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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-09-29 PUBLIC SAFETYCITY OF SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT MINUTES September 29, 2014 CALL TO ORDER: Santa Ana Police Department Ross Annex, Room 1600 City Hall, 20 Civic Center Drive Santa Ana, California 5:30 PM ATTENDANCE: Council Committee members: David Benavides Michele Martinez Roman Reyna STAFF PRESENT: David Cavazos, CMO Carlos Rojas, PD Devin Leonard, OCFA Laura Rossini, CAO Ann Matulin, PD -Jail Chris Revere, PD Ken Gominsky, PD Ruben Ibarra, PD Robert Carroll, PD Karen Haluza, Planning & Building Eileen F. Greene, Recording Secretary PUBLIC SPEAKERS: Robin Cook John McGuinness Sam Romero Paul Guzman Alison Stanley Richard Barasch 1 PUBLIC COMMENTS Robin Cook, resident, believes the schools should be responsible for the crossing guard program. He suggests Building No. 16 in the Civic Center as a possible site to be used for the homeless to take showers. John McGuinness, a teacher who resides in the Washington Square neighborhood for the past 15 years expresses concern parking enforcement /street sweeping. Parents are being ticketed during pick -up and drop -off times for their children. Sam Romero, resident, has lived here for 30 years and is on the Board of Supervisors of the OC Housing Corporation. Believes there should be a collaborative effort between the City, County, or other government agencies to purchase one bedroom units for veterans. Mr. Romero suggested taking the handball court out of the Logan neighborhood. Paul Guzman, resident, interested in bicycle /traffic laws. Santa Ana is the worst for bike routes. Alison Stanley, resident, states that she has met with the City Manager's Office, the Police Department and the Fire Department regarding the use of illegal fireworks all year around in the city. To identify the offender is difficult, but this is a nuisance problem because of the constant noise. It is also a safety issue especially in light of the serious drought problem that southern California is experiencing. Richard Barasch, taught Social Science for 30 years at Santiago College and has lived in Santa Ana for 35 years. He has joined with Alison Stanley against illegal fireworks. These are explosives that are not safe and sane. They both met with Mark Lawrence with several suggestions on how to address this problem. Mr. Barasch delivers a handout to the Public Safety Committee recommending supplementing current SAMC codes and /or organizing a task force. AGENDAITEMS 1. Approval of Minutes of 7 -22 -14 Meeting Motion: Approve the Minutes of 7 -22 -14 meeting. MOTION: Benavides SECOND: Martinez VOTE: AYES: Benavides, Martinez, Reyna NOES: None (0) Motion carries. 2. Patrol Deployment Modeling (Update on patrol deployment strategy) — Commander Chris Revere (Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, 5a) Commander Revere gives a Power Point presentation which includes a handout regarding Policy Decisions for MAPP. The Police Department has partnered with the University of North Texas to conduct this study. It is a bifurcated study: one is data driven, that is, the calls for service, roadway miles, and other different factors. The second part is in regards to policy decisions. The results of the study are based on recommendations of the Chief and the Senior Management Team based on these policy points. The first part of the presentation is the underlying foundation of the study, and Dr. Fritch calls in to speak to the Committee members. The second part of the presentation is given by Commander Revere and speaks to those decision points that the Senior Management Team had to decide on when the model was brought to them. Dr. Fritch is going to complete an executive report and it should be available in about a month or so. The study is done; awaiting the report. ACTION: Commander Revere will follow -up on the Executive Report. 3. Update on Parking Enforcement /Street Sweeping — Commander Ruben Ibarra (Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, le) Commander Ruben Ibarra gives a Power Point presentation. Currently, parking enforcement is outsourced and done by Central Parking Systems. Street sweeping is done by Athens Services and covers over 100 miles daily. Regarding enforcement, there are no citations on second passing as a practice. Have been consistent but occasionally it happens. I£ it does occur, the Police Department takes a look at the citation and will void it. The Police Department and Public Works work with Athens, Central Parking, and the schools to minimize impact to schools during starting/ending school hours. There are over 60 schools and only six street sweepers to coordinate all the various times when classes are released. 4. Crossing Guards (Assessment overview.) — Commander Ibarra (Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, le) City Manager Cavazos speaks to the Committee. The Crossing Guard item went to Council; a thorough analysis of the program was done to be more efficient. One question asked was why the schools don't pay for this program. Bids will be accepted in the Spring, 2015. Copies of the Power Point presentation were available for the public. ACTION: A meeting will be set up between City Manager Cavazos and the School Superintendent to discuss cost- sharing of the Crossing Guard program. 