For years, our laws have focused overwhelmingly on those being sold rather than those driving the demand.

This bill reflects a simple reality.

If we want to reduce exploitation, we must reduce demand.

Until this year, you could still buy a child under 18 for sex and face a misdemeanor, not a felony.

This law changes that.

And this bill is going to be instrumental at not only being able to take enforcement on the demand side, but also have the funding that's necessary for the supportive programs to help our youth, our young ladies that are involved in this trade and really an interesting bad position in life.

This law will be a game changer and will allow police and prosecutors to do our jobs of protecting the most vulnerable.

San Diego is not a place to traffic in children.

And if you do it, you're gonna have a police department that's gonna arrest you, and you're gonna have a DA that's gonna prosecute you.

Don't do it here.

We're standing above a fruit on a park that's above a freeway.

And that's not common.

It's one of the first places in California that that happened, and it was a direct result of community voice.

Having you all here to help with these kinds of tasks and to help make this park better by you all being here creates ownership.

And when you all feel like you own this park, you'll want to come back again and again and again.

You're gonna plant a seed, a seed today, a tree today, and you're gonna watch that grow over time, and your younger siblings are gonna be able to take shade under those trees.

Your kids one day will be able to have a picnic under those trees.

How beautiful is that.

So know that the work that you're doing today, it's not just about today and the way that the park will look better when you leave.

It's about the the the what we're we're planning for future generations.

So currently here at the Marimar Greenery, we separate any contaminants from our organic waste materials and compost through a screening process.

That removes most of the contamination and our end compost has less than one percent contamination by weight.

This process that we're piloting right now removes contaminants on the front end of that process, which then will result in a lower amount of contaminants at the end, which is a better compost product to put out in our community.

Organic materials when they go to the landfill create both methane and leachate, though, which then we have to control through environmental containment systems and can create air pollution as well as water pollution if not managed appropriately.

When we divert organic materials through composting programs like this and other programs around our region, we're able to reduce that amount of methane, capture a viable, reusable resource, and get it back out into the community.

Compost can replace chemical fertilizers, which then improve the overall environment that we all live in.

It also includes all of your food scraps.

So any vegetable, fruit, even your meat and bones, your bread, as well as food soiled paper products.

And when I say that, I mean think of a coffee filter with coffee grounds in it, or napkins or paper towels that have been used and soiled, all of that can go in your green bed.

So we do not allow plastic bags or compostable bags at our greenery composting processing facility.

We're here a lot these days.

There's a lot of good things going on down here in this community.

In fact, it was exactly two years ago today that we stood on this piece of land, what was then just a patch of dirt to break ground on this project.

Two years later, here we are to dedicate and add a hundred new units of affordable housing to our city's inventory of homes that everyday San Diegans can afford.

This is difficult work, and the fact that we have people who are passionate about this issue, myself included, is why we're making some progress, and hopefully people start to feel it in their pocketbooks.

This is a proud moment, not just for the community, but for the entire city because today we're opening up 100 new affordable homes for families.

This is how we address the housing crisis with action, but also with compassion.

And today this commitment stands right here in an embodiment at the IRIS.

The Iris is more than just a building.

It is a bold statement about our values.

This is not just housing.

This is thoughtful, sustainable, and connected development.

The county is dedicated to improving health outcomes, fostering stability, and opening doors for residents to thrive.

We're also making investments across the street at Howard Lane Park.

I think that's important.

When we ask communities to accept more homes in their community, it should not just benefit the new folks who arrive in the community.

It shouldn't just help the new folks, it should help the existing people who live in the community.

And that's exactly what we're going to do with Howard Lane Park so that they can all feel like their quality of life is being enriched by this new housing, which I believe that it does.

This truly is a great day in our city.

There we go.

And the future of the tens and thousands of students who call SDSU home during one of the most important chapters of their lives.

This is the first comprehensive plan update in more than 30 years.

And for me, the best thing about it is more options for future SDSU students to stay close to the campus.

What I heard was a community that wanted to elevate their community.

A safe community, a community with a high quality of life, a place filled with belonging where everyone has the opportunity to be where they want to be.

And a community that's up for everyone.

A road diet and a usable park will not only activate the corridor, but connect the various neighborhoods and communities of permanent residents and students that tend to be isolated.

From housing affordability to transit access, safe streets, welcoming public spaces, all directly affect whether or not students can focus on their learning, graduate on time, and build their futures right here in America's finest city.

This is smart growth.

It's growth that supports our city's climate goals, it supports our local small businesses, creates safer and more vibrant streets, and growth that reflects the reality of a major American university inside a top 10 American city.

And with no upfront cost to the city.

It's important to remember is the outreach that we launched in July was four months earlier, so that we could take the time to engage individuals and actually better understand what someone wanted and what someone needed, instead of just coming in and saying, Okay, we're cleaning it up, you gotta go.

So from July all the way to November, they were out here trying to get people into some type of shelter option.

So by the time that we came out here, there's already been months of outreach occurring.

So when we came, that was the day where we were actually going to be getting all the trash, all the people, everything out here, so it could go back to being what's supposed to be part of the river.

Since then, uh, park rangers have been out here daily.

That's been a very big group effort.

So park rangers from all units, department wide have been coming out here to patrol.

This area right here, it floods.

It goes straight into the ocean.

We don't want people in this area because when it the rains come, the tide goes up, you know, we have to have our police department, our lifeguards, our fire department out here risking their lives for people living out here.

So getting them out of this area is very important, not only for them, but for our employees.

So getting all that, but when I see the wildlife that's out here, you see ducks, you see cranes, you see things that we didn't see a year, year and a half ago.

That's one of the ways I know that we did good out here is seeing the wildlife returning.

This work isn't done.

We're still here in the riverbed.

We're still engaging individuals.

I think something that's the larger celebration is that fifty-nine are currently in permanent housing right now, whether it be through diversion efforts all the way to permanent supportive housing, and we have forty-two that are continuing to work on identifying next steps in their journey.

I'm proud of the work that our teams did.

We put tax dollars to work, and people are just used to, you know, when you throw tax dollars at something, the problem doesn't necessarily go away.

So I'm happy to see that this area has maintained and that we are putting that money that we use for this to good use.

All right, good morning, and I will now call the special city council meeting of Monday, February second, twenty twenty-six to order.

Clerk, please call the role.

Here.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Council President Pro Tim Lee.

Here.

Councilmember Campillo.

Councilmember Moreno.

President.

Councilmember Eli Rivera.

And Council President Lacava.

Present.

Also attending the meeting, our City Attorney Heather Ferber, independent budget analyst Charles Monica, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you for that.

Okay, and followed with a land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Council Member Long Wilbur.

Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the Kumeyai spirit remains unbroken.

We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land.

Today they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength.

We stand with the Kumei Nation, connected to our past and committed to a thriving future.

Please turn and face the flag.

Ready, begin.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

All right, clerk, please go over how the public can offer their testimony.

Thank you, Council President.

I will now highlight the screen, the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony for today's meeting.

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip looking at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room.

No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.

For better meeting management purposes, each speaker will have one minute per item per person for proclamations and closed session with a maximum of three minutes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

Uh so those that are watching, I guess, remotely, and those that are actually in person today is a special council meeting because we uh called a recess for tomorrow because we didn't think we were going to have a quorum.

And so you're gonna see a slightly different agenda in today, a Monday session.

We will be having uh a few proclamations, and we will also be taking a consent agenda uh and then continuing for the rest of the day as we normally do on a Monday session.

So, with that, clerk, please uh proceed with public comment so that we can move to the approval of the proclamation items.

Thank you.

The public comment period for proclamations items is now open.

Each speaker will have one minute per item per person.

If you would like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes.

Proclamation items being approved or item 605 through 607.

We have no public comment here in council chambers going to those participating remotely.

Starting with Blair Beekman, please let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Um, all three items.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

Thank you.

Hi, uh everyone.

Happy Monday, happy February.

Um, I'm back in San Diego, and so um I thought there were going to be two meetings this week.

I'll I'll be attending the afternoon meeting today.

Um I wanted to comment, I can wrap all my uh items into one item.

Hopefully, this will take maybe two minutes or less.

Um, I wanted to comment that um congratulations on this proclamation process you're having today.

Um I'm uh in its celebration of what seems like good officers for this item.

Um, I uh I hope we're doing it with a sense of uh remembrance of best practices, and that um with the events going on, not only domestically at this time, but internationally, um, we have to be really aware of ourselves and what we're doing and what we're building.

Um, it's a real difficult time.

Um I I think it's fair to say that after the international events of the U.S.

taking people out of Venezuela.

Um, I know I'm coming back around.

Please give me a bit of time.

I'm three individuals.

There's plenty of time at non-agenda public comment to talk about other issues.

I understand.

I'm putting it into a context and a whole.

I I'll uh I swear I'm coming around to the point.

There is um so much violence going on internationally, it's affecting how our police officers are working locally, not just in San Diego with our problems, but across the country.

It's from that we've been having the domestic issues, and my point of all this is saying to bring it into context that I hope our officers in San Diego really acknowledge what's going on and take the steps to practice well and do things really well, and they have to take the extra steps at this time.

And and you have these officers here today in a proclamation process that can set a really good stand and an example, I think.

And I just wanted to remind everyone of that of that purpose, what we need to be really concentrating on.

We have to be concentrating towards peace.

Please ask for an end of war and violence, and that we solve our practices with dialogue, de-escalation, you know, uh, good conversation and counseling.

Good luck how we do that together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Francine Maxwell, if you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

I'm sorry, I'm outside.

You said what?

That we're on proclamations.

If you can let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Um, assistancies.

I don't I don't know.

I don't have the agenda in front of me.

I'm sorry, I'm outside.

Yeah, that's fine.

Just the assistant chief.

Just one.

Okay.

Thank you.

You'll have a minute, please proceed.

Thank you.

Francine Maxwell, Southeastern San Diego resident.

Happy Black History Month.

Um excited and um celebratory of our assistant chief Tina, who has had to shrink herself over the years.

She's always been smart.

I'm just so glad that you um chose San Diego, chose to be in this career, extremely appreciative.

You had to endure some of the things that Roulette Armstead had to endure, but you made it.

Um excited for your next chapter.

And again, thank you for the intelligence that you brought within the department, even though all of your things may not have come to fruition.

Just know that the community, we saw you, we appreciated you, and again, congratulations.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on the proclamations this morning.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Well, now I'll turn it over to Councilmember for questions, comments, and retain a motion.

We'll start with Councilmember Von Wolbert.

Uh thank you, Council President.

I'm happy to make the motion to approve the proclamations.

And I'm very excited.

Uh actually, it's bittersweet today that we're going to be honoring the incredible careers of three of our ranking officers in the police department, and we don't want to see them leave yet.

I wish that they could stay a little bit longer.

But um, on item 605, I'm proud to join Council President Pro Tem Lee and Mayor Gloria today to recognize Deputy Chief Rudy Ty for more than 35 years of dedicated service to the City of San Diego and our CDO police department.

Chief Ty began his career as a police recruit and rose to the ranks to Deputy Chief, the second highest leadership position in the department through decades of hard work, steady leadership, and a commitment to public service.

Over the course of his career, he has served in nearly every area of policing, gaining a deep experience that has strengthened our department and helped to guide the next generation of officers.

