TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Dr. Andrew Mansell, Special Projects
DATE: April 6, 2026
RE:Title
School Resource Officer (SRO) Program - MOA Contract RenewalTitle
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
ALL
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
GOAL I: The City of Fayetteville will be a safe and secure community
• Objective 1.3: To ensure low incidence of property and violent crime
Goal IV: The City of Fayetteville will be a desirable place to live, work, and recreate
• Objective 4.5: To ensure a place for people to live in great neighborhoods
Executive Summary:
The City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County Schools (CCS) have maintained a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) governing the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, currently in its FY26 term (July 2025-June 2026). The current MOA expires June 30, 2026, and staff must notify CCS of the City’s intent by April 15, 2026. Staff negotiated renewal terms that keep the program completely cost neutral to the City, extend the contract to a three-year term (replacing the prior annual structure), establish a 12-month notice of non-renewal, preserve the prior red light camera funding relationship with CCS, and open the door for future conversations about incorporating the Office of Community Safety (OCS) program as an alternative safety position. The decision to renew rests with City Council.
Background:
The City of Fayetteville has partnered with Cumberland County Schools (CCS) to provide School Resource Officers in CCS schools under a formal MOA. Under the agreement, 18 SROs are deployed across 9 high schools, 6 middle schools, and 3 floating district assignments. CCS reimburses the City for all actual SRO salary and benefit costs on a quarterly invoice basis, making the program fully cost-neutral to the City. The FY26 available salary and fringe budget totals approximately $930,121. In addition to SROs, CCS maintains 65 of 70 authorized Traffic Control Officers (TCOs) to support school safety operations. The program operates under a clear MOA framework: SROs remain under the FPD chain of command at all times, enforce criminal law rather than school disciplinary rules, and serve as positive community role models connecting students to mental health and other resources.
Issues/Analysis:
Renewal Terms Negotiated by Staff- Staff negotiated the following key terms in the proposed MOA renewal, which Council is asked to consider:
Full Freight / Cost Neutral- The renewal ensures the program remains a full freight service, completely cost neutral to the City for both SROs and TCOs. CCS continues to reimburse the City for all actual salary and benefit costs on a quarterly basis.
Three-Year Contract Term- The renewed MOA extends the contract from an annual term to a three-year agreement, providing greater stability for both the City and CCS. Either party may terminate with 12 months’ written notice of non-renewal.
Red Light Camera Funding Relationship- As the red light camera program is reestablished in the City, the renewal preserves the same funding relationship with CCS that existed previously: all program proceeds and funds will be paid to CCS, and CCS will pay the vendor fees directly.
Office of Community Safety (OCS) Integration- During renewal discussions, CCS expressed openness to future conversations about potentially incorporating the OCS program as an alternative safety position as OCS continues to grow and develop over the coming years. This is not a commitment, but a recognized area for future dialogue.
SRO Program Overview and Current Deployment.
The SRO program currently deploys 18 officers across Cumberland County Schools: one SRO per each of the 9 high schools (EE Smith, Westover, Terry Sanford, Douglas Byrd, 71st, Reid Ross, Massey Hill Classical, Ramsey Street Alternative, and Alger B. Wilkins), 6 officers assigned to middle schools (Douglas Byrd MS, Howard Learning Academy, Max Abbott, Lewis Chapel, Luther Nick Jerald, and Westover MS), and 3 floating SROs covering the Campbellton, Cross Creek, and Central districts. Three middle schools (New Century, Anne Chesnutt, and 71st Classical) currently have no dedicated SRO assignment. The program is supervised by Sgt. Chris Kempf and Sgt. Michael Tackema. SROs remain FPD employees under the Chief’s chain of command at all times and are prohibited from enforcing school disciplinary rules or taking direction from school administrators in law enforcement matters.
School Safety Staffing Context
SROs operate as one layer within a broader school safety ecosystem in Cumberland County. CCS currently employs 158 school counselors (projected to drop to 144), 36 active school nurses (with 9 vacancies), and 23 Safe School Coordinators. Current staffing ratios fall below recommended standards across counselors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists. SROs complement - rather than replace - these support staff, providing law enforcement presence, early intervention, and direct community connections for at-risk students.
The FY26 MOA budget totals approximately $930,121 in available salary and fringe funding. This includes base salaries of $578,300, FICA/Social Security of $44,240, retirement contributions of $95,420, health insurance of $28,915, and additional fringe benefit components. CCS invoices the City quarterly and remits payment within 30 days. If a funding shortfall occurs, staffing levels are adjusted; the agreement does not automatically terminate. The non-appropriation contingency allows termination only if funds are entirely unavailable.
Budget Impact:
The SRO program is cost neutral to the City. CCS reimburses all actual SRO salary and fringe benefit costs. The FY26 available budget under the MOA is approximately $930,121. No additional City appropriation is required for renewal under the negotiated terms. Any future expansion of SRO positions (e.g., to cover the three currently unassigned middle schools) would require a separate budget discussion.
Options:
1. Accept the contract renewal as negotiated and authorize staff to notify CCS by April 15, 2026.
2. Identify additional factors or conditions required prior to committing, and direct staff accordingly before the April 15, 2026, deadline.
3. Allow the MOA to lapse and discontinue the SRO program upon expiration of the current agreement on June 30, 2026.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
Staff recommends Option 1 - acceptance of the negotiated renewal terms. The renewed MOA maintains full cost neutrality to the City, provides greater contractual stability through a three-year term, preserves the red light camera funding relationship, and positions the City for future conversations with CCS regarding the OCS program. Staff must notify CCS of Council’s decision no later than April 15, 2026.
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Attachments:
Proposed MOA Renewal - Draft Agreement
PowerPoint Presentation