HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/18/2008 04B Minutes 03-05-2008 Council Public Safety Committee 0 Yakima C Council S itt Meeting .
Counci Pub& Safety Committee
• City Manager's Conference mom
City Mad
March 5, 2008
MINUTES
Council Members Present: Bill Lover, David Edier, Norm Johnson
Staff Present: City Manager Dick Zais, Police Chief Sam Granato, Police
Lieutenant Gary Belles, Assistant City Attorney Cynthia Martinez, Fire Chief
Charlie Hines, Finance Director Rita Anson, Financial Services Manager Cindy
Epperson, Judge Kelly OIweII, Court Services Manager Linda Hagert, Police
Administrative Assistant Terri Greer
The meeting was called to order at 2:04 p.m.
I. Review of Committee Assignments
III Per the Committee's direction at the February 6, 2008 meeting, a report was
prepared by staff regarding the current status of Public Safety Committee
priorities and assignments. The list was reviewed by City Manager Dick Zais.
a. Safe Communities Action Plan
City Manager Zais gave a brief history of the Safe Communities
Action Plan and funding sources that had been identified to fund
the Safe Communities Action Plan. The voter's defeat of
Proposition 1 precluded the plan from being fully implemented.
Council earmarked the funds from the Library Annexation to
partially implement the Safe Communities Action Plan. The
previous Public Safety Committee spent several months
identifying possible funding sources and holding public hearings
regarding the feasibility of to those funding sources. In the end,
only two funding sources were identified as viable, the Library
Annexation funds and Annexation revenues. Approximately
$750,000 - $775,000 was made available through these two
sources and was used to hire 7 additional police officers, a
Crime Free Rental Housing clerk, a crime analyst and
technology and vehicles for a new proactive enforcement team.
It is still the goal to implement the full plan, which would require
III an additional $2,800,000. This would cover current costs,
however, it is important to consider that any funding source
must be sustainable and grow with costs (labor, fuel, etc.)
Chief Granato provided an update on the emphasis patrols that
had been conducted in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 there was an
approximately 17.5% reduction in crime from 2006, much of this
impact was as a result of the emphasis patrols. Federal funds
have been obtained to contact 4 additional emphasis patrols in
2008. The Police Department is also working to get the
Proactive Enforcement Unit fully staffed and operational by this
summer, which will be supplemented with overtime
enforcements funded by the federal financial awards. City
Manager Zais added that the City is still awaiting the Bureau of
Justice federal contracts in order to implement the financial
awards.
Cynthia Martinez updated the committee on the purchase of the
Prosecutors Case Management System. Currently the County
is working toward a county -wide consolidated Case Manage
System. The County's Request for Proposal will go out at the
end of this month. Once they have completed their process, the
City will be able to procure a Case Management System that
will work with the County's system.
Linda Hagert updated the committee on the additions to the
Municipal Court staff as a result of the Safe Communities Action
Plan. One court clerk has been hired and the commissioner
position has been filled 1 /2 time since February 1. They have
been able to absorb the increase in filings created by the
increase in police officers.
b. Gang Bill
The Gang bill is still alive in the legislature but is going through
some significant revisions in the area of civil injunctions —
current language would require the city to provide an attorney
for the gang member listed in the injunction. This is unusual for
any civil proceeding. The bar has been set very high for civil
injunctions. There has been some funding attached to this bill.
c. Pursuing State and Federal Legislation and Resources that
Enhance Community Safety.
It was noted that the Eluding Bill that Chief Granato and Mayor
Edler have worked to support will likely come out for a vote later
this week.
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• d. LEMAP Report
The Loaned Executive Manager Assistance Program was
conducted by the WASPC LEMAP group to provide a fair review
of the Police Department, set a baseline of current operations
and assist in setting strategic goals.
e. Hiring of Deputy Police Chief
The Deputy Police Chief position was funded through general
fund sources for the 2 half of 2008. Regional recruitment will
begin soon.
f. Random Drug Testing
A brief report of proposed strategic planning was distributed to
the committee. This item should be discussed in a dedicated
meeting of the Public Safety Committee.
g. Police /Corrections Facility Expansion.
Three Requests for Qualification have been received for jail
expansion and a Westside precinct. Mayor Edler stated for the
record that he does not support the jail expansion portion of this
proposal.
h. Consolidated Countywide RMS System
Rita Debord briefed the committee on the regional task force
that has been working towards a consolidated police records,
mobile data reporting, jail, CAD and prosecutors system.
