2026
A first of its kind study by WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC) examined outcomes in 60 California schools across 6 districts that removed police between 2019 and 2021, comparing them to 120 matched schools that retained officers through the 2021–22 school year.
Schools that removed police saw meaningful improvements in student-staff relationships and student engagement, while showing no increases in violence, bullying, substance use, delinquency, or suspension rates. Notably, schools that retained police but had high student-to-counselor ratios (averaging 488:1, nearly double the recommended 250:1) reported higher rates of student-reported violence — an effect that did not appear in schools that had removed officers.
Successful districts in both groups shared common elements: clear protocols for when police involvement is appropriate, restorative justice practices, community partnerships, and investment in school climate. Districts that removed police stressed the importance of having safety teams, crisis support lines, and incident response protocols in place beforehand, while districts retaining officers highlighted the value of positive student-officer relationships alongside better mental health integration.
The study’s core takeaway is that police presence alone does not determine school safety — comprehensive support systems and strong implementation do, regardless of which approach a district takes.