Deputy Chief Ty has made history as the highest ranking Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander leader in San Diego PD's history.

He's also served as a trusted bridge between the department and our AAPI communities, helping building understanding, trust, and strong relationships.

Beyond San Diego, Deputy Chief Ty has contributed to law enforcement nationwide through leadership roles in professional organizations and by sharing his expertise on leadership, community policing, and public safety.

His commitment to excellence and professional growth is reflected in his graduation from the FBI National Academy and the many officers he has mentored throughout his career.

As he retires from SDPD and returns home to Hawaii, I'd like to come.

Bring me with you.

We to continue his service as a police chief of the Kawaii Police Department.

We thank Deputy Chief Ty for his lasting impact on San Diego and wish him continued success in his next chapter.

And I wonder if he would like to come up and say a few words.

Aloha.

I gotta greet you that way.

Um I just want to thank all of you, all the government leaders, all of our council members, uh, all of the leaders uh in the community, especially that uh I've been able to work uh over with the last 35 years.

It's been an amazing career for me.

It's been a great journey.

Um, you know, aloha when when you say aloa, it's not about goodbye.

It's really about until we meet again.

So Malama Pono, which uh you provide direction and security and make sure our community stays safe.

I wish all of you, especially my family back here at the Sounding OPD family, my Ohada.

Um they've done some great things in supporting me over the years.

I'm so blessed to be uh around all of you, and especially our chief, Chief Scott Wall.

Um he's like a brother to me.

And uh he's mentored me and given me a lot of direction as well.

So I appreciate love all of you guys.

Mahlo, Malamopono, appreciate it.

Thank you.

I'm gonna ask my colleagues, we'll do a standing ovation for everyone at the end, so we can't get out too many squats in.

Um for uh thank you, Chief Ty.

Item uh 606.

I am also honored to recognize Assistant Chief Tina Williams for her 32 years of outstanding service to the City of San Diego and the State of Police Department.

Assistant Chief Williams began her career as a police recruit in 1994 when she was 10.

Uh, and rose through the ranks uh to retire as assistant chief, overseeing the planning and intelligent branch, intelligence branch through decades of leadership and commitment.

Uh Assistant Chief Williams spent a significant portion of her career serving on patrol in the Southeastern Division and later worked across investigations, operational support, gang suppression, graffiti enforcement, and recruiting.

Assistant Chief Williams made department history as only the second woman to complete the SWAT Academy and went on to serve nearly 15 years on the SWAT team.

She also continued to break barriers as SDPD's first female SWAT commander, setting a powerful example of leadership and excellence in one of the department's most demanding roles.

Her service has been recognized with numerous honors, including commanding officer citations, officer of the year, and executive officer awards, a meritorious service award, and life-saving citation.

Assistant Chief Williams has been a strong advocate for women in law enforcement, leading leadership conferences, hiring expos, and initiatives that have helped build a more inclusive department.

As she retires, we thank Chief Assistant Chief Williams for her lasting impact in public safety in San Diego and wish her all the best in this next chapter.

And Chief, come on up if you want to say a few words.

Let's put you on the spot.

Good morning.

I just want to first say thank you to everybody on the council.

I've had the opportunity to work with most everyone here in some format or another.

So first, thank you so much for all your support throughout the years.

We would not be successful and bless you without that.

You're on.

And then to all of our command staff that's in the background, uh, each person is dedicated and only wants to serve the citizens of San Diego to the best of their abilities.

So it is a definite collaboration between us uh the community and city council, and then I'd be remiss if we don't thank Catherine, who is a staunch uh I'm surprised the name is not on the chair.

So um, but thank you.

Thank you so much.

Uh the community support and everything personally.

I appreciate all that you have done.

And then to our executive team, um, it it is something that has uplifted me throughout my career.

So thank you so much.

Thank you.

And um finally, I would love to uh recognize Commander Matt Novak and item 607 from more than 31 years of dedicated service to the City of San Diego and our San Diego police department.

Commander Novak began his career as a police recruit in 1994 when he was 12 uh and rose through the ranks to retire as a police commander, overseeing the investigative branch with his professionalism and his integrity.

Throughout his career, he served in some of the department's most critical assignments, including patrol, investigations, domestic violence, child abuse, narcotics, internal affairs, and gangs.

Commander Novak provided more than a decade of investigative leadership at multiple ranks and served as field training officer, mentoring and shaping the next generation of police officers.

He dedicated nearly nearly 10 years to the SWAT team as both an officer and sergeant, demonstrating courage, discipline, and calm leadership in high-risk situations.

His service has been recognized with numerous commendations, reflecting the respect he earned from colleagues and supervisors throughout his career.

Beyond the badge, Commander Novak and his wife Penny founded the SDPD team for the Susan G.

Coman three-day walk, leading his effort for more than 16 years in support of breast cancer survivors and their families.

As he retires, we thank Commander Novak for his lasting impact on public safety and wish him well.

He enjoys his time with his family in San Diego.

Come on in.

Um lovely.

And thank you also to all of your friends and family and uh chosen family.

Everyone has to sacrifice long nights without their partners, without their um mothers, fathers, brothers when they get called out uh to be service of the city.

So thank you to your families as well for your dedicated service to our city.

But commander, please.

Thanks.

Thank you, Councilmember Van Von Wilbert, and thank you, the rest of City Council.

Um, it's always been a pleasure working with all of you over the years, um, especially doing big projects that make our city safer.

So thank you for being letting me be a part of that.

It's been an honor to serve with the San Diego Police Department, and I also want to thank all of my colleagues in the back here.

Um, just know if uh that you have some really excellent people working to keep this city safe.

Um, and I've been proud to be part of that group.

So thank you very much.

Appreciate all of you.

Thank you.

And um finally, uh, Council President, with your indulgence.

I see I have some extra time.

I'd ask my colleague, Mr.

Lee, to cede time, but I see the chief of police here, so I'd like to call him up to say any words he'd like to say because uh this these are folks that you've worked with for a very long time since you started when you were nine.

And uh, we appreciate you very much, Chief.

Well, good morning.

Um thank you guys for making special arrangement today to uh do these proclamations.

They're important.

I am very blessed and honored to serve with some amazing people that have the talent, the skill, the patience to do this job at an exemplary level.

Uh I wouldn't be able to continue doing it without them.

It is tough to see the three people that have made such an impact in our organization leave all in the same week.

Um there is no fill in those shoes.

It's it's really about how do we continue doing this, maybe just a different way because they're they're unique, they're special, and they're gonna be missed.

So thank you for doing this, and I'd like to wish them a very healthy, very happy retirement, and I'll see you in Kawhi.

Rudy.

Thank you.

And thank you very much for your service.

We appreciate it all right.

We have a motion by Councilmember Von Wilpert.

We'll go next to the Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you to Councilmember Von Wilpert as well.

Um I want to start by uh offering a congratulations to Assistant Chief Williams and Commander Novak and wishing you both happy retirements.

And um, I would actually like to focus my comments specifically to Item 605, where um I have the honor of joining Councilmember Von Wilpert and Mayor Gloria and recognizing Deputy Chief Rudy Tai on his retirement uh and his many contributions to San Diego as a community.

I think my colleague has already gone through your resume quite a bit, so we probably don't need to repeat it all, but um maybe I should just note that long before I even um thought about select um serving in elected office, and I was just volunteering as a member of the community.

I think in um in almost every Asian American Pacific Islander circle within San Diego, there was always a significant amount of pride at what then, even when I was starting, was Captain Rudy Tai for sort of the trailblazing path that you led in serving in your capacity.

Um and that has always been the case in terms of every discussion we've had in the communities is how much folks looked up to the fact that we had someone that represented us um serving in a leadership capacity at Santa Gapy.

Um that means a lot.

I think you've you've done a lot more than just be a um, I guess a role model for the community, but I think you've done a lot to help build that up within the department as well.

Um and it's not just in terms of how you've served in capacities as a volunteer.

Uh I think you're the president, I think, of the National Association of Asian American law enforcement officials, something like that.

Um, but Captain, I mean, Chief Ty has also been out there doing dragon boat races, for example, I think with members of Pan Pac um in numerous community events throughout the year.

And it's that, I think engagement with the community that we have always talked about.

Chief Wallace talked about that relationship being a significant part of how we engage with our officers.

And you've set that example long and wide.

Um I think there are many who have come following your footsteps that will continue to set that example.

And I think on behalf of that community, all I could really say is thank you for that service.

So with that, I I know your retirement's coming soon, and like everyone else, I would certainly love to go visit Kawaii.

Um wishing all of you a very happy retirement in the next chapter of your lives.

Thank you.

And I think there was a second in there or something.

I'll second the motion.

All right, with that, we now have a motion by Councilmember Vaughn Wilbert and a second by Council President Pro Tem Lee.

We'll go to Council Member Campbell.

Uh thank you, Council President.

Uh I'm gonna shorten what I got two pages here, you guys.

I'm gonna shorten because uh councilmember Von Wilbert was so good at giving a list, actually, of all the fantastic things you guys have done through these years to keep us safe.

And I have to tell you uh we are very, very sad that you are leaving us.

I feel funny saying that it's like a child being abandoned, but I know there's others in the department who are just you know wonderful and that you helped train, and I know uh that our city will remain safe.

Uh I could just say to all of you, first of all, Rudy, uh gosh, I'll never forget when Asian people were mistakenly treated badly due to some words from on top way back in number 45's first term.

Um, and I I just we worked hard uh to make that disappear.

We absolutely do not believe in prejudice of any sort.

We love all of us, and all of us are important.

And I know that you're your career not only representing the Asian American community, but the entire community and everyone in it and taking care of us.

We so appreciate you.

Thank you so much.

Such a pleasure to be working with you and and uh Chief Williams.

I can't say enough.

I mean, you have done so much to uplift our department and the women in it, as well as every darn other thing you did.

My gosh, the SWAT commander of SWAT.

I mean, I I just I feel very secure living in our city because of you guys are so wonderful.

And I I just I know you deserve a retirement, but I feel very bad.

And that I hope you'll stay in touch with all of us and keep us up to date on your activities because God knows you deserve a rest.

You've earned it, and and you deserve fun and happiness and peace.

So I hope Kauai is a peaceful island.

I love I've been there.

And when I come next time, uh, Chief, I'm gonna look you up, so watch out.

Um let's see.

So I want to thank all three of our incredible leaders, including our commander Matt Novak.

I I can't thank you enough for your 31 years of service, especially in probably among the most hardest things to do domestic violence, child abuse, narcotics, gangs, etc.

And then training, doing doing so much teaching and inspiration.

Thank you so much.

I thank all three of these incredible leaders for their decades of selfless service to our city and its residents.

Because of the tremendous leadership of individuals like Deputy Chief Ty, Assistant Chief Williams, and Commander Novak, San Diego continues every year to be either first or second of the safest cities in America, usually first, which is absolutely amazing.

And I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for our city and for us, and congratulations on your well-earned retirements.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campbell.

We'll go next to Councilmember Moreno.

Thank you.

Um on items 606 and 607.

Um I'd like to thank Assistant Chief Williams and also Commander Novak for your service to the residents of the City of San Diego.

Um it was my pleasure uh to really get to know um Deputy Chief Rudy Ty.

So I'm gonna move on to item number uh 605.