3 Committee Chairman Benavides takes a couple of items out of order. 6. Illegal Fireworks (After action report regarding 2014 Fourth of July) — Commander Gominsky (Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, 2d) Commander Gominsky gives a Power Point presentation. Working on infonnation received, undercover officers were sent out to over 50 catering and fruit vending trucks; however, no illegal fireworks were found. Officers also checked 15 fireworks booths, again no illegal fireworks were found. This year, the Police Department used Craig's list and Facebook where officers acted as individuals seeking to buy illegal fireworks. Five undercover operations were initiated and over 800 pounds of fireworks were seized. Officers were deployed at targeted locations from July 1 through July 4 to handle fireworks enforcement, and this was a successful operation. An overall comparison for the last seven years showed that 14,002 different illegal fireworks were seized in 2007 and 25,687 were seized in 2014. People selling fireworks on Craigslist are doing this as a business. Look at ways to shut these people down. ACTION: Commander Gominsky will research and compare fines in other cities. 8. Discussion of Effects and Impacts of Homeless Population — Staff (Strategic Plan Goal No. 5, 3d) Recommendations were made at a previous City Council meeting, specifically for the conversation to be brought to the Public Safety Committee. At a previous Public Safety meeting, there was a general overview of the item given by staff. One action item was an assessment being done on the idea of a check -in center. Alma Flores gives a Power Point presentation. The Development & Transportation Committee Meeting being held on September 30th will have a discussion on resources available for the homeless. There are a number of public safety concerns as it relates to the homeless community in the Civic Center. We do have issues with lost and abandoned property. It is stored for 90 days and complies with State and City laws. We have an Anti - Camping Ordinance. Both the anti - camping ordinance and storage of property has been upheld in court. Two check -in centers in Orange County are compared: La Palma Park Check -in Center operated by Mercy House and the Costa Mesa Check -In Center operated by volunteers. Both check -in centers were evaluated for costs, hours of operation, programs and services offered. Santa Ana is looking at the OCTA transit terminal to be used as a check -in center. rd ACTION: Alma Flores will do follow -up to see the possibility of having the OCTA transit terminal, the Stadium, the United Methodist Church in Civic Center, or any other accommodation as a check -in center for the homeless. On Patrol Deployment Modeling (MAPP): The Public Safety Committee members expressed support for hiring additional patrol officers. They were interested in the recruitment process, and eventually looking at a study for the specialized investigative units. On Parking Enforcement /Street Sweeping: The Committee Members emphatized with residents, but emphasized the importance of protecting the environment. Councilmember Reyna suggested moving back to the past practice whereby if the street had already been cleaned, not to ticket even if the time wasn't up. Councilmember Martinez suggested more visible signs, education to community members and increased communication with the schools. She also encouraged the City to focus on a Safe -to- School Route plan. Chairman Benavides wants to keep options open for innovative, creative problem - solving to solve this issue. Suggested alternate side of the street sweeping as one option. On Crossing Guards: The Public Safety Committee was complimentary of the Police Department's efforts in analyzing the crossing guard program. Michele Martinez: supports the assessment. A suggestion to partner with the School District was made. On Illegal Fireworks: The Public Safety Committee was sympathetic to concerns of community members who are upset about illegal fireworks that are used year - round. A question was raised as to if the City decided to go with the safe and sane fireworks program, would that end the problem with illegal fireworks? Costs dealing with this problem affect the Police Department, the Fire Department, and the Public Works Department. Chairman Benavides suggested looking at permit fees and whether raising them could offset the costs of dealing with this problem. Fire Chief Leonard explained that enforcement is actually easier in cities that do not allow safe and sane fireworks. In those cities that allow them, there are still illegal fireworks being used and it is difficult to see where they came from. On Homeless 'Population: The Public Safety Committee had many suggestions of different sites that might be used as a check -in center for the homeless population in the city. This is an ongoing discussion and follow -up will be done with other agencies, such as the County. The Committee engaged in all topic areas, reinforcing and emphasizing their commitment to community safety as a critical goal in the City's Strategic Plan. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ➢ Garage Conversion Discussion ➢ Recruitment Process ➢ Restorative Justice ➢ Transgender Community ➢ Towing Contracts /RFP process. ➢ Myrtle /Townsend, the area around KidWorks ADJOURNMENT - 7:45 P.M. CARLOS R zYS -'mss~ Chief of Police