Eileen F. Greene, Recording Secretary

Transcription

1 CITY OF SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT MINUTES December 8, 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 Ken Gominsky, PD Robert Carroll, PD Alma Flores, CMO Eileen F. Greene, Recording Secretary PUBLIC SPEAKERS: Massimo Marin Susan Sandoval Debbie Muise Eric Scandrett Ann Salisbury Monica Suter Renee Hernandez Tish Leon Rich Garcia Steve McGuigan Richard Barasch Rick Niedermayer Alfonso Alvarez

2 George Garcia Alberta Christy Larry Klein Dave Hoen America Najera Abraham Medina Ed Murashie Chairman Benavides opens the meeting with item No. 1 on the Agenda. AGENDAITEMS 1. Approval of Minutes of Meeting Motion: Approve the Minutes of meeting. MOTION: Benavides SECOND: Martinez VOTE: AYES: Benavides, Martinez NOES: None (0) ABSENT: Reyna Motion carries. At this time, Chairman Benavides asks for those public speakers who want to comment on an agendized item. PUBLIC COMMENTS Massimo Marin asks the Committee to move forward with a storage center for the homeless, preferably at the OCTA building. He asked for a day center with bathrooms or port- a- potties, operating hours for the bathrooms, 6: OOam 10: 00pm. Susan Sandoval, resident, here on behalf of Community United for Justice. Supports a center for the homeless at the OCTA building that would provide bathrooms, storage facilities, and security. AGENDA Chairman Benavides goes back to the Agenda and explains that some items may be taken out of order.

3 2. Recruitment Update (Follow -up) Admin. Manager Robert Carroll [Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, 5a} Police Admin. Manager Carroll gives a Power Point presentation updating the Police Department' s efforts on recruitment and hiring of police officers. Currently, there are 38 sworn vacancies which are primarily the result of retirements. During the past year, 17 officers have been hired, and the COPS grant provides funding for 10 additional officers. The Department presently has five Background investigators, and commencing July 1, 2015, a Senior Personnel Analyst will be assigned to the Police Department to focus on hiring. Items 7 and 8: Property Storage Options for the Homeless Population and Bathroom Access Hours for the Homeless Population, respectively Sr. Management Asst. Alma Flores { Strategic Plan Goal No. 5, 3d} Senior Management Assistant Alma Flores has a Power Point presentation addressing a check -in center which would offer safe and secure storage, resources such as education, job training, and information on housing, and would provide bathrooms. SMA Flores asked for the Committee' s support to bring this to the City Council meeting on December 16th for funding. Spoke about the use of performance measures that the City would use to evaluate the effectiveness of the center. At this time, it would be a pilot program with the goal of transitioning people into permanent housing. City Manager Cavazos also asked the Committee for their approval to move forward on December 16`x' as a pilot program. MOTION: SECOND: Michele Martinez requests to move this item to City Council on December 16`h. Benavides VOTE: AYES: Martinez, Benavides, Reyna NOES: None ( 0) ABSENT: None 6. Jail Pro Forma (financial statement) Admin. Manager Robert Carroll { Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, 4a} Police Admin. Manager Robert Carroll has a Power Point presentation updating the financial state of the jail business model. The jail had been operating with an $ 8 million deficit for fiscal year In , staff analyzed jail operations to identify new cost - saving efforts and new revenue opportunities. The Council approved an increase to the US Marshal' s per diem rate, and the Jail implemented a new Pay -to -Stay program and new booking fees. In November, the Council approved the new Bureau of Prisons agreement. By utilizing part-time Correctional Services Officers, the Jail anticipates a cost savings which will continue to grow.

4 At this time, Chairman Benavides comes back to Public Comments from speakers who wish to address items that are not on the Agenda. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Debbie Muise, resident of Morrison Park neighborhood: requests reconsideration for the elimination of Santa Ana' s five park rangers. Neighborhood associations were not notified about the park ranger issues. Eric Scandrett, resident of Morrison Park: would like residents to be notified when major changes are to be made, such as recent discussions about traffic guards, homeless shelters, and now park rangers. Ann Salisbury, resident of Floral Park neighborhood: Santa Ana is one of the most densely populated cities in America; she wants the parks to be safe. Would like the park rangers to remain, believes the police will not want to take reports of low -level crimes. Monica Suter, here on behalf of Service Employees International Union ( SEIU), Santa Ana Chapter, currently President. Ms. Suter is also a City employee for almost 16 years. Indirectly heard that the Park Ranger program was going to be eliminated and sent an e -mail to Ed Raya, Executive Director, Personnel. Concerns involve not only our members, but the community members. Do not want to move this to the Police Department because of the low level crimes that won' t be addressed. Put this item on hold. Renee Hernandez, Santa Ana City employee representing the park rangers: hold off on a decision, look at all alternatives. The park rangers provide a very important service. Tish Leon, regarding the park rangers: at least give the community a chance for their input. Ms. Leon was also upset about the arrests of two females over the weekend. The females are community activists who were arrested at a DUI checkpoint while they were there with Cop Watch. Complaint of the officers being disrespectful, as well as jail staff. Rich Garcia, Memorial Park Neighborhood Association: out of 35 neighborhood associations, only one knew about the park ranger item. He said he was speaking for the leaders of all the Associations saying there needs to be transparency regarding safety issues for the public. Steve McGuigan, Riverview West and Westend COP: high density areas that need park rangers in the parks, not the police. Want the police out patrolling the streets. Table the decision for now.

