NEWMAN — The Newman City Council on Tuesday is expected to approve a new agreement with the Newman‑Crows Landing Unified School District for School Resource Officer services, closing the loop on a turbulent month‑long dispute that began with the district’s formal termination of its previous contract and escalated into a wave of community concern over campus safety.

The new Memorandum of Understanding appears on the council’s consent calendar and would restore the long‑running SRO partnership for the 2026‑27 school year at a cost of $162,000. The proposed agreement reduces the officer’s daily schedule from 9.5 to 8.5 hours to lower costs and outlines updated terms for duties, overtime coverage, training, and communication between the district and police department.

The move comes after NCLUSD Superintendent Justin Pruett sent the city a formal termination letter on July 23, stating the district was “exercising its right to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding” for SRO services and thanking the city for its collaboration. “This letter serves as formal written notice that the Newman‑Crows Landing Unified School District is exercising its right to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding,” Pruett wrote.

The letter, combined with a social media post from the Newman Police Department announcing the district “has decided not to renew” the SRO position, sparked immediate reaction from parents and residents. Dozens of comments criticized the district and questioned whether campuses would be left without a dedicated safety officer.

District leaders later said the termination was procedural and intended to open the door for renegotiation — not to eliminate the SRO program. They said the previous agreement was outdated, financially inequitable and lacked provisions for substitute coverage during extended absences.

According to the district, the prior contract required NCLUSD to pay for a corporal‑level officer regardless of rank changes and provided no billing adjustments when the assigned SRO was unavailable. “During the previous school year, the assigned SRO was unavailable for some time, but the district continued paying under the existing terms,” Board President Don Cabral said in earlier comments.

Shortly after sending the termination notice, the district contacted the city to request a meeting and discuss reinstating SRO services. City staff then drafted a revised MOU, which is now headed to the council for approval.

Under the proposed contract, the Newman Police Department will employ and assign one SRO to the district, with the officer remaining under police supervision and personnel policies. The SRO will work five days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., aligning with school hours.

NCLUSD will pay the city $162,000 in four quarterly installments. The agreement includes an automatic renewal clause unless either party requests modifications at least 30 days before the next term. The city will cover overtime for five home football games, two home basketball games, high school graduation and prom, while the district will pay for any additional officers it requests.

The MOU also outlines detailed expectations for the SRO’s duties, including responding to major disruptions, assisting with investigations, presenting law‑related education, attending school events, coordinating with administrators, and maintaining program records. The agreement specifies that the SRO “shall not act as a school disciplinarian,” leaving discipline to school officials.

Training requirements, access to student records under federal law, evaluation procedures, and indemnification responsibilities are also included.

City staff describe the new agreement as a restoration of the partnership that has existed for years. “The proposed MOU restores and continues the SRO partnership between the City and NCLUSD for the 2026‑2027 school year,” the staff report states.

District leaders have acknowledged that communication missteps contributed to the public confusion. Cabral said the district could have more clearly explained that renegotiation — not removal — was the goal.

The police department has also emphasized its commitment to campus safety, saying it remains willing to collaborate with the district regardless of contract changes.

If approved Tuesday, the new agreement would formally resolve the dispute and ensure an SRO remains assigned to Newman schools for the upcoming year.