Um and I want to um one number one say that I'm um very happy for you because everybody deserves uh a good retirement once uh their completion once they're done with this position, and the city of San Diego does offer a wonderful retirement for anybody listening.

Um but um number one, I want to thank you for the professionalism that you have always uh worked with.

Um you and I have um have been in the same place at the same time for a lot of different iterations of my time here in the city of San Diego, and if there's one thing um that I've noticed is that you are just upmost professional human being.

Um your dedication to the community, it was always very clear uh that your heart was with the community.

But the number one thing I want to thank you for is for your humanity.

I think every single time you and I spoke, you uh were always just a really wonderful stand-up human being, and you could see it through um through your um through your uniform.

And I think that's something that just carries forward and the community sees it.

Um I will say SDPD is losing one of its greats, uh, but I know that through your mentorship these past few years, uh, there are many other folks that you touched that are coming up the ranks um that will definitely uh fit uh fill your shoes or try to fill your shoes, right?

That's the and that's the other thing, Chief Wall.

You got some big shoes to fill at SDPD, but um I really want to thank everybody for their service for their commitment uh to the residents of um of the city of San Diego and um good luck to everybody.

I hear every day is Saturday, except for for Chief uh Deputy Chief Ty.

I think that's gonna your Saturdays are gonna end soon, right?

So um congratulations and once again thank you for um everybody's service.

We appreciate it.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Moreno.

We'll go next to Councilmember Whitburn.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, really appreciate the words of my colleagues, and I too just want to thank these three leaders uh retiring from our police department.

Uh, the three of you to dedicated your careers uh to the residents of our city, and uh each of you has had a remarkable career with the city of San Diego.

You depart as uh Council Member Campbell mentioned with San Diego being among the safest big cities in America, and I hope you take a lot of pride in that.

Uh and I join my colleagues in wishing you the best in the years ahead.

So thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Whitburn.

Uh, not seeing anybody else in the lights.

I'll jump in pretty quickly.

My colleagues were pretty eloquent.

One of the words that we can use to thank you for your service uh over so many years to keep all of us so safe.

Um, it is so special that we created a special session today that we could actually take care of the proclamations before you do the walkout, and so that all of you could be here and friends and families uh could join us.

It's a very small token, but I hope you take it to heart about the words that you're hearing today and the support that we try to give you and your fellow officers in the department in the other actions that we take.

I know sometimes it's a little rough and tumble, uh, but we have you in our hearts as well as in our brains uh going forward.

Um again, uh just it's hard to find the words to thank you for what you've done every day.

Uh, the best on those of retiring.

Sir, you haven't learned enough, you haven't had enough, and you're gonna go do it in a very delightful place, but I know you'll take that job very, very seriously.

Uh, and as my colleagues have said, you've made San Diego the the safest big city in the nation.

Uh, there is a lot to be proud of, and you're leaving quite a legacy behind.

I know there's others that will step up and take over that leadership that you've executed exhibited every single day.

So with that, um we have a motion by Councilmember Von Wolpert, and a second by Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

And that passes unanimously unanimously seven to zero with Councilmember Ila Rivera and Council Member Campillo absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

Well, it wouldn't be proclamations without photos.

So uh join us here in the pit, and we're gonna start with Deputy Chief Type.

Yeah, I thought maybe the family picture, but all right.

Uh, we will get on with the regular rest of the council hearing.

Um, again, uh, consent items will be heard this afternoon in the two o'clock session.

Clerk, please read the closed session items into the record and proceed with public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

Conference with legal counsel existing litigation pursuance of California government code section five four nine five six point nine D one.

CS1 is Alicia Tetaroe versus City of San Diego.

CS2 is Maria Natalie Brazil versus City of San Diego, and CS3 is James Carter versus City of San Diego.

If you'd like to speak on these items, now's the time to raise your hand or submit a speaker slip to the front of the room.

This is smart growth.

So switching from gas furnaces and kitchens to electric systems, which allows us to remove uh greenhouse gas emissions from the environment.

The financing agreement is cash flow neutral.

We're essentially shifting our operating costs from energy bills over to loan repayments across a 25-year term and with no upfront cost to the city.

So from July all the way to November, they were out here trying to get people into some type of shelter option.

So by the time that we came out here, there had already been months of outreach occurring.

So when we came, that was the day where we were actually going to be getting all the trash, all the people, everything out of here, so it could go back to being what's supposed to be part of the river.

Since then, uh park rangers have been out here daily.

So getting them out of this area is very important, not only for them, but for our employees.

We're still engaging individuals.

I think something that's the larger celebration is that 59 are currently in permanent housing right now, whether it be through diversion efforts all the way to permanent supportive housing, and we have 42 that are continuing to work on identifying next steps in their journey.

Thank you, everyone for your patience.

We're still a win quorum.

We'll begin as soon as we can.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Council President Lacava.

Councilmember Campbell.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Present.

Councilmember Campillo.

Here.

Councilmember Moreno.

Present.

Councilmember Elo Rivera.

And Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here.

Also attending the meeting, our Assistant City Attorney, Leslie Fitzgerald, Independent Budget Analyst, Charles Matica, Council of Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Zeizer, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

Not sure if Councilmember Campillo has any comments to make at this time.

Council Ambassadors are available near the entrance of chambers and can assist with questions and speaker slips.

No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.

Are there any requests to pull any items by the council members?

Seeing none, clerk, will you please proceed with public comment?

Thank you.

Please note each speaker will have one minute per item per person.

If you would like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes.

The consent agenda includes items 600 through 603 and 609.

Also, let me note for the record the potential appointment and reappointments that are on the agenda this morning.

Item 603 is a potential reappointment of Suzanne Barco to the board of directors of the Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation, and item 609 is the potential appointment of Sean Dixon to the board of directors of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation.

If you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Okay, you'll have two minutes.

Please proceed.

So I actually I can keep it really short.

I just uh I'm for it, so I guess I'll approve.

So yes.

And then I also wanted to say congratulations to Ramald Capillo for a baby.

I meant to I meant to do that last week and I forgot.

So congratulations.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Hi, player Beekman, item 600.

You'll have one minute.

Please proceed.

All right, thank you.

Blair Beekman.

Uh for your information.

Uh the uh border lines at the Gijuana uh San Diego border are really long today.

So I'm gonna be late to get to the meeting today.

Um, but for this item uh 600 is uh contract with Lexicol with uh fire department, uh which is uh I was expecting this to be about police department issues, and it's not thankfully it's about uh lexicol and data collection with uh uh fire and uh lifeguard services, things like that.

So um as we're trying to consider flock at this time uh and its uh relevance and its principles.

I think we have to ask the same questions of Lexa poll.

So it's nice to see that Lexapol is participating in fire safety things, fire department and public safety things in this good terms.

Um their work can't be questioned as how principled they are.

Uh I hope we're doing that with the flock issue still, and that we can look for other uh vendors in the future.

Uh same with Leclerc poll.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Hector.

If you can please unmute and let me know how much time you'd like for your I mean, let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Oh, Henry here.

I would like to speak to 609, 608, and 651.

Some of those items, those items are not on the consent agenda.

The items on the consent agenda are items 600 through 603 and 609.

So you can if you'd like to speak on one of those items, you can speak now.

For the other ones, you can raise your hand later.

Okay, uh 609 then.

Just 609.

Okay, you'll have one minute, please proceed.

Uh on the convention center thing.

I think the city should just get out of the convention center altogether and just let sell it to Doug Manchester and let him like Doug Manchester's San Diego Convention Center and just let them leave sit 40 years and have them give us a piece of the action of the profit.

He could take over the employees, his own employees.

You would save the pension fund, a bundle of money.

We wouldn't have those employees, city workers there.

Because you guys can't manage the convention center.

The place is leaking.

It's been going on for years, and all the other things you guys can't manage.

Just think at the gay lord, the gay lord's going, hey man, come to our convention.

You can fly into Tijuana Cheat, we'll pick you up.

You don't want to be hanging out in San Diego with all those homeless guys.

Your wife doesn't want to go shopping there, they want to go shopping in La Jolla.

We'll take you there.

If you can't compete with the Gaylord, it's really good.

Day live.

Thank you.

And our next speaker is iPhone.

If you can please unmute.

And let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

There you go.

My iPhone.

Oh, sorry, I didn't realize I am.

Thank you.

Um supporting uh 609.

Uh I am in favor of it.

I also would like to support um that you guys would add um a resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents and support.

That item is on the agenda for another uh 608, I believe, later on.

So you can discuss that at that time.

You can raise your hand.

Thank you so much.

And that does conclude the consent agenda for today.

Thank you.

We'll now take any council member questions and comments, starting with Councilmember Von Wolbert.

Thank you very much.

I will make a motion to approve the consent agenda on item 609.

It is my honor to support the appointment of Sean Dixon to the San Diego Convention Center Corporation Board of Directors, and to recognize his leadership as president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

Mr.

Dixon brings extensive experience in managing our world class visitor destinations, overseeing large scale operations, strategic planning, and guest experience for institutions that welcome millions of visitors to our city each year.

His deep commitment to conservation, education, and public engagement reflects the values that make CNDU a premier destination for residents and visitors alike.

Mr.

Dixon's longstanding service to San Diego's tourism and business community, reminding up his role, reminding us of his role as past chair of the San Diego Tourism Authority and a current board member for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce demonstrates his strong dedication to our city's economic vitality.

I am confident Mr.

Dixon will bring thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and vision to the Convention Center Corporation Board, and I'm proud to support his appointment.

I just had one request for him, and actually all of the members of our board are to fully leverage the new tax dollars that are coming to the convention center because of Measure C.

I do believe that a long-term infrastructure bond for the convention center is in the convention center's best interest.

And under the proposition measure C, those funds can be leveraged.

So I would encourage them to think about a long-term infrastructure bond to meet the needs of the convention center and make sure we maximize those dollars coming to that wonderful center.

And also on item 603, um, congratulations and thank you to Suzanne Barco for her reappointment to the Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation as well on her service to our city.

And with that, I will uh make the motion to approve the consent agenda.

Thank you.

We have a motion to improve the consent agenda by Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Um I'll go ahead and second the item.

And seeing no other speakers, we'll go ahead and call.

Oh, we'll turn next to Councilmember Foster.

Yes, thank you, Pro Tim.

My apologies.

Um, just want to make a quick um comment on item S503.

I just would like to thank um engineering um and the mayor's office for continuing to locate um funding um for the stream view project.

So um just thank you so much for continuing those efforts and ensuring that uh StreamView is um as safe as it can be.

So thank you.

Thank you.

See no other speakers.

Uh we do have a motion by Councilmember Von Wilpert, a second by myself.

Uh let's please call the roll.

Oh, sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

That passes unanimous.

I'm sorry, I didn't update.

But that does pass unanimously with council member Lee voting yes.

And um, sorry, Councilmember Campillo.

Also, yes, thank you.

So that does pass unanimously with council member uh council president Joe Lakava absent and I will be updating the voting system.

My apologies.

No problem.

Clerk will you please introduce item 604?

Item 604 is the performance audit of fire rescue overtime.

If you'd like to speak to this item, please be sure to submit your speaker slip to the front of the room.

Or if you're virtually attending, please raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon at this time.

Thank you.

We'll go ahead and turn it over to our office of the city auditor.

