 1 through June 30) plus administration costs. The City will provide MUHSD with updated operational costs each year during the term of this agreement.
The 70% total cost for four (4) officers for the 24/25FY to be reimbursed by MUHSD is $801,713.44. Based on the historical trends, it is unlikely that the City will receive all revenues included in the MOU. For FY25-26, $492,000 was included in the FY25-26 General Fund revenue budget for MUHSD SRO’s, which is approximately 62% of the revenue amount on the MOU.
In addition, MUHSD agrees to fund the purchase of one police vehicle, fully marked with decals and equipped with all emergency equipment and communications packages during the term of this MOU. The total cost of the vehicle shall not exceed ninety-one thousand four hundred seventy-nine dollars and seventy-seven cents ($91,479.77). Funding for the vehicle purchase will be received in the Fleet Replacement Fund until there are sufficient funds accumulated to purchase the vehicle.
Pursuant to the MOU, the SRO’s will be assigned to primarily work at Merced High School, Golden Valley High School, El Capitan High School and East Campus Educational Center. When school is in session, the SRO will work an equivalent of 40 hours per week. MUHSD may request an SRO to work during the evening or weekends beyond the scheduled 40-hour work week (overtime). MUHSD shall pay the City all costs that the City incurs in providing additional services.
The SRO’s will be assigned to work with school administrators, staff, and students at the District’s high schools. The objective is to promote and facilitate a safe learning environment for staff and students.
In addition to providing basic police services in the high schools, implementing the School Resource Officer Program is one intervention strategy that has been effective in identifying at-risk youth and providing services that help the schools and the families of at-risk youth to establish and maintain acceptable standards of behavior in schools and in their neighborhoods.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
No additional appropriation is needed; both the reimbursement revenues and expenditures of four (4) School Resource Officers were accounted for in the FY2025/26 adopted budget. Future contracted amounts will be added to the Police operating budget through the normal City budgeting process each fiscal year.
ATTACHMENTS
1. MUHSD MOU