The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday will consider renewing agreements that would continue placing law enforcement officers on three comprehensive high school campuses for the 2026-27 school year, a program that has remained one of the district’s more divisive issues.
The board is scheduled to vote on an agreement with the Watsonville Police Department to provide two part-time officers at Watsonville High School and Pajaro Valley High School, along with an amended agreement with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office for one full-time deputy at Aptos High School. The meeting begins at 5:30pm in the district boardroom, 294 Green Valley Road.
The proposal is likely to draw supporters and critics, as it has in previous years.
Opponents argue that the presence of armed, uniformed officers creates a climate of fear for many students—particularly immigrant families—an issue they say has become even more acute amid stepped-up federal immigration enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Supporters counter that school resource officers provide an important layer of campus security and help build relationships with students while responding to emergencies.
Many point to the Aug. 31, 2021 fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Gerardo Sarabia Aguilar at Aptos High School, which occurred months after the board eliminated the SRO program. Following the stabbing, trustees reversed course and reinstated officers on campuses.
What the agreements would do
The Watsonville agreement would provide two part-time officers—one each at Watsonville High and Pajaro Valley High—from Aug. 10, 2026 through June 4, 2027. The district would reimburse the city up to $152,053 for the school year. The officers would work approximately 27 hours per week, with schedules tailored to each campus.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s agreement extends the existing contract through June 30, 2027 for a deputy assigned to Aptos High School. The district would reimburse the county $925 per day, for a total estimated annual cost of $166,500.70, reflecting increased personnel costs over last year.
New emphasis on restorative practices
Accompanying both contracts are new memorandums of understanding that place greater emphasis on restorative practices, student wellness and limiting law enforcement involvement in routine discipline.
The MOUs state that SROs are intended to serve as “connectors, mentors, and protectors,” rather than disciplinarians. They explicitly prohibit officers from enforcing school rules involving dress code violations, tardiness, classroom behavior, cell phone use or other administrative matters.
Instead, officers would focus on emergency response, criminal investigations, threat assessments, safety education and community-building activities. They would also participate in restorative circles and receive training in trauma-informed practices, de-escalation, implicit bias, LGBTQ+ awareness, disability rights and adolescent development.
The agreements also require annual reporting to the Board of Trustees on student interactions with SROs, including disaggregated data on arrests, citations and referrals by race, gender and disability status. School officials would be required to notify parents if a student is questioned, searched, detained or cited by an officer, and district staff would document enforcement interactions.
Background
The district’s relationship with school resource officers has shifted repeatedly over the past several years.
Trustees voted to eliminate the program in 2021 amid concerns about the disproportionate impact of police on students of color and a desire to invest more heavily in restorative justice and mental health services.
That decision was reversed after the fatal stabbing at Aptos High School prompted calls from parents, educators and law enforcement officials for a renewed police presence on campuses.
Wednesday’s meeting will determine whether the district continues that program for another school year while operating under updated guidelines intended to more clearly define officers’ roles and limit their involvement in student discipline.
