The city of Ceres will continue to provide School Resource Officers to the Ceres Unified School District for another three years.

The school district has agreed to pay no more than $409,000 for the services over the three-year period ending on June 30, 2017.

Councilmember Linda Ryno wondered why the contract between the city and the CUSD mentioned CUSP was paying for 100 percent of the costs when the amount was capped at $409,567 and the city could be paying officers more after June 30, 2016 with a new labor contract. City Manager Toby Wells said that assuming the police officers secure an increase in salaries, the city would have to go back to CUSD and ask for an increase in the reimbursement.

The contract not only provides for the presence of a uniformed officer on the high school campuses to help reduce problems, thwart crimes, intercept illegal drug and gang activity, and protect life and property, but allows officers to train campus supervisors.

"The officers will work at the school sites to develop relationships with students, be visible and actively engage students before and after school," said a memo from Police Chief Brent Smith to the City Council.

SROs will be assigned to Ceres and Central Valley high schools in Ceres and for the first time to Argus/Endeavor High campus at Ninth and Lawrence streets.