‘Our students are safe’: PSUSD leaders defend taking school resource officers off campuses for now

Four police-trained school resource officers are off the job at Palm Springs Unified amid ongoing negotiations.

District Superintendent Dr. Mike Swize said Tuesday the officers have not been removed, but rather framed the changes as a "rebuilding" of the school resource program.

PSUSD Executive Security Director Levaughn Smart said the officers were sometimes taking action on school level violations that broke rules but weren't criminal.

The full-time officers, who were assigned to high schools in Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage, were temporary pulled from their posts at the start of this year amid concerns about the disciplinary roles they were playing. 

News Channel 3 has heard from parents of minority students in the district who said their students' interactions with school resource officers are contributing to growing tensions between communities of color and police. 

"Minority students tend to be afraid of having contact with police officers, simply because police officers represent someone who possibly could have took their brother, their sister their mother away," said PSUSD parent Charlie Erwin.

Valley police departments that employ the district's officers have spoken out too, saying without the armed patrols on campus, they're concerned students might not be as safe.

"I'm not sure that [the district is] equipped and prepared to handle all of the various issues that may occur in a school," said Cathedral City Police Chief George Crumm. "California leads the nation over the past 20 years and active shooter incidents."

District leaders said the officers have only been put on hold while they're working on new ways of protecting and supporting students – in partnership with law enforcement.

A district spokesperson said $400,000 has been put aside in the budget for school resource officers.

Until negotiations over the officers' roles and contracts are complete, Superintendent Swize said there is no increase in risk.

"Our students in Palm Springs are safe," he said.

In the interim, district officials said there are more than 45 campus security officers – unarmed patrols – protecting schools.

The district plans to sit down with the involved police departments Thursday to continue negotiations.