Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Public Safety Commission 01/11/2017 CITY OF PALM DESERT 7 _ '- <�� PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING 1 ):' •_ S _� ? APPROVED MINUTES S 1n�n `. -����,hm �• 9 30o- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 — 3:30 p.m. Palm Desert City Hall 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92260 Administrative Services Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Kramer called the meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Chairman Terry Kramer Vice Chair Phyllis Harkins Commissioner Martin Nethery Commissioner James Butzbach Commissioner Gloria Kirkwood Commissioner Frank Taylor Absent: Commissioner Doug Luhring Also Present: Councilmember Susan Marie Weber Mayor Pro Tern Sabby Jonathan Stephen Y. Aryan, Risk Manager Lauri Aylaian, City Manager Chief John Cortez, Palm Desert Fire Department Lt. Coby Webb, Palm Desert Police Department Sgt. David Adams, Palm Desert Police Department Sgt. Matthew Koser, Palm Desert Police Department Eric Cadden, Emergency Operations Coordinator Donna Evans, Recording Secretary III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS NONE Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 2 IV. PRESENTATIONS Presentation by the Riverside County Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team Chief John Cortez introduced Captain Jason Ling and the Riverside County Fire Department Hazmat Team. Captain Ling, engineer at Hazmat Station No. 81 stated that if there's an unknown odor, spill, or chemical release of any kind, call 911 and the Hazmat Team will come out and identify the issue and start the clean-up and disposal process. They're part of a cross-staffed ALS team and have a minimum of five people at the station. They're a Type 2 Hazardous Response Team. The Hazardous Materials Response Unit was parked in front of City Hall for the Commission to tour. V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Regular Public Safety Commission Meeting of October 19, 2016. B. PALM DESERT SPECIALIZED UNITS End of the Month Report for November 2016. C. RIVERSIDE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT/CAL FIRE End of the Month Report for December 2016. Commissioner Kirkwood moved to receive and file the consent calendar. Motion seconded by Commissioner Nethery and carried by a 6-1 vote (AYES: Butzbach, Harkins, Kirkwood, Nethery, Taylor, Kramer; ABSENT: Luhring). VI. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER NONE VII. NEW BUSINESS A. SELECTION OF COMMITTEE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR Chair Kramer moved to, by Minute Motion, recommend that the Public Safety Commission appoint Vice Chair Harkins as Commission Chair and Commissioner Taylor as Commission Vice Chair. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Butzbach and carried by a 6-1 vote (AYES: Butzbach, Harkins, Kirkwood, Nethery, Taylor, Kramer; ABSENT: Luhring). Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 3 B. APPROVAL TO PURCHASE A MSA E6000 PLUS THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA FOR THE CITY OF PALM DESERT FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM FIRE ETC (SAN DIEGO, CA), IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,046. Stephen Aryan stated that the thermal imaging cameras, otherwise known as TIC's, are devices that translate heat into visible light to analyze a particular object or scene. They are sophisticated devices that process the captured image and display it on a screen. When using a thermal imaging camera, a fire fighter can identify victims through smoke and also identify hotspots. Palm Desert Fire Station No. 33 uses two thermal imaging cameras during a fire call. One of the units was damaged during a fire response in 2015 and can't be repaired. Staff recommends the purchase of one thermal imaging camera in the amount of $8,046 from Fire Etc., as they were the lowest bidder for this imager. The cost will be covered by insurance, minus the deductible of $5,000. Councilmember Weber asked if the unit attaches to the helmet. Chief Cortez stated that it's a hand-held unit and the fire fighter has a screen in front of him/her. The screen is bright so that it can be viewed through the smoke. He'll do a demonstration when they receive the camera. Commissioner Kirkwood moved to, By Minute Motion, authorize the Palm Desert Fire Department to purchase a MSA E6000 Thermal Imager from Fire-Etc (San Diego, CA) in the amount of $8,046. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Harkins and carried by a 6-1 vote (AYES: Butzbach, Harkins, Kirkwood, Nethery, Taylor, Kramer; ABSENT: Luhring). C. PURCHASE OF ONE NEW 2016 BMW R120 RT-P MOTORCYCLE AND EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT Stephen Aryan stated that the Palm Desert Police Department's Traffic Enforcement Team is comprised of a sergeant and eight motor officers. Each team member is assigned a fully outfitted police motorcycle. The Police Department currently has ten motor units within its fleet. In 2012, the City Council approved a replacement schedule; therefore, the City issued a Notice Inviting Sealed Bids for a new 2016 BMW R1200 RT-P motorcycle and emergency equipment. Bids were opened on January 10, 2017. Staff anticipates that the purchase price of the motorcycle will be approximately $30,000, which includes taxes, labor, and the necessary aftermarket