CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - At the May 23 Citrus Heights City Council meeting, resident David Warren spoke during general Public Comment to inform the council about the disturbing and repeated harassment he has received after speaking at prior meetings.

Warren said hateful phone calls full of antisemitic rhetoric have been directed at him as a member of the Jewish community. Some of the phone calls threaten violence against him and his wife.

“The antisemitism that is running through the world has reached Citrus Heights,” said Warren. “I am addressing the City Council tonight because for some reason, it appears that after I speak to the City Council, whoever these people are seem to respond because they see me here and then start picking up the phone and calling me.”

“I can’t stop hatred. I can’t stop stupidity in our community. But I can speak up and say, ‘This is not what we stand for,’” said Warren.

A Citrus Heights resident for 25 years, Warren said that he lately cannot wear his yarmulke (a religious head covering) out in public because others have knocked it off his head. He didn’t want to involve the police in these incidents because “it’s only a hat,” he said, but “it’s symbolic to me and it’s symbolic to the stupid young people that do it.”

Warren said he was making this statement to tell the community, “I’m not going anywhere. … And the hatred in this community has to stop.”

Mayor Bret Daniels thanked Warren for his comments and said he hopes anyone else in the community receiving similar harassment reports it: “It’s not to be tolerated. It’s not who we are.”

Councilmember Tim Schaefer expressed his “deepest sympathies for Mr. Warren” and he condemned the harassment and the underlying ideologies that drive it.

City Council then heard a presentation by Citrus Heights Police Department Police Chief Alex Turcotte about various options for increasing safety in local schools, as requested by some councilmembers back in April.

Turcotte said that currently the San Juan Unified School District uses the Safe Schools program to handle administrative investigations and threat assessments at the schools. One option the city could pursue would be to hire and fund two additional officers to serve as School Resource Officers (SROs), with one assigned to each of the high schools to take over all safety and security issues. The fiscal impact would be $182,211 per officer for salary and benefits, totaling approximately $370,422 annually.

Another option would be to use existing positions and reassign two officers as SROs. Turcotte said, “This would have a negligible fiscal impact but would cause an operational impact,” as they would likely have to reassign officers from specialty units.

The third option was to use the Police Department’s existing Traffic Team unit to create a School Liaison program to provide enhanced traffic enforcement and life safety, including perimeter security at the high schools. Turcotte said the Traffic Team regularly partners with the schools on issues of traffic safety as well as drug and alcohol awareness campaigns, so they have an active working relationship and collaborate well.

To fulfill the liaison roles, the Citrus Heights Police Department would fill two of the current vacancies on the Traffic Team, which would have the added benefit of enhancing the overall ability of the team to conduct traffic enforcement and major collision investigations citywide. This option would enhance and formalize the existing collaboration, with the Safe Schools program still handling administrative issues. And there would be no fiscal impact because filling those vacancies is already in the Police Department’s approved budget.

The final option was to make no changes to the current model of collaboration between the Police Department and local high schools. Turcotte said that the Safe Schools program staff already works closely with the Police Department to mitigate threats and enhance safety measures, which can continue without any changes if that is the preference of the Council.

City Manager Ashley Feeney discussed the options with the school district’s Superintendent Melissa Bassanelli, who said it would be helpful to have additional traffic enforcement and perimeter security during the peak hours of school drop-off and pick-up. And Feeney said the schools would appreciate having liaison officers who could build relationships with staff and students on the high school campuses.

Mayor Daniels commended City Manager Feeney for his work with the Police Department and the school district to find a solution that would balance the needs of the community with the need to protect local students.

“For me, it’s not the ideal solution,” said Daniels, but it’s “definitely a move in the right direction.” Daniels said he hoped his fellow councilmembers would support the option of School Liaison Officers.

Councilmember Porsche Middleton said, “I’ll support that. I think that is a very balanced approach. … I do see where there is a benefit not only to the students but also to the community as well.”

City Council voted unanimously to approve the use of the Traffic Team to include School Liaison Officers, and Daniels said, “I want to thank my fellow councilmembers; honestly. I think it’s a big deal.”

The next meeting of the Citrus Heights City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 13 at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.