Um Andy, if you'd like to start by making introductions uh for the record and then let us know how much uh time you'll need for the presentation.

Uh sure.

Good afternoon, uh, Council President Pro Tem, Council members, Andy Henous, City Auditor.

Uh, and as you mentioned, we're here to present our performance audit of uh fire rescue overtime.

And can we have about 10 minutes, please?

Thank you.

Uh, as we get started, definitely uh want to thank the fire rescue department as well as the Department of Finance and the Office of the IBA.

We crunched a lot of uh data with all of them and did a deep dive uh on some things, and I'm glad we reached uh some actionable recommendations that were agreed to.

Fire rescue uses overtime to ensure it can respond to emergency fire and medical calls 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

And therefore, we conducted a performance audit uh with the objectives uh listed here on this slide.

Overall, we found that fire rescue manages its staffing model, work limits, and overtime tracking well.

However, we found opportunities to improve its overtime budgeting and staffing projections to help reduce the risk of overages that have impacted the general fund and may be more difficult to address in tight budget years.

We had three findings and made the six recommendations overall that will help ensure the accuracy and transparency of fire rescue's overtime budget and staffing projections, refine its relief pool calculations, and potentially reduce overtime budget overages and general fund impacts.

And fire rescue and the Department of Finance agreed to implement all six factor conditions.

And with that, I'll turn it over to the audit team for the details of what we found and recommended.

They are Principal Performance Auditor Megan Jaffrey and performance auditors Stephanie Potts and Ruth Martin.

Thank you, Andy.

My name is Megan Jaffery, Principal Performance Auditor on this project.

Our audit focused on sworn employees because they work the vast majority of fire rescue's total overtime.

Fire rescue primarily uses overtime to maintain its constant staffing level by backfilling vacancies and absences.

Overtime is a significant portion of fire rescue's budget.

In fiscal year 24, fire rescue spent about 54 million on overtime or about 15% of its total annual budget.

Additionally, the Department of Finance found that the costs of overtime and hiring new employees are generally comparable.

However, it is important to accurately budget for overtime to minimize the potential for budget overage impacts to the general fund, which is especially important in tight budget years as we are currently experiencing.

Now I'll hand it over to Stephanie to cover our first finding.

Thanks, Megan.

I am Stephanie Potts, performance auditor on this project.

In our first finding, we reviewed fire rescue's overtime budgeting.

We found that fire rescue consistently exceeded its overtime budget from fiscal year 2019 through fiscal year 2024, resulting in a total of 71.6 million dollars in overages, of which 31.8 million dollars impacted the city's general fund.

Since the period covered by our audit, which ended in fiscal year 2024, fire rescue's budget overages have continued.

In fiscal year 2025, fire rescue's overtime budget overage of 17.7 million dollars resulted in a $5.2 million general fund impact, according to the IBA.

And as of the fiscal year 2026 mid-year, fire rescue is projected to exceed its overtime budget by $6.8 million, of which $5.3 million will impact the general fund.

While unpredictable factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic explained some of fire rescue's overages, we found that they were primarily driven by over-projected staffing and under projected leave.

Significant department budget overages may affect future available city funding and may be more difficult to cover in light of the city's structural deficit.

When faced with budget overages, the city first uses anticipated savings it will realize during the year, then may rely on surplus revenues or draw from its excess equity.

If these sources are not enough, the city may take further mitigating action, such as suspending non-essential spending.

According to finance, the effects that these mitigating actions have on departments are varied but can ultimately mean they are unable unable to implement their intended programming.

We found that fire rescue consistently underestimated vacancies and leave, which accounted for 83% of its overtime budget overages on average from fiscal year 2022 through fiscal year 2024.

Fire rescue likely underestimated the costs of vacancies and leave because it has not zero-based its overtime budget since fiscal year 2019.

Fire rescue has incrementally adjusted its budget since fiscal year 2020, and its actuals have moved further from its budget over the last six years.

We also found that fire rescue's overtime budgeting methodology is not formally documented.

Formalizing its methodology would ensure budgeting consistency, transparency, knowledge transfer if there are staffing changes, and that future updates are recorded.

Another factor contributing to fire rescue's overtime budget overages was excluding salary adjustments.

Fire rescue did not request increases for a salary adjustments in its overtime budgets in four of the last five years that it received them, totaling approximately 5.6 million dollars.

In fiscal year 2024, fire rescue rectified this issue by requesting and receiving $9 million in historical salary adjustments.

To ensure the accuracy of fire rescue's overtime budget, we recommended that it refine and formally document its overtime budgeting methodology in coordination with the Department of Finance.

We also recommended that finance collaborate with fire rescue to include negotiated salary adjustments in the overtime budget to reduce the potential for future overages.

Since this report was published, finance has updated its process narrative for developing the operating budget to include this provision.

Now I'll hand it over to Ruth to discuss findings to and three.

Thank you, Stephanie.

My name is Swift Martin, performance auditor on this project.

For the second finding, we found that fire rescue should include all sworn employees in its staffing projections to more reliably determine how many academies it needs to reach full staffing and reduce overtime.

Despite fire rescue projecting that it would reach full staffing in four of the last seven years, it has consistently missed those projected dates.

Fire rescue included only employees and operations and its staffing projections instead of all sworn employee positions that are filled using its fire academies.

This is because fire rescue defines reaching full staffing as filling only vacancies and operations, as those personnel require backfill for vacancy absences and vacancies.

Not including all sworn employees in fire rescue's calculations resulted in an accurate staffing projections.

Fire rescue overestimated its number of fire academy graduates and underestimated its annuatrition in vacancies.

For example, fire rescue estimated 54 vacancies, but we found when accounting for all sworn positions that draw from the academy, fire rescue had 70 vacancies.

In November of 2024, fire rescue projected it would take two years to reach full staffing using two annual academies compared to our projection of seven years.

Projecting staffing inaccurately led fire rescue to underestimate the number of vacancies it needed to reach full staffing.

In fiscal year 2025, fire rescue gave up its third academy after projecting it would reach full staffing and as a budget mitigating strategy, saving approximately 431,000.

However, we found that fire rescue would need three annual academies to reach full staffing in two years.

Additionally, vacancies can delay promotions and have outsized financial impacts to the overtime budget.

For example, when employees in higher job classifications work overtime to fill vacancies and lower job classifications, they're more costly due to their higher salaries.

We recommended that fire rescue revives a staff and projection methodology to include all positions filled using academies to better account for its staffing needs.

We also recommend that fire rescue provides its monthly staffing reports to include all sworn positions and provide them to both the independent budget analyst and city council to improve transparency.

Lastly, during the budget process, fire rescue should analyze how its requested number of fire academies would impact overtime and staffing.

Finding three focuses on fire rescue's relief pool, which is a group of employees hired above the department's required staffing level who fill regular employee absences that would otherwise be filled using overtime.

Fire rescue has been unable to hire for its relief pool because of its staffing shortage, though when it's filled, the relief pool could reduce overtime, provide increased support during uh emergencies, and benefit the employee the firefighters who have previously reported the desire list overtime.

We also found that fire rescue should update its relief factor to account for all types of leave by job classifications using historical absence data to reduce overtime.

To ensure fire rescue's relief factor accurately accounts for its overtime needs related to backfill for employee time off, we recommended that fire rescue update its relief factor calculation in accordance with our finding.

The fire rescue department and the Department of Finance agreed to all six of our recommendations.

One recommendation appears to have been implemented, and the other five remaining process.

We presented this item at audit committee in June 11th, 2025, and the committee voted to forward this item to the city council.

This is an informational item, so no action is necessary.

This completes our presentation, and we're happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Thank you for the presentation.

Clerk, can we please proceed with any public comment?

Yes, there's no public comment here in Council Chamber going to those participating remotely.

You'll have two minutes.

I've started the five-minute timer here in Council Chambers.

Andrea Ebbing, if you can please unmute.

Hi, Sandra Ebbing.

Uh just thank you for the presentation.

Um, I too have concerns about overtime and the overages that keep on happening across the board of like fire and um and first responders.

Obviously, we need them, so it's an interesting um situation for us to work through.

But uh I do like a couple of things.

One is I do wonder about the other pay still.

So there are a lot of fire department um personnel also getting a lot very high amounts of other pay.

Um, and these are kind of concentrated instances, so it's not like everyone is like, you know, across the board in the fire department getting huge amounts of other pay and overtime.

What I've what I've seen is it feels like it kind of like inverts or it it vacillates between the two.

So somebody who's getting like a lot of overtime might get like like minimal or or a little bit less other pay, or somebody's getting a ton of other pay, isn't getting quite as much overtime.

So I just wanted to put that out there.

The other thing is um, I know we're talking about having the fire department doing like small updates at the uh stations and the facilities to um reduce cost and construction and all that stuff.

I just wonder how that's going to uh impact overtime.

Um, if we're already in this uh semi-crisis situation and dipping into reserves, I personally do like the idea of them being able to carry out like the simple tasks that um you know make sense and like don't require work orders and gas and like all the scheduling and things that go into it.

I just wonder how it's going to affect overtime if if uh if we're already stretched that thing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is the original.

If you can please unmute.

After that, we have Blair Beakman, Kathleen Lippet, and Francine Maxwell.

Please proceed.

Yes, that's interesting when you guys always kind of refer back to the days of COVID when we're talking about overtime and you know, needing more money.

And you you want to blame COVID, but it was the actions that this board took to you know, fire people that were not going to capitulate and surrender to your demands to get a bioweapon injected into their body.

And you know, during that time, there was so many people coming forward and saying that it was very negligent for you guys to do that because it's going to have a domino effect.

And here we are years later, still having to deal with the domino effect of the choices that you guys have made.

So it's negligent when you want to sit there and blame something that that wasn't what took the actions.

And you know, we shouldn't have had to lose much of the fire department, much of the police force because of this decision, because now we're having to, you know, pay for it.

And it's just, you know, how are you gonna continue to be able to make up for this?

Um, how many years is it gonna take to fill those vacancies that you know are vacant because of you guys?

You know, and then you want to come after the people for more money, like we're the ones that you know always have to make up for you know the fraud waste and abuse that occurs with people who are put in a position of power to be making decisions that are supposed to be what's best for the community.

But as we can see, it obviously has not been.

And in addition to that, much of the the time when the invasion was happening on our border, the police, the fire department, different people were out there having to go and take care of things that they and and spend more money to, you know, basically it seems as though you guys love to hide that and act like that wasn't happening, but it also took away from the communities and their ability to protect their um homes or whatever if there is a fire.

So you guys need to quit um engaging in such fraud waste and abuse and blaming other things.

Thank you for that concluding remark, Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

Uh thank you for this item.

Thanks for the words of Andrew.

Evan, I feel uh much the same.

I mean, overtime is always a really difficult issue to address.

I wish I had better sense about it to help more.

But uh I understand uh good luck that we're always how to develop better patterns of overtime uh that can serve and yet not cost an arm and a leg to do.

Uh I know the cities of Oakland and San Jose both uh they practice really well uh overtime issues, they try to and come up with good uh solutions.

They're they're they're a good reference point for yourselves uh for both fire and police.

So I just thought I mentioned those things.

Thanks a lot.

Thank you, next is Kathleen Lippett, if you can please unmute.

