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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Public Saftey Commission January 12, 2011CITY OF PALM DESERT REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 12, 2011 — 3:30 p.m. Administrative Conference Room 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Larsh called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. II. ROLL CALL IV. Present: Commissioner James Butzbach Commissioner Gloria Kirkwood Chairman James Larsh Vice Chairman Rick Lebel Absent: Commissioner Martin Nethery Also Present: Stephen Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs Lt. Andrew Shouse, Palm Desert Police Department Chief Dorian Cooley, Riverside County Fire Department Fire Marshal Steve Brooker, Riverside County Fire Department Battalion Chief John Rios Lori Kritzer, Recording Secretary ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Phyllis Harkins, Palm Desert Country Club Homeowners Association, spoke about the 4th annual pancake breakfast and neighborhood watch on Saturday, March 19. She invited all to attend and will send an e-mail to Stephen Aryan with details. There is a new neighborhood watch director, Josanne Crisp. Eric, Citizens on Patrol, made a good presentation at the December meeting. CITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENIED PRESENTATIONS RECEIVED 4 L 0THER -` None MEETING DATE AYES: r0ed- h�a i f� a6r!e), Sq/Ere%- NOES: 1,14 ABSENT: L tin e ABSTAIN: LIM VERIFIED BY: Original on File with City Clerk's frice CITY OF PALM DESERT REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 12, 2011 — 3:30 p.m. Administrative Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Larsh called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. II. ROLL CALL IV. Present: Commissioner James Butzbach Commissioner Gloria Kirkwood Chairman James Larsh Vice Chairman Rick Lebel Absent: Commissioner Martin Nethery Also Present: Stephen Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs Lt. Andrew Shouse, Palm Desert Police Department Chief Dorian Cooley, Riverside County Fire Department Fire Marshal Steve Brooker, Riverside County Fire Department Battalion Chief John Rios Lori Kritzer, Recording Secretary ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Phyllis Harkins, Palm Desert Country Club Homeowners Association, spoke about the 4th annual pancake breakfast and neighborhood watch on Saturday, March 19. She invited all to attend and will send an e-mail to Stephen Aryan with details. There is a new neighborhood watch director, Josanne Crisp. Eric, Citizens on Patrol, made a good presentation at the December meeting. CITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENIED PRESENTATIONS RECEIVED ��� O HE'li None MEETING DATE, -/5-2C/ AYES: fryer?, Har-nikf<r&carte_oo- NOES: LLA ABSENT: A011P _ ABSTAIN: } VERIFIED BY: Original on File with City Clerk's flice 1 CITY OF PALM DESERT REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 12, 2011 — 3:30 p.m. Administrative Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Larsh called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. I1. ROLL CALL Present: IV. Commissioner James Butzbach Commissioner Gloria Kirkwood Chairman James Larsh Vice Chairman Rick Lebel Absent: Commissioner Martin Nethery Also Present: Stephen Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs Lt. Andrew Shouse, Palm Desert Police Department Chief Dorian Cooley, Riverside County Fire Department Fire Marshal Steve Brooker, Riverside County Fire Department Battalion Chief John Rios Lori Kritzer, Recording Secretary ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Phyllis Harkins, Palm Desert Country Club Homeowners Association, spoke about the 4th annual pancake breakfast and neighborhood watch on Saturday, March 19. She invited all to attend and will send an e-mail to Stephen Aryan with details. There is a new neighborhood watch director, Josanne Crisp. Eric, Citizens on Patrol, made a good presentation at the December meeting. PRESENTATIONS None PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Minutes of the Public Safety Commission Meeting of November 10, 2010. There were two corrections: Page 5, XI.A.1 - reports and remarks, should read "Chairman Larsh" (to replace "Chair Lebel"). Page 7, last sentence, replace "Peach" with "Peace". B. Palm Desert Fire Services Monthly Report for September 2010 C. Palm Desert Police Department Specialized Units Monthly Report for October 2010 Vice Chairman Lebel moved, by Minute Motion, to receive and file the Consent Calendar items. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Butzbach and carried unanimously. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. SELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR Motion by Commissioner Kirkwood to appoint Rick Lebel as Chair for 2011, and Jim Butzbach as Vice -Chair, seconded by Commissioner Larsh, unanimously carried. B. REQUEST TO EXPEND FUNDS FOR PURCHASE OF LIDAR BATTERIES Lt. Shouse indicated these are the batteries that charge the laser hand-held radar devices that are used to check motorist speeds. Motion to approve the expenditure of $1,226.70 for the purchase of Lidar batteries and forward to the City Council for approval made by Vice Chair Butzbach, seconded by Commissioner Kirkwood, unanimously carried. C. REQUEST TO EXPEND FUNDS FOR A CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED) SEMINAR TO BE HELD IN SPRING 2011 Lt. Shouse reported that the seminar is training to be given to residents and business owners in Palm Desert. The CPTED concept is crime 2 