HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/13/2005 Adjourned Meeting 2 51
ADJOURNED MEETING
SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 - 7:30 A.M. - 9:00 A.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - YAKIMA CITY HALL
1. Roll CaII
Present:
Council: Mayor Paul George, presiding, Council Members Ron Bonlender,
Dave Edler, Neil McClure, Mary Place, Bernard Sims, and Susan
Whitman (after 7:37 a.m.)
Staff: City Manager Zais; Police Chief Sam Granato; and Acting City Clerk
Watkins
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City Manager Zais introduced Dave Zabell, Yakima's new Assistant City Manager.
Mr. Zabell spoke about his enthusiasm and excitement to be in Yakima and advised
that he had been the City Administrator for Marysville for 20 years and the Public
Works Director in Bothell for the last five years.
2. Study Session to review Police Emphasis Program in the North - Central area of
Yakima
• Area selection and project goal
Chief Granato explained how they selected District 4 as the emphasis area and that
the goal was to do an assessment, not just flood the area with officers. He then
described the methodology used by Dr. Bernal Baca and Dr. Kathleen McDonald in the
assessment of the targeted area. Questionnaires were sent out using voter
registration rolls. They were in both English and Spanish and asked for priorities
related to crime and quality of life issues with services provided in the city. It is YPD's
intent to go back and talk to the citizens who participated as a follow up.
• How it was accomplished
By affording the opportunity to work overtime, they were able to artificially increase the
number of officers on the street at any time. The police partnered with other
departments, e.g. Codes and Public Works. Three weeks before starting the
emphasis patrol they looked for abandoned vehicles and started the process to get
them towed on the first day of emphasis. Eighty vehicles were identified and most had
been moved by the time the emphasis started. The intent was to have a visual impact
of cleaning up the neighborhood. They also partnered with Juvenile Detention and the
Department of Corrections. This gave them the ability to test the juvenile assessment
they are using to determine if juveniles should be incarcerated or allowed back into the
community. Those results are not yet available. They paid special attention to people
wanted on warrants and drug houses. They gave out a phone number for people to
call in with tips of drug and gang activity.
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 — ADJOURNED MEETING
• Emphasis Results
There were 296 traffic stops with160 traffic citations issued, 3 DUI arrests, 29
misdemeanor arrests, 19 misdemeanor warrants, 13 felony arrests, 26 felony warrants
served, 84.vehicles tagged for removal and 246 field interviews conducted.
Only two tips on two drug houses were received and addressed by the officers. The
Council discussed how to operate a tip line in a manner that would help people
overcome their fear of retribution.
The total cost in overtime, although they utilized on -duty officers as well, was about
$22,000. This money is well spent when it puts additional officers on the street and
allows a way to target neighborhoods experiencing drug houses and gangs. Chief
Granato said it was important to show that the use of overtime can impact an area of
town. They would like to identify at least three more areas in town where emphasis
patrols can be targeted. The Police Department has a budget proposal that will allow
for two more emphasis areas.
• Questionnaire results
In the results of the questionnaire, the respondents are very concerned about crime
and violence with gangs receiving 79% and drugs 86% in the ranking of the serious
community issues. Also in the results were things that don't have anything to do with
policing but have to do with quality of life, e.g. more street lights. YPD plans to return
and speak with people about specific issues such as sidewalks and lights, the things
that would allow people to go out walking in their neighborhoods. They will also begin
organizing Block Watch programs.
Chief Granato said he was surprised by some of the results and was disappointed that
the number of questionnaires returned by Hispanics was very low. They hope to
improve in that area. It was interesting how the respondents ranked the essential fire
and police very high but overall city government very low, apparently not
understanding the services that city government provides are mainly police and fire.
• Area location and demographics
The emphasis area was 25 square blocks bounded by 6th Avenue, 16 Avenue,
Cherry Street, and Summitview Avenue. It reflected the Yakima community very well
with about 11% being college educated and 46.6% are homeowners.
• Future sampling methods
Chief Granato said they have talked about using the Police Explorers to deliver the
questionnaires and have them come back and collect them. They actually got a good
return from the mailings. Council Member Place referred to ONDS' experience in
hiring a summer employee who spoke both English and Spanish and went door to
door conducting a survey.
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 - ADJOURNED MEETING
Chief Granato explained that YPD currently has only one clerk handling the Block
Watch application and notifications. This area of Community Development has a lot of
need, such as officers who are trained to do crime prevention talks. They are working
on a contract with a civilian, a former police officer, and looking at offering .
homeowners a free crime prevention survey. If the homeowner applies all the items in
the survey, they should be able to receive a savings on their insurance. These are the
type of things that will develop out of these emphasis assessments.