5 Richard Barasch: 75 million dollar grant for body cameras, use of cameras actually de- escalates situation, people behave more. Apply for a grant for body cameras, Taser is one company. Also have Emergency Operations Coordinator come out to Com -link meetings. Rick Liedennayer, President of AYSO soccer league in Santa Ana: says the park ranger item was on the Agenda back on January 25a', 2013, but it was moved and never brought up again until now. AYSO league administrators depend on the park rangers. He is concerned that if you eliminate the park rangers, need to hire more police officers and how long will it take them to get up to speed on Parks & Rec policies and procedures? Alfonso Alvarez, Madison Park neighborhood: Obama' s proposal for funding to the local community towards the purchase of body cameras is good public policy. Other cities that use body cameras have seen a reduction in civil complaints and lawsuits. George Garcia: If you want to do away with the park rangers, why don' t you get rid of the school police too? We can have all policing. He would like the park rangers to stay in Thornton Park for security. Alberta Christy, former city council member and resident Valley Adams /Centennial Neighborhood Association: Alan Dobey was the former Executive Director of Parks and Recreation who developed the park ranger program. I was told it was a PERS issue and, if so, hire retired Sheriff' s. We need enforcement in the parks. Larry Klein, Morrison Park, does volunteer work in the parks. He says the park rangers take care of enforcement, lighting, equipment such as tennis nets. He is not sure the police would consider this a priority. Find a solution to try to keep the park rangers. Dave Hoen, resident, agreed with everyone to keep the park rangers. Provide additional services for the homeless, but let' s do it with the eye of trying to improve our city. America Naj era spoke about incident on December 5t", alleging police misconduct towards two long time community activists who had worked on the car impoundment policy that was passed in She demanded all charges be dropped and that the Police Department not get involved in community work. Wants more funding for community -based projects, not more police. Abraham Medina, Boys and Men of Color. Police harassment needs to stop, violent community policing practices. Minor was beat up for trying to exercise his constitutional rights, asking if he was being detained or arrested. Police also threatening community members who are trying to do good for the city.

6 Chairman Benavides brings the meeting back to Items on the Agenda: 4. Broaden Communications Information Sharing and Community Awareness of Public Safety Activities (Update on the City' s Emergency Operation Center and community awareness of emergency preparedness.) Commander Ken Gominsky {Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, 2e and 2f} Commander Gominsky has a Power Point presentation updating the City' s emergency preparedness plan to include a community evacuation strategy to respond to natural disasters. The City will also partner with emergency assistance and disaster relief organizations to promote community awareness of emergencies through the City' s website, social media, at community events, and a public advertising campaign. The City' s Emergency Operations Coordinator is going through all plans, and his recommendations will be forwarded to the Police Department' s Senior Management Team for evaluation. The Police Chief will then bring to the City' s Executive Management Team. 5. Plan for Community Oriented Policing Survey Commander Ken Gominsky { Strategic Plan Goal No. 1, la and lb} Commander Gominsky has a Power Point presentation which gives an overview and update of the Community Oriented Policing ( COP) survey to complete a COP strategy. It outlines the goal, which is to see what residents and businesses believe COP should be in Santa Ana, plans to reach that goal, and information that has been gathered from several informal discussions that have already taken place. ACTION: Commander Ken Gominsky will give an update on the community engagement policing plan at the next Public Safety meeting. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS On Item No. 2, Recruitment Efforts: The Public Safety Committee members expressed support for hiring additional patrol officers. They were interested in the recruitment process, and suggested looking at Criminal Justice programs at Santa Ana College and Cal State- Fullerton, as well as using social media. They were interested in how we effectively communicate who we are as a city: how we deal with cultural competence and social equity within our own Police Department.

7 ACTION: Chairman Benavides asked for a report back to the Committee on examples and updates used on social media and the feedback from applicants. He also requested the training police officers receive to deal with cultural competence. On Item Nos. 7 and 8, Homeless Cheelc -In Center: The Public Safety Committee was concerned with funding a pilot program without going through the RFP process and making a policy decision based on the presentation which did not include photos of the pods proposed for storage or the size of the area. ACTION: Sr. Management Assistant Alma Flores to provide more detailed information on the proposed sites and pods for storage. On Item No. 6, Jail Pro Forma: The Committee commended Chief Rojas and the POA for hiring part -time correctional officers as a step in the right direction for lowering the deficit operating costs of the jail. They were also interested in the reduction of ICE detainees, partially due to immigration reform. ACTION: Police Admin. Manager Carroll will continue to update the Committee on the Jail' s operating costs and revenues. 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. Committee Member Reyna requested that there be a presentation at the next meeting regarding how the City is moving forward with our federal lobbyists to secure funding through different grants being offered. Item #3 has been moved to the Agenda for the next Public Safety meeting.

8 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Update on Asset Forfeiture Funds Police Recruitment Garage Conversion Discussion Restorative Justice Transgender Community Towing Contracts/RFP process. Myrtle /Townsend, the area around KidWorlcs Chief of Police