City and School District officials attended a PTA meeting at El Morro school on
Sept. 17 to discuss concerns about policing. Although the city responds to
most 9-1-1 calls relating to the school, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has
formal responsibility for serving the school since it is in an unincorporated area of the
county. In response to concerns from the meeting, the city has secured authorization
from the sheriff’s department to exercise police powers for all activities occurring at El
Morro school. In furtherance of this authorization, the Laguna Beach Police
Department (LBPD) has been directed to respond to all calls at El Morro school (as of
Oct. 3), and the City Council will have the ability to formalize this arrangement at
its meeting on Oct. 29. LBPD has also been directed to analyze how 9-1-1 calls are
routed from land lines and cell phones with the goal of getting all such calls routed
directly to LBPD dispatch.
The issue of possible annexation has also come up. In order for the City of Laguna
Beach to annex the area encompassing El Morro school, it would need to also annex the
state RV park and county open space to the city’s northern boundary. If the city is
successful at ensuring 9-1-1 calls are routed to LBPD dispatch, and continues providing
police services to El Morro school, annexation would have no bearing on policing
services or the resources to provide such services. In addition, annexation is a lengthy
process at significant taxpayer expense.
LBPD’s School Resource Officer (SRO) position was also discussed at the PTA meeting.
The city provides the current SRO and covers annual costs in excess of $185,000 a year.
I will be discussing options for the addition of a second SRO with the School District
Superintendent, and I will provide an update to the City Council at its Oct. 29
meeting.
A lot of progress has been made in the last month and more work is underway. Look
for the next update at the Oct. 29 City Council meeting.
John Pietig, Laguna Beach City Manager
