HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-23-08
SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
PUBLIC SAFETY
Minutes of Meeting
September 23, 2008
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was convened at 5:40 p.m. at the Santa Ana Police Department, 60 Civic
Center Plaza, 4th Floor Conference Room, Santa Ana, California.
ATTENDANCE
Council members present: Claudia Alvarez and David Benavides
Council member absent: Sal Tinajero
Staff present: Assistant City Attorney Paula Coleman, Fire Chief Marc Martin, Police
Chief Paul Walters, Police Commander Paul Gonsalves, and Recording Secretary Janet
Chop.
Public Sign-ins: Rene Guzman, Barbara Lamare, Jeannie Darrow, Trung Le, and
George Collins.
SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Approved Minutes of the August 26, 2008 meeting.
2. RELEASE OF PRISONERS FROM JAMES MUSICK FACILITY
Paula Coleman discussed the responses to the Public Records Requests from
surrounding cities. Committee Members asked if she could find out how the
agreements in the cities were established regarding the release of inmates.
3 STUDENTS LOITERING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND FUNDAMENTAL
SCHOOLS
This item was continued to the next Public Safety Committee meeting.
4. SAFETY ISSUES IN DOWNTOWN PARKING STRUCTURES
Commander Gonsalves reviewed research that was conducted to determine
crime statistics for the downtown parking structures. He found that since January
2008, there had been only 5 reported vehicle burglaries,2 stolen vehicles, and 1
recovered vehicle at 310 N. Birch. There is a security guard present from 8:00
am to 7:00 pm on a daily basis. When the security guard leaves is when the
burglaries take place.
At the 201 W. 3rd street parking structure, the 24-hour security guards have
stopped the burglary problem (no reported burglaries this year). At the parking
structure at 420 N. Main Street, every night at 11 :00 pm, the cashiers block all
access into the structure using large security gates. With no access into the
structure, there are no parked vehicles to burglarize (no auto burglaries this
year).
2
5. TARGET CASES UPDATE
Chief Walters reviewed the report from the District Attorney's office regarding a
comparison of TARGET cases filed in all TARGET agencies. Effective
September 1, 2008, a plan was implemented to increase the number of TARGET
cases filed by the District Attorney's office. The STOP Team will evaluate all
arrests made by detectives and determine if the arrestee meets the criteria set
forth to be identified as a "New" TARGET, and thus documented as a TARGET
arrest and assigned to one of three Deputy District Attorneys. The comparisons
to date show that the Santa Ana Police outperforms all other TARGET agencies
in almost all categories in TARGET cases filed.
6. PUBLIC COMMENTS
No public comments.
7. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS
Committee Member Benavides requested the EPIC's planned workshop be an
item on the agenda for the next meeting. He would also like to have the Faith-
Based organizations be invited to the next meeting for a presentation of their
efforts.
8. ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
A. Release of Prisoners from Other Facilities
B. Students Loitering in Neighborhoods around Fundamental Schools
C. EPIC Commission's Workshop
D. Drugs of Choice in Hot Spot Areas
E. Faith-Based Community Gang Prevention/Intervention Efforts
9. Next Meeting Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 5:30 pm, Santa Ana Police
Facility, 60 Civic Center Plaza, 4th Floor Conference Room, Santa Ana,
California.
ADJOURNMENT: 6:15 p.m.
Q~
PAUL M. WALTERS
Chief of Police
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