law enforcement accessories. The only bid came from BMW of Riverside in the amount of $29,451.27 which includes all the specialized equipment. The same price was also secured for next year, should we order another motorcycle. Sgt. Koser sent the request for bids to the four closest Southern California BMW motorcycle dealerships. The bid Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 4 includes a gun rack, holster for the lidar, strobe lights, radio hardware mounting equipment, and lighting wiring harnesses. Commissioner Butzbach asked if any of the equipment on the old bikes can be transferred to the new bikes. Sgt. Koser stated that the only equipment that is reused is the actual bike-mounted radar system that comes from a separate vendor. The lighting equipment (emergency red and blue lights) start to get fogged up and the wiring gets brittle so they can't be reused. The radio is also transferred to the new bike. Commissioner Taylor was concerned about the higher maintenance costs of a BMW motorcycle compared to a Honda motorcycle. Sgt. Koser stated that while the Honda units may be less expensive to repair, BMW components tend to last longer. The Police Department recommends BMW motorcycles for use by the Traffic Team. Staff recommends replacing one of the 2007 Honda motorcycles as they become unreliable after approximately ten years. Commissioner Taylor stated that studies show that when the BMW's are out of the warranty period, the City is going to incur additional costs for maintenance. Costs out of warranty for the Hondas are a lot less than the BMW's. The L.A. Sheriffs Department conducts a study almost every year regarding police motorcycles to try to decide which model would be best to purchase. They do a lot of testing and have found that the Hondas and BMW's are close on their specifics and how they respond to different situations on the road. Commissioner Kirkwood asked how long the warranty lasts. Sgt. Koser stated that they have a three-year warranty and the bikes generally last about six years. Commissioner Taylor stated that the BMW's were taller bikes so shorter people or women would have trouble riding them. The Hondas had a lower profile. Sgt. Koser stated that BMW has modified the bikes so they have a fully adjustable ride height built into the seat to accommodate shorter inseams. The BMW is now using a liquid cooled system which is intended to reduce the long term service needs of the bike. The previous air cooled models had different equipment issues. Parts may be a little bit more expensive for a BMW than a Honda, however, the BMW parts last longer. The most recent study was done in 2012, which compared the two bikes and there was a $1,500 difference in long term maintenance costs. The average mileage on one of their motors is 70,000 to 90,000 miles on the life of the bike. This is when the real maintenance problems begin. The dealer recommended service is every 4,000 miles and every 16,000 miles the top end of the motor is pulled apart so that they can measure the valves, check all the springs and make sure that everything is operating normally. We adhere to this maintenance program. In Palm Desert, it takes about 6-7 years to put 60,000 to 80,000 miles on a bike, which averages 13,000 miles per year per bike. Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 5 Commissioner Harkins asked about the fact that there was only one bidder. Mr. Aryan stated that they posted the request for bids in the newspaper, on the bulletin board and Sgt. Koser sent out the notice to the four closest Southern California BMW motorcycle dealers. Commissioner Butzbach moved to, By Minute Motion, recommend that the Palm Desert City Council approve the purchase of a 2016 BMW R1200 RT-P motorcycle and emergency equipment from the identified lowest responsive bidder. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Kirkwood and carried by a 5-1-1 vote. (AYES: Butzbach, Harkins, Kirkwood, Nethery, Kramer; NOES: Taylor; ABSENT: Luhring). VIII. CONTINUED BUSINESS NONE IX. OLD BUSINESS NONE X. REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL ACTION(S) Mr. Aryan mentioned that this commission recommended to the Council that the services provided by the Mounted Posse be increased by one weekend and also increased the donation by $500. The Council approved their recommendation. The Posse patrolled the mall three weekends. Councilmember Weber stated that she was very pleased with the results from the Posse as well as the COPS volunteers. Lt. Webb stated that the Posse was very effective and eliminated vehicle burglaries due to the unique vantage point from horseback allowing them to survey a much larger area at one time. Also, thieves could see the Posse and avoided them. The Business District Team felt that they were very useful. There was also excellent PR associated with the Posse. XI. REPORTS AND REMARKS A. Citizens on Patrol Program Frankie Riddle stated that the Holiday Theft Suppression Program that the COPS members participate in each year was very successful. They issued 2,400-2,600 notices in November and December of 2016 placing courtesy notices on vehicles to remind them of the dangers of leaving their windows down, leaving packages or purses in their cars, Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 6 etc. Dan Oliver and Mary La Sorsa will be recognized at the Retired Senior Volunteer Luncheon on February 9. They've