.3% Sales Tax
This has been a vital revenue source that will be put to the
voters again either late 2008 or 2009. The City has a good
record to present to the voters to support the continuation of this
sales tax.
j. Curfew Ordinance
Cynthia Martinez advised that a blanket, city wide curfew would
not be legally defensible, however, if there are statistics to show
specific juvenile crime or problems in particular areas, a curfew
could be enacted in those locations and could be enforced.
Mayor Edler suggested eliminating this assignment as the
proposed gang legislation would address most issues a curfew
would be targeting. Chief Granato stated that this underscores
the need for a good RMS system to be able to obtain the
statistics necessary to show the need for such legislation.
It was MOVED by Councilman Lover and SECONDED by
Mayor Edler to remove this item from the committee assignment
list. Motions PASSED unanimously.
k. Car Prowl Emphasis Patrol by Downtown Ambassador Program
The issues of car prowl have been discussed with the
Convention Bureau and the Hotel /Motel Association. A
partnership with the Downtown Ambassador Program would
enhance security. The committee would like to have
surveillance of trouble spots enhanced as well.
Red Light Camera Photo Enforcement
It was MOVED by Mayor Edler and SECONDED by Councilman
Lover to remove this item from the assignment list. The motion
PASSED unanimously.
m. Fire Department Staffing /Facilities /Apparatus
Chief Hines addressed funding issues with Real Estate Excise
Tax (REET) funds. REET funds can't be used to purchase
apparatus, but can be used for facilities.
n. Consider Submitting EMS Levy Adjustment for Voter Approval
Chief Hines advised the committee that by converting the
county EMS levy, currently at $.25, to a city EMS levy at $.50,
10 additional firefighters could be funded and it would facilitate a
Paramedic Engine Program, enabling the department to have
two paramedics on every call.
o. Automatic Aid Agreements
Chief Hines briefed the committee on current and pending
automated aid agreements between the Yakima Fire
Department and other fire agencies.
P. Review Opportunities for City /County or Fire Department
Consolidation of Building and Fire Code Enforcement and
Responsibilities
This issue needs to be addressed with the members of the
business community involved in construction and real estate.
An exploratory meeting is being set for this month.
Mayor Edler thanked the staff for their reports. The committee elected to
continue to address the following assignments:
• Next steps for Safe Communities Action Plan
• Random Drug Testing Strategy 4110
• Police /Corrections Facilities Expansion Study
• .3% Sales Tax Reauthorization by Voters
• Pursue Car -Prowl Emphasis Patrol by Downtown Ambassadors
Program
• Develop Financing Plan for Fire Department Staffing, Capital
Facility and Apparatus needs
• Consider Submitting EMS Levy Adjustment for Voter Approval
The following assignments were directed back to staff to handle and report back
to the committee, with the understanding that some of the issues may need to be
vetted back through the committee and full council:
• Gang Bill Legislation
• Pursue State and Federal Legislation and Resources that Enhance
Community Safety
• LEMAP Study
• Hiring of Deputy Police Chief
• Implement Consolidated Countywide Public Safety/91 1
Communications /Records /Data Management System
• Pursue /Finalize "Automatic Aid" Agreements between Fire
Department and other agencies
• Review Opportunities for City /County or Fire Department
Consolidation of Building and Fire Code Enforcement and
Responsibilities
The following items were determined to not be a priority and removed from the
assignment list:
• Develop Legally Defensible Curfew Ordinance
• Revisit Potential for Red Light Camera Intersection Photo
Enforcement
II. Discuss Emphasis Patrol on North 1 Street
Councilman Johnson advised that the Council Oversight Committee had met with
business people from the North 1 Street, who asked if the police department
would consider conducting an emphasis patrol in their area to address some of
the social issues (i.e., prostitution, narcotics). Lt. Gary Belles provided a report of
crime statistics from the last emphasis patrol that bordered but did not
incorporate the area of North 1 Street. The statistics show that the emphasis
patrols did have a spill -over effect onto North 1 Street. It was suggested that
future emphasis patrols conducted in the area have 1 day /week assigned to
target North 1 Street specifically.
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III. Update of Officer Darryl Henning
Officer Henning was involved in traffic accident on his police motorcycle accident
9 p Y
this morning. He suffered multiple broken bones but there appears to be no
head trauma. He is at Yakima Regional Hospital.
IV. Meeting Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 4:00. The next meeting will be Wednesday, April
2, 2008 in the Council Chambers to discuss Safe Communities Action Plan
funding and the EMS levy.
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Norm Johnson
Public Safety C• - mittee Chair
Minutes prepared by Terri Greer
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