That's also the five-minute timer that just concluded.

We have three speakers in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Kathleen, please proceed.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Um, regarding the fire and rescue, they must respond to not just fires, but to mental health uh problems and PTSD and many of these mental health problems and emergencies are exacerbated by the absence of a practical public policy that should prevent problems like that, such as having an on-sale CUP process, conditional use permit that would allow the city to respond to some small percentage, about 10% of the oper irresponsible operators in Pacific places like Pacific Beach, where the city continues to allow more and more licenses in high already high crime and unduly concentrated liquor licenses.

So that would be one area.

The other area is the city has a tendency to can down the road instead of taking care of the problem in a timely manner when it could be done for a lot less money, such as the sewers, the sewers that were clogged because of a failure to do the ongoing maintenance that the city had the money to do and was given money to do.

And instead, the city has continually blame that on climate change, which makes no sense.

But anyway, please consider public policies as a way to mitigate some of these excessive costs, excessive costs.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you.

Next is Tasha.

Tasha Williamson, if you can please unmute, then it's Hector.

Tasha, I can't unmute for you.

You'll have to unmute yourself.

A pop-up should have come up.

And we'll have to move on to the next speaker if you can't unmute yourself.

On a positive note, let's have the uh firemen train uh academies and the police academies run for profit.

Charge them like a student, like the actual firemen and the cops charging to go through the academy because some of those guys do get accepted and they leave somewhere else.

If they stay for 10 years, they get it for free.

If they want to leave, because a lot of there's thousands of guys who want to be a fireman and women too.

So that you can just train guys, charging 50 grand, they could move to another place and get a job there too.

So it would actually make money for the for the city, and ensure the guys we train want to work here and stay here for like 10 years, then it would be free.

But if they want to leave before 10 years, they'd have to agree to pay by the month or something.

So you wouldn't just train guys because that happens in the fire department.

And the cops too.

Because you know, they get the training, we have great training, great cops, great firemen.

That'd be a way the city could actually make money and wouldn't regret people leaving because we'd actually get something about it.

And then I say up to pay.

You know, the firemen that I've known throughout the years, overtime is the job.

They want overtime because it makes it work.

It's a lot of money compared to just working by the hour there.

And it's clutch for all the people and their families.

We look forward to overtime.

So it's part of the thanks for the job, a good part of the job.

They do a great job.

So anyway, talk to you later.

Goodbye.

Thank you.

That doesn't include public comment on this item.

Thank you.

We'll now take council member questions and comments.

We'll start with the chair of our audit committee, Vivian Moreno.

Thank you.

Um, thank you for the presentation, and also uh thank you for the city auditor for doing this audit.

Um also thank you to all the firefighters uh who serve and protect the people of San Diego.

Um, thank you for agreeing to all the recommendations.

Um, I think the audit did an incredible job laying out areas of improvement to keep overage down and importantly keep our fire rescue department fully staffed.

Um, having a fully staffed fire rescue department is paramount, and making sure fire fighters are taking the necessary breaks they need, especially is especially important when doing such an intensive job.

Um, ensuring operation readiness must go hand in hand with sound budgeting.

Um it's imperative, and we want to make sure that overtime projections or overtime projection is as accurate as possible, uh, which brings into question the overtime budget of fiscal year 26.

Uh the department has exceeded budget for overtime, I think the last several years.

Uh, last June during audit committee, I asked if the department anticipated staying within the allocated fiscal year 26 budget.

Uh, and I received an answer uh from staff that the fire rescue department was committed to staying within the budget allocation for overtime.

Um, I will ask the fire rescue department.

Are we anticipated um anticipating staying within the allocated fiscal year 26 over year budget overtime budget?

Good afternoon, Council President and members of the city council.

Michelle Yamamoto, Deputy Director in Fire Rescue.

Um we are as of the mid-year, we are projecting to exceed our overtime budget by 6.8 million.

Um, that will be offset by 1.5 million in deployment revenue with the net impact to the general fund of 5.3.

Um, although we are projecting to exceed our overtime budget, we are making efforts to gradually address our overtime and reduced expenditures.

As an example, we are working to reduce our sworn staffing vacancies.

In our last academy that we graduated in December, we graduated 36 fire recruits, and we actually projected only 28.

Additionally, of those graduates, we did graduate an unprecedented number of paramedics.

So it did address the shortage of paramedics, so we are addressing that as well.

Also, we are making progress in our fire captain and fire engineer promotions.

This fiscal year as of December, we promoted 20 excuse me, 32 cap 32 engineers and 20 um captains.

We do anticipate an additional number in June.

So addressing those vacancies, we are eliminating the the fire the overtime at the higher ranks.

Lastly, we also we're halting non-essential overtime per the mayor's directive.

So we are making efforts to um uh reduce our overtime.

Thank you.

I appreciate um you answering this question.

Um I'm gonna direct the questions over to the IBA now.

Um are we anticipated staying within the allocated fiscal year 26 overtime budget for the fire rescue department?

As you heard from the fire rescue department, the anticipation per the mid year is that they will exceed the budgeted amount in the FY26 budget.

Uh, I would note that our office noted this as a very significant possibility and a real risk when the budget was actually adopted and presented to this council.

Um, as you said, council member, historically, the fire rescue department has exceeded its overtime budget because of the staff related concerns that you have heard.

Um, and happy to have any follow-up questions as well.

What is the um anticipated overage?

The anticipated overage is $6.8 million.

There is a $1.5 million expected reimbursement from the strike team uh budget, so the net overage is anticipated to be $5.3 million at the present time.

Uh that could shift as we move through the remainder of the fiscal year.

What does that mean uh for the mid-year?

For in layman's terms, what does it mean?

Uh in layman's terms, it means that in order to cover that $5.3 million, which needs to come out of the general fund somewhere, we will have to either have savings elsewhere in either the fire rescue department's budget or another department's budget, so fewer operations or increased savings there, or additional revenue coming through, although I don't think that that is particularly likely.

The mid-year is projecting lower revenue than was assumed in the adopted budget, or ultimately the city could be forced to tap into its general fund reserves to fund those amounts when we go to close out the actual year.

Okay.

Thank you for responding to my questions.

Uh recommendation 1.1 is for the department to refine its overtime budget methodology and formalize that methodology in a policy.

Uh, standard operating procedures, department instructions, or other appropriate documents, and that fire rescue use a zero-based budgeting approach at least every five years to develop its overtime budget request.

Uh the target implementation date is December 2025.

Uh staff responded in committee last year that they would have a zero-based budget implemented by the end of last year, and I would ask the department um if they have already implemented a zero-based budgeting approach.

That recommendation 1.1 is still in progress.

Um we did um draft the overtime budget policy and submit it to Department of Finance for review.

They did review the initial overarching policy.

Um they have yet to um review for refinement of the overtime budget methodology.

So until that happens, um, we won't be able to satisfy the recommendation, but it is anticipated to be completed at the end of March.

So if that once the policy is in place, the zero-based budgeting, it can be implemented possibly during the budget development process for FY27.

Thank you for that.

And do you anticipate being able to have a new process in place for the fiscal year 27 budget?

Um as I mentioned, it could possibly go into for consideration of the FY27 budget.

I defer to Department of Finance to uh respond to that.

Thank you.

Is there anybody from the Department of Finance that could respond to that?

Thank you for that.

I think I might have other questions just so you know.

Yes, we received the policy late last week.

We provided some uh recommendations and we are committed to meeting with the department in this next month to refine their methodologies in the hopes of implementing them into the uh draft budget.

Okay, so you do so you do anticipate that that is our goal, yes, for fiscal year 26.

And you receive this document two weeks ago.

Uh late last week.

Late last week, okay.

Thank you.

Um it's important to start the process of using a zero-based budgeting approach to the overtime budget requests, since this would allow us to get a clear picture of the department's needs and how many academies we truly need to fulfill uh to to fully staff the department.

Uh finding two of the audit mentioned that the fire rescue department will not reach staffing levels for seven years if we only have two fire academies.

Um does the uh department agree with this finding our fire uh rescue projections project that we would be at full staffing by mid-FY27.

Um we are tracking um to to meet that goal.

Um as of now, we're about uh less than 30 um sworn vacancies, so we do believe that we're gonna achieve full staffing at all ranks in mid-FY27.

Okay.

Um, but finding two of the audit mentioned that the fire rescue department will not reach staffing level levels for seven years if we only have two fire academies.

Do you agree with this finding or you disagree with this finding?

We disagree with that finding.

Yes, that was the auditor's assessment.

Um we believe it to um be shorter, um, in which case we are projecting it for it for it to be achieved in FY27.

Thank you.

Um, is the fire rescue adjusting their staffing calculations based on overtime projections to accurate accurately project how many fire academies are needed to get fully uh staffing levels?

Yes, we are.

Um we did include the non-fire suppression sworn vacancies.

It's in our community risk reduction division.

Uh we have started as of the past year or so, we have included those uh sworn staffing vacancies within our um projections.

Um so uh we are starting to do that.

Thank you for that.

Um I will ask the auditor.

Um, I don't think I have any more questions for you, but um if I do, well I'll I'll call on you.

Um can you share with us how you got to finding number two?

Um basically, once again, you stipul stipulated that the city of San Diego will not reach staffing levels in the fire rescue department for seven years if we only have two fire academies.

Uh sure, Stephanie Potts from our team.

Thank you.

Um we have this big calculation on slide 10.

I don't know if we're able to pull it up, but I'm happy to walk through it.

If not, um so we the factors we included in the calculation are um new hires, which come from academies, attrition, and vacancies.

Um and so to calculate our projection of anticipated new hires, which is from fire academies.

Um we used a five-year average of the number of academy graduates per academy, which would be 28 graduates per academy.

Um, and so we assume that there would be two academies per year, which is what fire rescue had been doing the few years prior to our audit or the year prior to our audit.

Um so that gives us an estimated incoming number of new hires of 52.

We subtracted annual attrition from that number of 42.

This is also a five-year average.

This includes all sworn employees, whether they're in operations or outside of operations.

Um, so these are all employees with positions that would be filled by people who have gone through the fire academy.

And then we also included the number of vacancies that fire rescue currently had.

Um at the time, fire rescue reported 54 vacancies, which is only employees, sworn employees in operations, but we also included employees that were sworn that would have come been filled by people who went through the academy who are outside of operations, which gave us 70.

So if we wrap all of those numbers up into a calculation, um we have 52 employees incoming per year, um, minus 42 employees leaving through attrition with a backlog of 70 vacancies.

So they would gain approximately 10 employees per year in our projection, and fire rescue and their projection would gain 27.

Um at the far right side of the slide, you can see that our projection resulted in seven years using two academies to reach full staffing, whereas theirs would have resulted in two years to reach full staffing with two academies.

Okay.

Well I'm hearing that the department doesn't agree with the recommendation number two, but they did agree with all the findings.

Is that correct?

Am I getting that correct?

Well, I don't want to speak for them as I as I understood it, they still agree with the recommendation.

They just don't agree with the seven years, and we went over with this with them uh a bunch of different times.

Uh so Steph just walked through it.

Um but I would also point out, in addition to what um Stephanie covered, is the the 10 net gain is based on um historical averages.

And so um that's why for the past five, six years, uh FIRE has been projecting that they'll get to full staffing, you know, in a year or two years, and it hasn't happened uh because it's overprojecting and underprojecting certain elements.

