Pomona defunded school police. But after a shooting, campus officers are coming back

Just four months ago, community activists celebrated a milestone decision in the Pomona Unified School District: The Board of Education defunded school police, removed officers from high schools, and brought in proctors trained to de-escalate tensions. Pomona Police spokeswoman Aly Mejia said the department values its partnership with the school district and students, and that the “safety and well-being of the students in Pomona is always our first concern.” When asked about the statistics in the report, Mejia said the police department is working with community groups to combat Pomona’s decades-long issues with prostitution and human trafficking, and that many of the arrest numbers reflect those crimes. The board’s decision, pending the approval of the city council later this month, will re-establish a community school resource officer program to “enhance the safe and positive learning environment” at district schools, restoring two full-time officers in the district’s secondary school cluster areas at an annual cost of about $195,000 per officer, according to district documents. Neither he nor any of his friends had experienced discrimination from police, Sanchez said, adding, “I feel safer, and not only me — my friends, too.” One parent who declined to give her name said she was relieved by the school board’s decision, and that she had even considered pulling her sophomore son out of the district after the earlier move to remove police from campus. Board member Adrienne Konigar-Macklin said during the Oct. 20 meeting that she hoped to reach a “middle ground” so that the district can provide safety and security for students without “treating them like they’re in a containment center.” She also advocated strongly for school resource officers to be trained in crisis intervention and management, and said the board could consider having the officers in different uniforms so they are not viewed as a police presence.