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 prevention through environmental design. Residents and business owners would be educated on lighting, landscaping, and video surveillance if necessary. In the business community, there would be discussion about signage. The Department feels that this training would give residents and business owners the tools to enhance the safety of the public throughout the community. Training would be provided in March/April. The format would be to address the business aspect in the morning and the resident aspect in the afternoon. Chairman Lebel believed it would be a great opportunity. Vice Chair Butzbach went to a similar program recently that was highly successful. Gary Rosenblum suggested that the Housing Authority be invited as well. Lt. Shouse said this would be done. Motion to recommend to the City Council that it approve hosting the crime prevention seminar through environmental design; total cost of the seminar estimated to be $3835 from Ca/COPS funding made by Commissioner Kirkwood, seconded by Vice Chair Butzbach, unanimously approved. D. REQUEST TO EXPEND FUNDS FOR VARIOUS TRAFFIC COURSES (BASIC TRAFFIC COLLISSION AND RADAR/LIDAR) Lt. Shouse announced an officer was recently promoted to detective after spending three weeks in the Traffic Bureau. This created a traffic position vacancy. Lt. Shouse suggested that this item be deleted from the agenda since there is not an officer identified at this time to send to this training. Motion to continue this item to a date uncertain unanimously approved. VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS None VIII. OLD BUSINESS None. 3 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 IX. REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL ACTION(S) None X. REPORTS AND REMARKS A. Public Safety Commissioners Commissioner Larsh thanked everyone for their support during his term. He mentioned that there has not been anyone from the City Council in attendance in a while, and asked who the representatives were. Stephen Aryan replied that at a recent City Council retreat, the representatives selected were Councilmember Finerty and Councilmember Kroonen. Commissioner Kirkwood thanked the City and the Council for a lovely Committee/Commission dinner. Vice Chairman Butzbach said that since there was not a December meeting, he hoped everyone had an enjoyable and safe holiday. Also, he commented on the very nice dinner the City hosted for all the commissions at the Marriott. He also appreciated the commission being invited to participate and attend the Public Safety awards program in November. He enjoys attending and seeing members of the public safety organizations recognized for what they do. B. Citizens on Patrol Program Frankie Riddle said it was business as usual. She commented on the Public Safety Announcement done a few months back. Some of the COPS members took the public safety announcement to the local stations to try to get it aired and they were very successful. It has been shown on channels 2, 3, and 36. As a result, around eight new COP applications have been received. A question was asked whether there was anyone leaving the program, and Ms. Riddle replied there have been a few leave due to medical issues, etc. Chairman Lebel asked if there were any questions about the monthly reports for November and December and the COPS Caller Newsletter. There were none. Chairman Lebel said the reports were nicely done and it is good to see the amount of hours put into the program by members. M PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 Vice Chairman Butzbach asked about the distribution of the Newsletter. The COPS Caller is distributed to COPS members, to the Commission, and to the Council. She also mentioned she believed it was available on the website. Vice Chairman Butzbach asked if the information was available at the Visitor Center, and Ms. Riddle said at this time it is not, and if the Commission would like this done, she will look into it. Vice Chairman Butzbach said that the program and the service the volunteers are providing to the City should be advertised so that people are aware this program exists. Ms. Riddle will look into this. Ms. Riddle mentioned that once a month, COP members set up at the COD Street Fair to also promote the program. It is not meant to recruit, but make the community aware of the program. The next time they are set up at the Street Fair they will take the SUV for display along with their banner. Commissioner Larsh said that was a good idea because it will draw attention to them. C. Legislative Update The Commission congratulated Gary Rosenblum on his appointment in D.C. His first meeting is next week. Mr. Rosenblum said we are in the middle of a major budget issue in Sacramento. The new Governor has proposed a budget and the hacking away at it has begun. The main issues are: the Governor is seeking what could be big changes in public safety issues. The budget will support continuation with direct allocation to cops booking fee remediation and what is called specific county level programs, with $420 million of general fund. The Governor is proposing that a lot of funding for these items be backfilled through realignment, which is essentially the demise of redevelopment agencies, and transferring redevelopment agency funds not to Sacramento, but to the counties where the services would be taking place. Instead of through a state program, it would now become a county program. There would be $35 million for booking fees, subventions, meeting the minimum threshold required to eliminate the need for sheriffs to charge