Okay.

Would you like to answer?

I don't want him to speak for that.

So we did agree to all of the findings where there's specific, yes.

We agree, oh, sorry, not the findings, but the recommendations.

So the specific recommendations that they recommended, we did agree to that.

Um we know that there was a discrepancy in the staffing.

Um, I believe there's a disclaimer, there's something in there that states that where um there was some um back and forth discussion on, um, but we did agree to uh the recommendations, just for clarification.

Got you.

I thought I heard you say you didn't agree with finding two.

Well, the staffing of the of when we would reach full staffing, that's what um we find a discrepancy in.

Okay.

Yes.

Um thank you for that.

That that comes that's the end of my questions, and thank you, Chief, for being here.

Um, always appreciate uh you always being um available.

Umless you unless you want to say anything, I don't I don't mean to cut you off.

We're good.

Okay.

Um I absolutely appreciate all the work that the fire rescue department does in the city of San Diego.

I think that goes without saying, and I'm happy we're having this discussion to better meet the needs essentially of our firefighters.

That's what it boils down to.

These men and women have been working um overtime.

Um obviously it impacts the budget, which is an issue for the council, or I should say for me as a council member, I will speak for myself.

Um, but it really truly impacts uh the men and women um in our fire department and their families.

Um so I look forward um to seeing all the recommendations implemented uh which will better forecast the fire uh rescue department's overtime needs for the next year's budget.

Um I'm still I'm left a little confused still to be honest with you guys, uh, but I think this is why we have audits uh and we get to peel the um the onion a little bit uh more here at the city council level.

Um so I appreciate everybody's willingness to um move forward with this.

Sure.

And and as you know, uh Chair Moreno, of course, um we will follow up on this during recommendation follow up.

It sounds like they did make some at least some changes to their methodology.

Um so we'll you know have a chance to review those when they submit them, it sounds like in a few months.

Thank you.

Um thank you, uh Council President Pro Tem.

Thank you, Councilmember Moreno.

And as a reminder, this is an informational item, so no motion is required.

Uh clerks working on ensuring our um names are accurate up here.

Uh so thank you for Council Murray von Wilper for flagging the things are swapped around.

Uh so the next person who's on the lights, I don't want to make an assumption because I think the names are flipped.

Is it council member Foster?

No.

Is that Councilmember Whitburn?

Yeah.

It might be Councilmember Von Wilbert, unless there was someone else on the lights.

Okay.

My apologies.

Thank you all for working with.

I can't see it up here, but uh the names are mixed around.

So we'll get it, we'll get it right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh thank you.

Yeah, when I press the button, Lakava shows up, and he's clearly not here, but um thank you very much for the audit and for the presentation today.

Um Councilmember Moreno asked a lot of the questions that we had as well.

Thank you for asking these thorough questions.

Thank you for the fire department for being here as well.

Um, you know, the police department's also going through its own overtime nay uh reassessment to make sure that we are trying to keep our costs down.

I had a very similar question to Council Moreno about whether or not we're gonna be able to achieve full staffing if we don't have three academies this year.

But we're saying that we do think we can achieve full staffing based on the two academies.

Okay.

Um I also do want to recognize the significant changes that the fire department has made in our EMS system, which I help oversee is the public safety chair.

Um they've done an incredible amount of work changing our to the alliance model, which is now bringing in revenue to the city into our EMS fund, which the general fund is now taking.

So I do want to recognize that the fire uh the fire department is also bringing money into the general fund that was supposed to be for the fire department and our paramedic system and our paramedic training system, but due to our budget uh deficits, it's being swept in the general fund.

So that can also offset some of the issues that you're seeing with overtime.

That said, I also wanted to ask, and and uh the chief knows that I care deeply about having women in our firefighting service very deeply, and our latest pay equity study from 2022 shows the fire department actually has the lowest percentage of women of any department in the entire city.

It's only four percent.

And I know that we have to cut back on overtime because they're given this study, however, it's in term times there are what I believe to be needed uh overtime, including the women's fire prep academy.

And so I'm just requesting that that can be restored uh in the budget process.

It's only requiring six firefighters to work overtime, six weekends a year, I think.

Uh and yes, could people come down to a station, learn how to throw a ladder, learn how to get on the truck pull a hose, they can.

But if that were working, we'd have more women in the fire department.

I know that 27 women have been hired on to our fire department because of the women's fire prep academy.

And that to me is worth the six officers doing overtime.

Um I have been told they tried to volunteer once they heard this was cut.

We cannot have them volunteer while being on city equipment and rigs.

They have to be working for workers' comp issues.

So Chief, I'm gonna be pushing for that in the budget process to get that restored.

It's the only thing I've seen that's actually worked to get women in our fire department.

Um historically, it has been very hard.

And so my heart was pretty broken when I saw that this was cut um this year.

So I'll be pushing on that going forward.

But thank you very much.

Thank you.

I my questions were already asked, uh, they were fantastic, but thank you for working on this and trying to get oh look, your name came up.

It worked, uh, and trying to actually get our overtime on a schedule that will keep our cost down.

So thank you.

Thank you.

We'll turn next to council member Foster.

Uh yes, thank you.

Um, and thank you for the discussion.

I think we all can agree that um we really need to address our overtime utilization, not only for fire, but uh for our all of our public safety um departments.

Um and part of that is us making sure that you have the resources that you need to fill.

Um so appreciate all the efforts and and um I guess my question is as I look at this audit, it does say that you um agree, um, but help me to understand um when we say create a policy, what is that facilitating document and where do they lie in the on the web page or where can someone go and see what that policy or where your policies exist uh for something of this nature?

So the audit recommended um a written documented um policy procedure, something written that documented the overtime methodology.

Um we in turn drafted a budget policy that described how our overtime budget was developed, so it explains all of the components that go into our overtime.

Um we categorize all of our overtime into specific categories.

It describes um the definition, what goes into that, how it's calculated in as in a general methodology sense.

And so we did draft that policy, submit it to Department of Finance, um, and so they have that they've reviewed the overarching policy.

However, if any refinement to the over overtime methodology is needed, they will suggest any edits, in which case we will update the the policy and then implement accordingly.

So is this a department of finance policy or is it owned by fire rescue?

Who's the owner of the document and where is it?

Because it seems like there's other policies in here as well with the recommendations.

Um I think that you guys agree to.

I'm trying to understand.

I'll use the San Diego Police Department.

You can go to their website, they have a full list of policies, procedures, um, and where certain things are stored.

So if someone wants to know what is the excessive use of forest policy or de-escalation policy or certain things, they can go and see them.

So I'm trying to understand ownership and um where these things will be housed and who's responsible.

So the policy will be housed within our department.

Um it is our policy, but it it will be stamped as an approval by DOF as the official methodology to develop our budget.

So the policy will reside in our department, but as agreed upon by the Department of Finance, who coordinates the overall city budget development process.

Okay.

Uh still a little unclear, Andy.

Uh, maybe we have some more dialogue to understand how this is going to be set up with how what the transparency looks like in how we um deal with this because kind of sounds like we're moving into a different space in regards to transparency and development of of said policy.

So I look forward to some additional dialogue to have a better understanding.

Also, I think Chief, as my colleague has mentioned, expressing concerns about women in our ranks.

I was told over the weekend I had a conversation in regards to a new grant or something that is available that specifically I know there's an organization that is going to apply for that grant, has already reached out to Southwestern community college in the program there, but it is specific to women in firefighting.

So I'll be reaching out to see if I can at least have a kind of a meet and greet to so you can kind of bring your expertise and to understand what the organization is doing, and maybe there's some synergies there that can that can help out as we are trying to look at making opportunities available and being inclusive.

Okay.

Sounds great.

All right.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I believe that concludes comments from council members and as a reminder, this is an informational item only, and no motion is required.

And that concludes item that item.

Click will introduce item 608.

Item 608 is the resolution of the Council of the City of San Diego in opposition to unnecessary aggressive and excessive tactics used by federal immigration enforcement authorities throughout the United States and in support of litigation seeking to curb and prevent these atrocious actions.

If you'd like to speak on these on this item, please be sure to submit your speakership to the front of the room in the clear box.

And or if you're participating remotely, now's the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President Proton.

Thank you.

I think I'll start by turning this over to my colleagues, whom I believe have at least some comments as we begin the item.

Uh, starting first with Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Uh thank you very much, uh, Council President Pro Tem, and thank you to the my colleagues for joining me on this.

Um we don't have a PowerPoint presentation today because the resolution itself is actually in the um online on the agenda and docketed so everybody can read it for themselves.

But I will just make a few comments about why it is important that we bring this resolution forward today.

We I grew up here in San Diego, and I've always known it to be a vibrant binational city and a place built on the contributions of citizens and immigrants alike, uh, refugees and neighbors from around the world.

Our strength comes from our diversity and our shared humanity in this city, and our collective commitment to fairness and dignity and the rule of law.

And as the chair of the public safety committee here in San Diego, I know that excessive force and chaos do not make our community safer.

All it does is erode trust and undermine real public safety.

Government power must be exercised with restraint, with accountability, and respect for human dignity, not through fear or chaos that put us further at risk.

Immigration custom enforcement, also known as ICE, has deployed operations both here in San Diego and other parts of California and other parts of the nation, such as Minneapolis, that have left people dead and communities realize reeling from the chaos.

The federal agencies, including U.S.

immigrations, ICE Customs Enforcement, and the Border Patrol have responsibility to protect public safety while also respecting our constitution.

When federal agents create fear in our neighborhoods, when they target people based on how they look or sound, when they appear driven by quotas or financial incentives to arrest people on our streets, it damages that vital trust in our community and makes us all less safe.

True public safety requires equal protection, due process, and accountability under the law.

Anything less undermines the very constitutional principles these federal agencies are sworn to uphold.

And the harm in the chaos that Donald Trump's federal agents are causing in our communities is hurting us here at home.

So you can see in the recitals of our resolution.

We state that on Friday, May 30th, 2025, in the middle of a busy evening service, ICE agents conducted a work site immigration enforcement action at Votena Forchetta in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego.

A large contingent of armed federal agents carrying military grade equipment arrived in tactical vehicles to this restaurant.

They deployed flash bang devices and took aggressive dispersal actions, which drew widespread public panic and caused them to call 911 and our police officers to have to show up to this scene.

That's pulling them away from their real duties of actually investigating real crime.

The unlawful federal immigration enforcement tactics have also impacted public's trust in state and local law enforcement.

Deteriorating public trust in local law enforcement has serious long-term consequences to all of our public safety.

It suppresses the reporting and prosecution of actual crime, including crimes committed against citizens and immigrants alike.

Aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics also exhaust our state and local resources.

We do not have the budget or the time to be cleaning up after ICE's messes.

When they call 911, so our actual police officers have to show up.

Many people don't realize this.

The federal agents and our police officers do not share our radio frequency.

There's no special phone number that ICE calls.

ICE actually calls 911, like the rest of us, when they want help from our SDPD, and often gives them very little information about what our STPD is showing up to.

And then it's very difficult for the rest of us when all they see is pictures of police cars next to ICE cars.

And of course, people are justifiably confused about whether or not our police officers have participated in this.

We have actually one of our police lieutenants on the line to answer questions, but this is what they do.

