Two school officers cut

Among the cuts coming to Newport-Mesa schools are two campus police officers in Costa Mesa, district officials said Friday.

There will no longer be full-time Costa Mesa police officers, called school resource officers when assigned to a school detail, at TeWinkle Intermediate School or another splitting time between Back Bay and Monte Vista high schools and Davis and Rea elementary schools.

The cuts will save the district an estimated $324,000, according to the budget on the district website. The district split costs with Costa Mesa for the officers, and does the same with Newport Beach for its campus police.

The reduction leaves four school resource officers, two for the district’s Costa Mesa side and two for its Newport Beach side. The officers will work full time at each of the district’s main high schools — Costa Mesa, Estancia, Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar — said district spokeswoman Laura Boss.

Officers will split time with the middle schools as needed, she said.

School resource officers not only make arrests, but also look to build relationships with students, teachers and school staff.

The district is facing $13.5 million in budget cuts after a loss in state funding. The district is also looking to cut 104 positions, do away with English as a Second Language classes and slash its adult education program.