police departments for booking arrestees at the county facilities. There are also proposed shifts in emergency response and fire suppression — some of those funds to get transferred to what they are calling local agencies. Mr. Rosenblum was not sure how that would affect Palm Desert since they are our local agency. Cal Fire would be given expanded responsibility for forest fires, wild fires, and less for the local, but that does not suit us. 5 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 The Corrections infrastructure would be changed. A lot of state corrections activity would be shifted to the counties. Incarceration for short-term low level offenders, parole violators, adult parole supervision and department of juvenile justice would all be shifted to the county. There are no dates for this. There are major issues to overcome before any of this happens and the state legislature has to act and agree to all of these changes, and a substantial amount of this would have to be placed before the voters for them to accept. There are a lot of hurdles between the proposal and reality. People are giving the Governor credit for starting the process now and not waiting until the end of the session or June to deal with this. There will have to be a special election between now and March/June. The City is not happy about the redevelopment agency changes, but that is a major component of balancing the budget. If redevelopment agency changes are made, the Governor is proposing, in theory, that more cuts would be made. The $24 million deficit that they are working on is a 50/50 split between cuts and revenue that comes from existing taxes which are set to expire, and the citizens would be asked to vote on continuing the taxes. D. Police and Fire Departments Chairman Lebel said that somewhat related to the budget issue, the county sheriff doesn't get the major sources of their funding from the state, the fire department does. The county fire department is actually Cal Fire, with a county contract for fire protection. He was sure that whatever happens at the state level will have more of an impact on fire protection than law enforcement. Chief Cooley said that they are weighing the proposals and what they mean. The primary one that Gary mentioned is aimed at what is called state responsibility areas where the state handles the fire protection. Lt. Shouse said that pushing inmates to the county level would impact Riverside County significantly. We are overdue for jail expansion. San Bernardino County has twice the bed space that we do. Community support to build the hub jail is essential. If the state decides to push state prisoners to our level, that will have a detrimental impact to public safety in Riverside County. Chairman Lebel said he can recall several months back entertaining a presentation from the county sheriff's department about the jail facility and getting overwhelming support from this public safety commission with a recommendation to Council for support, and the Palm Desert City Council also supported the facility and its location. 0 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 Vice Chairman Butzbach said that an e-mail was sent about a month and a half ago to Stephen concerning the negativity with the media and the City Council or Public Safety Commission should reinforce its support for the sheriff and his desire to build the Whitewater jail. Lt. Shouse understands that Supervisor Benoit is preparing presentations across the county regarding this issue. He can pass these comments along to the Sheriff's administrative staff that the Palm Desert Public Safety Commission would be interested in hearing what the Supervisor has to say. The Commission said yes. Chief Cooley talked about the use of strobes on the fire trucks to open gates in gated communities as opposed to stopping, getting out, and using the key. Our fire marshal is doing a lot of research on that and will be talking to the gate vendors in the desert to get ideas of what this type of feature would cost. Lt. Shouse said that on January 1, the threshold for grand theft was raised to $950. Now the value of property stolen has to exceed $950 in order for it to be a felony. Routine theft was raised from $400 to $950. The legislators felt that was a good idea. Also, the 666 penal code, petty theft with a prior — if you had a prior conviction where you served a day in jail or longer and you committed another petty theft that made it a felony. That was increased to three priors with a day in jail. Now you have to have three prior convictions of theft with a day in jail in order for another petty theft to be a felony. Lt. Shouse said that concerning Cal COPS money, he talked to Finance today. There is still approximately $10,000 left in Cal COPS money from 2009/10 fiscal year. The complete amount this year is anticipated as always, so we are doing well with Cal COPS money. It is $100,000 annually. Plans are underway for the second annual Family Safety Festival, with a tentative date of Saturday, April 23. Lt. Shouse said a burglary report was created that is going to the Cove Commission next week and he will bring this report to the Public Safety Commission in February. It is a comprehensive report prepared by the Crime Analyst that will show the Commission the burglary activity in Palm Desert over the last three years. It includes a pin map with locations in Palm Desert where there have been residential burglaries. The report includes residential, commercial, and vehicle theft. Lt. Shouse said they are entering into their annual budget cycle process. This will be