each put in over 1 ,500 hours for the year. At the February COPS meeting, they will be recognizing nine of their members with the Presidential Award Recognition, which is based on the number of volunteer hours. Those with 250 volunteer hours in a six-month period receive a silver award and those with 500 or more volunteer hours in a six-month period will receive a gold award. B. Legislative Update Stephen Aryan stated that there are no updates. C. Police and Fire Departments Police Department: Lt. Coby Webb stated that the Holiday Theft Suppression Program had over 70 traffic citations, 128 vehicle checks, 890 business checks, 176 pedestrian checks, and over 36 arrests. Sgt. Matthew Koser commented that jay walkers receive traffic citations and they have a lot of traffic citations on El Paseo. Councilmember Weber asked about the number of tickets that are issued to bicyclists who run red lights and cut in and out of traffic. Sgt. Koser stated that they are definitely issuing tickets to bicyclists, but he didn't have the exact number and offered to produce a report at a later date. Councilmember Weber stated that she felt that it must be difficult to catch them. Sgt. Koser commented that the motorcycles come in handy in this area because they can go where the bicycles go. There are several avid bicyclists on the traffic team and know what they're supposed to be doing and not doing and we do enforce the laws. Mr. Aryan stated that there will be a Coffee with a Cop event at the Target Starbucks in Palm Desert on Saturday, January 21 from 9-11 a.m. Sgt. Adams stated that Shop with a Cop went very well with 34 children participating. Stacey Austin and Summer Castillo delivered extra toys remaining from Shop with a Cop. Councilmember Weber remarked that the parents of the kids are just as impacted by this event as the children. Mayor Pro Tern Jonathan noted that the police officers who help out with Shop with a Cop are volunteering their time, which is amazing and stated his appreciation. Fire Department: Chief Cortez commented that there have been no major fire-related incidents in the City of Palm Desert, however, the Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 7 medical calls are numerous. The medic units are working very hard and the hospitals are full. D. Staff Eric Cadden, Emergency Operations Coordinator, stated that Palm Desert staff have been trained in Standard Emergency Management Systems (SIMS) and Incident Command Systems. Grants have been received and approved to teach CERT classes and also to purchase equipment for the Emergency Operations Center. He's had over 350 people in attendance for Disaster Preparedness presentations and has taught two fire extinguisher classes with over 350 people in attendance as well. Safety Fairs are scheduled for January 21 and January 31 with the Fire Department. A CERT class is scheduled for February 24-26 with 22 people signed up at this point. E. Public Safety Commissioners Chair Kramer thanked the City Council for the Christmas gift. Councilmember Weber stated that the Council are all very grateful for their service to our community. The expertise of those on the Commission is so appreciated. Chair Kramer welcomed Lt. Webb and wished Lt. Baur a speedy recovery, on behalf of the Commission. Commissioner Taylor stated that a business owner between Portola and San Pablo (President's Plaza) told him that some of the homeless population had been run out of that area, but they come back between midnight and 5 a.m. and are setting up encampments in the alcoves between the buildings and using outlets to power their cell phones. Lt. Webb stated that they're focusing on the homeless issue. Commissioner Harkins commented that there are a lot of homeless people in the vicinity of Palm Desert Country Club and Albertson's area. Thanks to the police for the Shop with a Cop event, which is very impressive. Now that her office is near Portola, she's astounded by the number of calls that Fire Station No. 71 responds to. Commissioner Nethery thanked the Council for the holiday bonus, which is greatly appreciated. He stated that it's an honor to serve on this commission. Lauri Aylaian commented that it's surprising and a little disappointing at how few people engage in their local city government. When we find Public Safety Commission Preliminary Minutes January 11, 2017 Page 8 people who are willing to spend their time volunteering, it's rare and they are a credit to this community. Commissioner Kirkwood thanked the Police Department for helping one of her neighbors who had an open car door in their driveway and a patrol officer knocked on their door to let them know and to remind them to keep their vehicles locked at night. She also thanked the Council for the Christmas gift. Commissioner Butzbach thanked the Council for the bonus. He attended Shop with a Cop, which he enjoyed very much. While in the parking lot, there were a lot of regular shoppers who commented on the number of law enforcement in front of Walmart and wondered if it was okay to go into the store. It was suggested to possibly add a banner next year so that people are aware of the event. Looking forward to a bright and healthy 2017. XIi. NEXT MEETING DATE — February 8, 2017 XIII. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Kirkwood adjourned the meeting at 4:38 p.m. in memory of Supervisor John Benoit. C-Pat ) Donna Evans, Recording Secretary