Chief Granato expects that, as the emphasis patrols are held more often and people
become aware of what the survey is for, they will get a greater percentage of
responses and the people will use the tip line more often. It is troubling that people
don't call the police for fear of retaliation. Chief Granato said there seems to be a
sense of "what's the point." They are trying to emphasize how the police need that
information so they can put more patrols in areas requiring them.
• Code Enforcement Partnership
Joe Caruso, Code Inspection Supervisor, said compliance officers rode with the police
officers and made 106 site inspections. They said it was very successful from a code
compliance view, and having the police officer go to door with them seemed to result in
people taking compliance issues more seriously. They received a lot of thanks and felt
the emphasis was a tremendous tool.
Council Member Bonlender suggested a few dumpsters be set in various areas in the
emphasis neighborhoods and let people know they can use them for free during the
emphasis period to help clean their neighborhood up and get them working together.
Council Member Sims questioned why code compliance officers aren't occasionally
riding with refuse and water employees to identify problem areas. Mr. Caruso
explained it is a matter of manpower and demand on the hotline. They hope to obtain
approval for another code compliance officer for litter control in January. Council
Member Sims also recommended educating people as to what our standards are.
Council Member McClure commented on how well received this was by the citizens
and supported these patrols on an ongoing basis as it is a good commitment of our
resources.
• Office of Neighborhood Development (ONDS) Partnership
Bill Cobabe, ONDS Manager, described their experience with surveys. Their pattern
has been to do a survey every other year. They will do one that is door -to -door and
then two years later do a mailing survey. The response results of their mailing surveys
parallel this one. They have noticed differences in door -to -door versus mailing surveys
as the mailing one is self - selecting; people decide whether or not to respond. Their
mailer gets a higher response from senior citizens and that skews results. The
pollsters say that if you get above 10% return it is a good sampling. The return for this
survey was 17% so it should be a good representative survey. Mr. Cobabe said they
would be pleased to work with the Police Department in conducting door -to -door
surveys and combine their efforts.
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 — ADJOURNED MEETING
Council members discussed the importance of acting on the identified suggestions.
We also have to promote the neighborhood into taking some responsibility,
establishing block watches, for example. Chief Granato said they want to put a crime
prevention specialist out there and it is in the budget proposal.
Council Member Edler commented that, per the survey, the citizens believe the answer
is more lighting and sidewalks. It is important for the citizens to begin to understand
that, because of what is happening in our culture, governments are unable to acquire
finances necessary to attain the quality of life elements that are wanted. This is an
important piece of the puzzle that people need to understand. If they want to live in a
community that is safe, there are changes that will have to be made. Council Member
Place agreed and asked how do we let folks know the relationship between their tax
dollars and sidewalks and lights.
Mr. Cobabe described the role ONDS played in support of YPD's emphasis patrol.
They identified two homes to be painted by volunteers that had not been scheduled.
They recruited volunteers and were in the area every day, including Saturday and
Sunday. They hoped the funny looking graffiti vehicles made the City's presence felt.
Part of the ONDS action plan for this year is the idea of beginning neighborhood
organizations and block watch will be a part of that. They're hoping people will feel
empowered to take back their own neighborhoods.
• Vacant Building Issue
In answer to a question from Council Member Sims, Mr. Caruso commented that they
have had a lot of success with the vacant building ordinance. Many of the owners are
taking care of the buildings on their own without enforcement from the City. Some
have been demolished and others renovated. That has been another positive
program.
• Police reaction
Sergeant Brenda George described the reaction of the officers involved, noting that
when the emphasis first started there were several vacancies of volunteers. Within
two or three days, officers were coming up and asking if they could work it. They were
pleased to be able to do something proactively rather than just responding. With this
project, they could start with a goal, go out and work that goal and be able to
accomplish something. The neighborhood responded positively to the officers and the
officers felt really good about it.
Chief Granato, as a follow up, displayed two maps of the area that depicted vehicle
thefts, and car prowls prior to and following the emphasis patrol. There was a huge
difference. When asked how the change came about, he responded that they found
out who is living in the neighborhood and whether they have warrants. Then they
would go knock on their door and arrest them. They also helped the Department of
Corrections look for individuals
Chief Granato made a suggestion with regard to abandoned vehicles. He said
Homeland Security is recommending abandoned cars be towed as rapidly as possible
because they are excellent tools for car bombs. Therefore, the Public Safety
Committee might want to consider shortening the length of time before they can be
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SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 — ADJOURNED MEETING
towed. City Manager Zais commented that the current 15 days is a state statute.
Council Member Place asked about whether they had current licenses and maybe that
could be considered in future discussions on the subject.
3. Audience Comments
None
4. Adjournment
McCLURE MOVED AND PLACE SECONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried by
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unanimous voice vote.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 a.m.
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READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY , , / %� / f'` lc D r
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// DATE
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COU If MEMBER l DATE .
ATTEST:
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CITY CLERK PAUL P. GEORGE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City
Clerk's Office
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