discussed with the City Manager and City staff. The Police Department will bring a couple of recommendations to the Commission. One of the 7 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 suggestions that was discussed with the Council at the January retreat was the transitioning of two CSO I's at the substation into CSO 2's., taking them out of the substation and putting them in the field, and utilizing them in a crime prevention capacity. They would be providing education to combat thefts and burglaries throughout the city, neighborhood watch presentations, etc. As a part of that, we will be proposing taking our COP officer, the sworn officer that does crime prevention now, and making that officer a full-time burglary officer who focuses on burglary in the city exclusively. The report that will be brought to the Commission next month shows room for improvement in Palm Desert, as well as the other cove communities to address theft. Theft is the number one problem we have in Palm Desert. Chairman Lebel said that was an excellent proactive approach to the budget process by developing that research and incorporating that into the annual report process and providing information to both the Public Safety Commission and the Council. Commissioner Larsh asked if the burglary report distinguished between the gated communities and the open areas. Lt. Shouse said that it does not, and will see if the analyst can distinguish between those. He mentioned that more burglaries are happening outside of gated communities than inside. Frankie Riddle asked if the fine for handicap citations was increased. Lt. Shouse was not aware of that and will check. 1. 2010 Shop with a Cop Program Lt. Shouse said that it was another successful program this year. 43 kids participated, with the spending threshold kept to approximately $100 per child. Children were identified from Gerald Ford Elementary in Indian Wells, Lincoln Elementary in Palm Desert, and Rancho Mirage Elementary. If the kids did not have this opportunity probably, they would have had a less enjoyable Christmas. These were kids that were in need of the assistance. Cardiff donated a bus. We met at the Palm Desert substation, with 40 officers. Next year we will try for about 50 kids. The Cove Commission recommended we spend $10,000, but that would have been about 100 kids and logistically that would have been overwhelming. Chairman Lebel said that in San Diego during the holidays, there were 73 marked police vehicles in one shopping center representing all the communities in San Diego. It was amazing. 1.1 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 2. Preliminary 2010 Crime Statistics Lt. Shouse presented a preliminary report on crime statistics for 2010. After a three year decrease in crime (2007/8/9), this year we have seen a leveling off. There is a zero percent change in property crime in 2010 and a minor change in violent crime with a 1.1 % decrease. Chairman Lebel questioned whether arson included vehicle arson as well, and Lt. Shouse said it is any arson. E. Removal of Signage at Former Palm Desert Police Station Stephen Aryan said this is an informational item. With the relocation to the new sheriff facility on Gerald Ford, the old substation on Highway 111 and Monterey was closed and the signage has now been removed. The sheriff station at the Civic Center is now serving as a substation Monday -Friday. A request has been submitted to the Public Works Department to remove some signage along Fred Waring so that people will become acclimated to go to the correct location. A question was asked if there was any signage, other than on the doors, directing people to the new station. Mr. Aryan said no, but there was advertising. The new address is in the BrightSide. One of the reasons the Council decided to leave this station open for a year was to redirect people who came to this station to the new facility. Lt. Shouse said there are two employees at the Civic Center station, which is open 8 am -5 pm, Monday - Friday. There is signage on the window, and if people come after hours it directs them to the new station. The department is finalizing lease arrangements with the city to lease that space to keep dispatch there along with a couple more bureaus - specifically the special investigations bureau and central homicide unit which are leasing office space in Thousand Palms. When those leases are done, the sheriff plans to consolidate the bureaus and move them here. We also will maintain a portion of that building as a police department substation so that our officers can use the facility. We are maintaining a good police presence at the Civic Center location. There was a question about K-9 services since the assigned deputy is out on leave. Lt. Shouse said there is K-9 service available. Stephen Aryan announced that Lt. Shouse has been accepted to the FBI National Academy. Lt. Shouse said that he will be going April 7, and absent for two months The Commissioners congratulated Lt. Shouse. 9 PRELIMINARY MINUTES REGULAR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 12, 2011 Stephen Aryan also announced that this was Lori's last meeting. She is retiring from the City in April. She has now been reassigned to the Visitor Center. Karen Prusinowski will assist with recordation of the Minutes. XI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Commission, motion to adjourn made by Vice Chairman Butzbach, seconded by Commissioner Kirkwood, unanimously approved. Meeting was adjourned at 4:40 pm. 1 JU"j ✓ G �i i C C u Lori Wimbish, Recording Secretary Transcribed by Karen Prusinowski 10