They call 911.

I personally listened to the 911 dispatch transcripts.

Moreover, on December in December 2025, the federal government initiated something, quote, operation metro surge, calling for the mass deployment of federal immigration enforcement agents into the twin cities of Minneapolis and St.

Paul.

After weeks of escalation, the nation witnessed the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Maclingood, a 37-year-old mother of three children by an ACE age ACE by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026.

Less than three weeks later, on January 24th, 2026, federal agents shot and killed.

I'm sorry, she was killed in 2025.

On January 24, 2026, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretty, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Mr.

Pready was reportedly helping a bystander who was shoved by the ground by federal agents moments before he was pepper sprayed, violently pulled to the ground, and shot 10 times.

On January 12, 2026, the state of Minnesota and the twin cities of Minneapolis and St.

Paul filed a lawsuit in the U.S.

District Court for the District of Minnesota against the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies and officials, asking the court to end the unprecedented surge of DHS agents into the state and declare their behavior unconstitutional and unlawful.

On that same date on January 12, 2026, the state of Illinois and the cities of Chicago filed a lawsuit against DHS and the Trump administration officials over the alleged unlawful and dangerous tactics used by ICE and CBP agents in their cities.

This is not law enforcement.

Today, my colleagues and I have brought forward a resolution for the council's consideration highlighting a few of many of the tragic and terrorizing events that have taken place at the hands of these agencies under the direction of President Donald Trump.

This resolution today makes clear that this council adamantly opposes the inhumane, unjust, and unconstitutional tactics taken at the behest of the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

Additionally, this resolution explicitly supports the efforts of the states of Minnesota and Illinois and their respective cities to address the actions of the Trump administration's aggressive and unjust and unlawful immigration enforcement tactics and authorizes the Office of the City Attorney on our behalf to file or join amicus curi briefs, take alternative actions to support the governments of Minneapolis, of Minnesota and Illinois and their cities, St.

Paul and Minneapolis.

Somebody asked me earlier today if this is merely a symbolic action.

And our constitutional rights are not symbolic.

Our rights to the Fourth Amendment prohibition on unreasonable search and seizure are real.

And so I want to thank my colleagues, Councilmember Ila Rivera and Councilman Moreno for joining in this resolution.

And I'll now turn it over to Councilmember Ila Vera.

Thank you, Councilmember Von Wilpert.

Appreciate your invitation to join this resolution, and thank you, Councilmember Moreno, for joining us as well.

I will preface these comments by not apologizing, but contextualizing the frustration and anger and sadness you are likely to hear my voice, which is born from the real life experiences of my constituents.

And people who are close to me who I care about deeply, who've been impacted by what we we are we have seen and what we are seeing.

The scenes that we are witnessing in Minnesota are shocking, but they are not shocking because they are unforeseen.

Communities here in San Diego have been living with abusive behavior by ICE and border patrol for years.

And those abuses grew in number, intensity, and brazenness almost the second the Trump administration took office for the second time.

Parents in San Diego have been dragged from their cars while picking up or dropping off their children at school.

People who are following the legal process have shown up for their day in court only to met with only to be met with dirty legal maneuvers and handcuffs.

I've cried with neighbors and friends who have described the fear that now pervades their daily lives.

The way that parents and neighborhoods.

Across the country, we've seen federal agents kill Americans in broad daylight, followed by an official effort to deny or minimize what the publicly the public plainly witnessed, and then to smear the names of the people who were killed, Renee Good and Alex Predy.

We've seen children used as leverage, placed in harm's way, or used as live bait to draw parents into arrest.

And we've seen this administration repeatedly test, defy, and outright ignore court orders meant to restrain its actions.

And these are not isolated incidents, they are flashing alarm signals.

ICE and Border Patrol are operating not as neutral law enforcement agencies, but as a paramilitary arm of the Trump regime.

They're being deployed to not to keep communities safe, but to terrorize entire neighborhoods and to intimidate anyone who dares to bear witness, speak out, or stand in dissent.

What we are seeing in Minnesota and Illinois, what we saw in Los Angeles, and what we are seeing here in San Diego is not about immigration policy.

It's about power, it's about punishment, it's about crushing opposition through fear.

I want to say how I admire the courage of the everyday people in Minnesota and Illinois and Los Angeles and here in San Diego and across the country who have stood face to face with armed masked agents to protect their neighbors and demand that basic human and constitutional rights be respected.

That is extraordinary courage that is essential to maintaining this country as a democracy, and it's unacceptable that regular ordinary people are being forced into that position at all.

The actions we are taking today, and the actions previously taken by this council, by the city attorney and the mayor, do matter.

They send a signal, they build a record, and they establish moral clarity.

And we also have to be honest with ourselves and the public.

Training requirements have declined.

And the agency agencies are being led with malignant intent.

Under those conditions, reform is not a serious answer.

ICE, as it currently exists, should not exist at all.

The agents who have committed crimes must be prosecuted, and we must begin grappling with accountability in a broader sense, including whether individuals who chose to participate in these agencies during this period of abuse should ever be entrusted with public employment in our city.

I, for one, do not believe they should.

I believe public trust depends on that.

So I'm proud to partner with you, Councilmember Von Wilpert, and Councilmember Moreno, in bringing forward this resolution, knowing it is certainly not the end of our responsibility, but another step in a longer struggle to move from condemnation to accountability and from justifiable fear to justice.

San Diego does need to continue to lead, and that needs to be uh not solely in words, but also in action, and we need to be prepared to do more when the moment demands it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I believe that is the conclusion of the present, or would we turn to Councilmember Reno?

Thank you.

Um thank you to Councilmember uh Marnie Von Wolpert and Councilmember Sean Elo Rivera for collaborating with my office on this resolution.

Um I'm greatly disappointed and also heartbroken in our current federal administration and the Department of Homeland Security with the recent violent ICE raids that have occurred not only in San Diego but throughout the whole nation.

We began the 2026 year with two lives that were taken at the high at the hands of ICE in Minnesota.

Their names were Renee Good and Alex Pready.

My heart and condolences goes out to the families and the loved ones of these two victims.

Um here in San Diego, ICE agents have inflicted violence and terror in our community.

Just last year, a parent was ripped from his car while dropping off his small child near an elementary school in City Heights.

Another parent was was pulled into an unmarked van while waiting to pick up his child from Linda Vista Elementary School.

Now, as a mother of a young child, I can't even imagine the terror those families faced and are facing.

Actions like these have been taken by ICE are simply inhumane, unconstitutional, and are not welcomed in San Diego.

It has led to drastic terror in my communities, impacting parents, children, seniors, and even people who were born here in the U.S.

I know of friends who are carrying their passport.

This has led to a lack of public trust in state and local government and also law enforcement.

Here in the city of San Diego, we've partnered with our local enforcement.

We have asked our local enforcement to go out into our communities, and they've responded, and they have gone out.

But what we've been seeing the past few months has been detrimental to the public's trust in our law enforcement.

And enough is enough.

America deserves better.

And I am very proud to be partnering on this resolution and to be able to speak out.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Clerk, can we please proceed with public comment?

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

We do have several speakers here in person and on the virtual on the virtual queue.

If you can please come up to the yellow reserve seats in the front, it will be going to a minute per person, starting with uh Jean Wong, if you can please come to the podium.

William Cardin, Marissa Burke, Nadine Miller, and Andy Coop, if you can all please come up to the yellow reserve seats.

And we'll start with Jean.

Hello, and thank you.

Well, congratulations on your baby.

Um, as Mayor Brandon Johnson from Chicago said this Saturday, nobody is above the law.

There's no such thing as an absolute immunity in America.

That principle that no agent or agency is above the law must apply everywhere, including San Diego.

And this brave mayor uh put ICE and HSI on notice boldly.

I want to be very clear supporting this resolution does not replace the need for a direct conversation with Mayor Todd Glory and Chief Wall.

ICE and HSI have openly admitted repeatedly that they do not intend to follow state law, sanctuary law, or even basic standards of identification.

When an agency claims authority but refuses to follow the law, they are no longer acting as a law enforcement.

They have become a danger to the public, and when that danger is known, our response cannot be vague, passive, or reactive.

It must be clear, preventive, and rooted in protecting a human life.

Thank you for that concluding comment.

I I have seated one minute.

I seated my minute here.

What is your name?

Jean Wong.

Please continue.

Thank you.

SB 54 says San Diego Police Department does not assist ICE or HSI, but clarity matters.

SDPD also does not assist bank robbers.

Yet they would never stand by, control traffic, or provide cover when a robbery is happening with assistance to facilitate the robbery.

It's literally the same exact thing.

They are breaking laws, and San Diego police department is watching them do so.

Here's the real question.

If a family's asleep and someone violently breaks into their hall home, do they call 911?

And if SDPD arrives and determines that it's ICE or HSI, what happens next?

Will officers verify judicial warrant?

Will they ensure that no one in the house is being harmed, especially kids being traumatized, which they are?

Or will they demand identification or require agents?

Or will they just step aside and allow these atrocities to continue?

We need to know.

Our officers need to know.

Our community deserves to know.

This resolution is a start, but clarity, accountability, and direct conversation are not optional.

This is urgent.

Thank you, thank you for that concluding comment.

William Carden.

After that is Marissa Burke.

My name is William Cardin.

I live in Council District 7.

Congratulations, uh, Councilmember Campio.

Um, I support this resolution to curb and prevent the violent actions of ICE, but as written, I'd like to add that the language of the resolution is insufficient.

It doesn't clearly define the role of SDPD in ICE encounters, and it does not explicitly prohibit performs of assistance to ICE.

And assistance can include transporting residents on behalf of ICE or DHS, providing traffic control, or it can include contracts or agreements that enable ICE to operate in San Diego.

We've already seen how policy ambiguities can work when the city of Escondir City of Escondida reportedly allowed ICE to train on a police firing range under a contract that the mayor and city council claimed they were unaware of.

We didn't know will not be an acceptable excuse in San Diego.

In the last two weeks, I've witnessed an unmescaped unmistakable message from San Diego residents at rallies and public events, and the message is that ICE is not welcome in San Diego in any capacity.

So it's to be clear I support the immediate adoption of item 608, and I urge this council to append its language to explicitly prevent the case.

Thank you.

Marissa Hi, thank you.

I support this resolution, opposing the violent actions of ICE agents and supporting litigation to curb and prevent those actions.

But a resolution without clear without clear without clearly being defined, limit and having limits on local participation is not sufficient.

It leaves too much room for interpretation and too much risk for residents and communities that are already experiencing disproportionate ICE activity.

As Tom Holman publicly signals a more aggressive expansion of immigration enforcement, San Diego must be explicit now about the role of the SDPD in ICE in ICE encounters, especially in communities that are already considered high risk for ICE operations.

I know some will urge that SDPD must cooperate with ICE in the name of public safety, or that local law enforcement has no authority to intervene when ICE agents are present.

That is not accurate.

California law already draws a clear line between federal immigration enforcement and local policing.

This council has the authority to define how SDPD resources are used and how they are not used.

Thank you for that concluding comment.

Nadine Miller.

After Andy Coop, it'll be Ramses and then Blair Beekman.

If you can please start making your way up to the yellow reserve system.

Please proceed.

It's a one-minute right.

Yeah, one minute.

