The Salinas Union High School District approved a seven-month contract with the Monterey County Probation Department on June 23 with a $802,410 price tag.
The new contract will be from July 1, one day after the previous contract expires, to Jan. 31, 2027. Probation will provide five sworn officers to work at Alisal, Salinas, North Salinas, Everett Alvarez and Rancho San Juan high schools. The contract also includes a potential four-month extension to May 2027 if both parties agree.
During their first month, sworn officers will provide feedback on the district’s transition plan to provide campus security and supervision.
Probation suggested a three-month extension contract after notifying the district that it wouldn’t renew its contract. The district advocated for a one-year extension. In the end, the contract is longer than the three-month contract with four officers that Probation offered, and shorter than the one-year contract the district advocated for. The final arrangement has one fewer officer than the district originally suggested.
According to the probation department, one of the reasons it decided to end the contract was because its work increased exponentially after the California Division of Juvenile Justice closed in 2023, transferring the responsibility to rehabilitate youth to counties.