2014-07-22 PUBLIC SAFETY - Laserfiche WebLink

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Motion carries. 2. Briefing on Garage Conversions, Illegal Residential Construction and Pre -Sale Inspections — Interim Executive Director, Planning & Building, Karen Haluza (Strategic Plan No. 5, 4D). Ms. Haluza provides a handout with background information about garages and the laws the City has on the books as it relates to garage conversions. She explains that Planning & Building has been doing research and analysis with OCFA and Code Enforcement regarding garage conversions and illegal occupancy. There have been five fires since April 20, 2012, to June 19, 2014 with no history of deaths or injuries from garage conversions. Ms. Haluza states that garage conversions create an unsafe situation, and this topic is a top priority of the City's community preservation program. Garage conversions also affect the quality of life in areas as it relates to parking issues, overcrowding, and deteriorated landscaping. Code Enforcement responds when the City gets complaints, however, some neighborhoods don't complain due to the percentage of illegally occupied garages. Community Preservation Coordinator Alvaro Nunez explains the process the City takes: 1) receive complaint; 2) letter sent to property owner; 3) educate them on requirements; 4) schedule an inspection; 5) they are given due notice; 6) apply fines. 3. Recruitment Efforts (Update on Hiring at the Police Department) — Police Admin. Manager Robert Carroll (Strategic Plan No. 1, 111) Police Admin. Manager Robert Carroll has a handout updating recruitment efforts for the Police Department. Currently there are 24 police officer vacancies, primarily the result of retirements and promotions. A subcommittee has been developed to identify best practices and improve processes when recruiting police officers. One change is to rum continuous recruitments for police recruits /officers on -line and to have a strong web presence. The Department is also working on a recruitment video, marketing material, and holding job fairs. The long term strategy is to create a recruitment pipeline using the Police Department's own explorers, cadets, and other personnel. The number of Background Investigators has increased to assist with the amount of applicants. 4. Community Oriented Policing Overview (Police Department's Current Policing Program) — Commander Gominsky (Strategic Plan No. 1, 1A) Commander Gominsky gives an update on current efforts regarding the Police Department's community oriented policing strategy. Although the Police Department can check on what best practices are nationally, we need to go out and engage with the community to see what they believe community oriented policing should be. We heard about restorative justice; a lot of