Thank you.

Uh hey y'all, my name's Nadine.

Um, I don't know if y'all tells y'all that I'm not from here.

I moved to San Diego a couple of years ago, but y'all might not be Southern the way that I'm Southern, but y'all are still Southern and y'all love your neighbor.

And one of the things I love about San Diego, and one of the reasons I'm still here is because of how all these little neighborhoods treat each other.

And talking about all these amendments is kind of above my pay grade, but I do know if we get some more explicit language in here, like some of these other people have said, I think it'll make a lot of us feel a lot safer here.

I'd like to stay here.

I'd like my friends to stay here.

I'd like to keep knowing who my neighbor is.

I'd like my neighbor to be able to trust where their kids are going.

And um, can I also just say as a personal trainer, everybody thinks they can do my job and nobody does my job as well as I do.

San Diego police get far more training than ICE does.

Nobody can do their job as good as they can.

And I think that if you guys can make this more specific, people in my community who did not back the blue will back the blue because they feel backed by them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Andy.

Andy Cobb.

You have people seeding you time.

Nicole Johnson, if you can please raise your hand.

Thank you.

Michael Vera, Michael, if you can please raise your hand.

Lucy Fox Devil, thank you.

And Shelley Williams.

You'll have five minutes, please proceed.

Thank you.

And thank you for bringing this forward.

My name is Andy Cobb, and I'm a veteran of the United States Navy.

I'm here today to offer support of the resolution before you and felt particularly compelled to be here as a veteran to honor Alex Pready, who was killed by federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis a little over a week ago.

As we learned of his killing, we also learned that Alex was an intensive care unit nurse at the VA hospital in Minneapolis and a union member of the American Federation of Government Employees.

And as a veteran, it's important to me that we acknowledge those last two facts.

Over the last year, in addition to the escalation of immigration tactics across the country, this current administration has attacked, demeaned, intimidated, and laid off unionized federal workers without concern for department and agency missions.

And in some cases, their efforts have been meant to undermine those missions entirely.

And so it was in this last year that we've seen an effort toward worker solidarity that is unprecedented in the modern era.

That solidarity is borne out over and over by unions coming to the protection in support of veterans like myself, my wife, and my friends.

Unions were an organizing force of the nationwide hands-off protests in April.

Weeks after that, unions led by the National Nurses United organized it via medical centers across the country to continue protesting cuts to essential health care workers and services supporting veterans.

And again in June, the Union Veterans Council of the FLCIO organized the Unite for Veterans Rally on the National Mall, followed by a national tour of leadership by AFGE to protect the VA from cuts to veteran services and the workers who provide them.

And so Alex Predy wasn't just a man on the street, and he wasn't just a person who put himself between a neighbor in harm's way.

He wasn't just a union nurse who worked at the VA.

Alex Pready was the embodiment of the idea that our humanity derives from our belief in each other, our willingness to speak protect each other, and our endeavor to work in solidarity with each other.

In that vein, I want to recall this body's relatively recent history and ask for your consideration of this resolution.

In August of 2020, this body called another special session to advance a similar resolution in the face of extreme and unconstitutional tactics by federal law enforcement agents, attempting to suffocate the rising spirit of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Along with my friend, the late Greg Bloch, who so many of you remember from local civic affairs, we joined the staff presentation by the Office of Councilmember Georgia Gomez and with the support of then Councilmember Chris Ward.

In our presentation, Craig and I noted the efforts of San Diego's elected to rein in the use of so-called less than lethal munitions, as well as efforts to require federal law enforcement identification in the line of duty.

We noted the breadth of federal law enforcement agencies that had taken to our streets as de facto national police forces.

We noted the new fears of white Americans catching up to the old experiences of life in America as a person of color.

And we noted, and this is particularly true as I have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, that so many of their actions are prohibited on foreign battlefield, and thus we cannot tolerate them on American streets.

All these actions and concerns and behaviors that we must reject return to America with staggering ferocity.

And today I ask consideration of amendments to the action items of this resolution.

Those amendments include the following.

And four, this council requests the office of the city attorney draft legal memos as a sufficient for SDPD to monitor the activities of federal law enforcement agencies when on city streets and other non-building city areas and to respond to violations of the law by federal law enforcement agencies as appropriate, including to intervene and detain as necessary to prevent violation of our citizens' civil rights.

Today is an opportunity to advance a far more robust position than a tailored writ to support legal actions being pursued in other states.

Every instance of an untargeted operation in our streets may be an opportunity to bring a case under the Tenth Amendment as necessary.

Every instance of a civil rights violation may be an opportunity to bring a case challenging the official duties test and the clearly established standard undergirding qualified immunity.

Every instance of a civil rights violation ought to be weighed against provisions of incitement and disturbing the peace such that we are protected by local law enforcement when the encroachment of federal law enforcement provokes both.

You are here having found yourselves being asked to serve in a tremendously perilous moment in our history.

I will say again, as I did before this body back in 2020, that like you, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and that I would bear true faith in allegiance to the document of the foundation of this union.

To bear true faith is to give honest testimony, loyal testimony as a matter of duty.

Thank you so much.

Ramseys.

And it's a criminal organization.

Whether you want to look at the finances, whether you want to look at how it's treating our people, it's a criminal organization.

And all people that have been seeing the same videos that we have and make the choice to go join ICE, they should be held accountable for that choice.

And whether that means criminally prosecuting the ones that come in abuse or not, we need to be doing whatever we can.

And what that means is we also need to be having SDPD officers following these agents around because what we know about what's going on is only what we know from volunteer reporters having to put their lives on the line and put themselves in front of armed men with no immunity to hold them, hold them safe.

So protect these people and use SEP's resources.

For that concluding remark, Blair Weekman.

Hi, Blair Beekman.

I'm really interested how thank you very much for this item, by the way.

Um, how you can be talking directly with federal government agencies and persons and you know, these federal positions about their the way they work.

Can we talk about de-escalation and demilitarization when they work?

If they're gonna work at all, we can talk about that too.

Um, I know Berkeley, way back when in 2017 18.

Uh, they ICE were doing the same thing, same awful tactics back then.

Berkeley really sat down and said, you guys can't do this anymore.

Like what happened uh here in North Park in May.

We set a course and we said you can't work this way, and it worked.

And I hope you really directly know how to talk and set a standard, how we work in San Diego.

That can spread across the country.

Look what they did in the Bay Area.

They said no to ICE agents.

They left because they gave them good reasoning why they shouldn't be there.

Man, we gotta create good examples.

Let's really practice.

Good luck to our efforts.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm sorry the five-minute timer.

I'm going to those participating remotely.

We currently have 26 people in the queue.

It will be one minute each.

Nobody here is okay Patty, if you can please unmute.

Thank you.

Patricia Mondragon for Alliance San Diego.

We appreciate the intent of this resolution.

It elevates stated values by opposing excessive force tactics used by the administration and authorizes the city attorney to support litigation in Illinois and Minnesota.

Those statements matter, but they do not materially change conditions for communities here in San Diego.

We have seen a surge of immigration arrests by 1,500% in San Diego.

Real harm is happening in your districts every day.

At a moment when this council has real authority to act locally, symbolism is not enough.

You can pass the due process safety ordinance and direct clear police protocol protocols for responding to federal requests for assistance.

Critically, you can take immediate steps to end the city's contract with FLOC and remove immigration enforcement agencies from accessing RJF.

These tools enable information sharing that are putting San Diego's communities at risk.

There you go.

All right, thanks for taking my call.

Well, I'm like the opposite of that.

I'm for mass rapid deportation committee in San Diego.

Anyone here illegally has got to go.

And they gotta go rapidly.

I'm all for ICE.

I'm for having ICE give gift cards to Phil's barbecue.

We need we need the marine court to protect ICE from the angry mob.

The angry mob is suffering like you guys are from Trump derangement syndrome.

The therapy session will include putting on the Make America Great Again hat and walking around town for a week.

That might cure you from that Trump derangement thing.

These guys gotta go.

Take your thousand dollars and go.

Who is having your kids suffer?

If you don't want kids to suffer, go back to your country and talk to your family.

Take them back with you, man.

We've got to start this game over.

Take our city back, man.

There's 20,000 guys here illegally.

They gotta go, man.

Thank you.

Next speaker is um Pragati, if you can please unmute.

Hi, this is Pragati.

I know there's a lot of people, so I'll be quick.

Um top of the current resolution.

I urge the council to make an unannounced audit of the Ote Mesa, Otai Mesa detention facility.

Um, this is a for-profit facility run by core civic with government grants.

Um, a lot of the detainees are malnourished, they're in overcrowded pods, and they have had to wait more than a year to even see a lawyer.

They need $10 to even make a phone call.

I urge uh you to make an unannounced audit.

Also to give detainees unlimited phone calls.

Why do we have to pay for phone calls?

That ends up uh that ends up putting the cost on us to give them legal representation.

So that is my comment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Connor Duncan, if you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you.

Uh, we've heard you know some of the awful things that these agents have been doing, and unfortunately, it's just the tip of the iceberg.

There's cases out of Chicago, ICE agents making an illegal U-turn and crashing into a U.S.

citizen, getting out of the car with weapons drawn, and arresting her for crashing into her.

Isn't that nice?

Uh, agent Isaiah Anthony Hodgson, who got into a violent drunken altercation with Long Beach police uh when he was detained, said, Hey, I'm law enforcement, I'm not a civilian.

And that just shows their exact mentality.

Two-tiered system, uh, and they think they can act with total impunity.

It is about damn time that we show them that that's not true and put the foot down.

Uh, I am also eager to hear some of our other uh frequent virtual commentators uh who are standing up to government overreach and abuse.

Uh, and I'm looking forward to uh uh their their loud support of this measure for consistency's sake.

We'll see.

Viani Uva Robacalua, if you can please unmute.

Hey, good afternoon, uh council members.

I'm a resident of district three.

I was born in National City and I'm a daughter of Mexican immigrants.

Um, I have family on both sides of the border, and I want to thank the council members for bringing this item forth.

I do want to add um that we need a clearer policy to prohibit SCPD from cooperation.

Um ICE is applying a tremendous overreach far beyond the lawful authority of its state agency, and it shouldn't exist at all.

This council has the power to stop ICE's overreach in its tracks by prohibiting cooperation by SDPD, including handing over any data from the street light cameras and license plate readers.

So I urge you all to consider either amending the resolution or passing the appropriate ordinance and taking concrete steps to curbing this overreach.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nexus Sierra, if you can please unmute Sarah Crow, I can unmute.

There you go.

Hi, my name is Diara Croha.

I'm a resident of District 2.

I support the resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents, and I support litigation to curb and prevent these actions.

I ask you to take it a step further and clearly state the role of SDPD in ICE encounters before Tom Holman's aggressive assault on San Diego begins.

Please explicitly state in this resolution what it means for SDPD not to assist ICE.

We ask that that include not transporting residents for ice and not supporting with traffic control for ice.

We also ask that SEPD protect the residents of San Diego by intervening when an ICE agent assaults them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is uh dog, if you can please unmute.

I can unmute for you.

Yes, ma'am.

Hi, it's Devin Turk.

I apologize.

Uh, yes, so I support this resolution opposing a necessarily aggressive and excessive federal immigration enforcement tactics, supporting litigation of Kirby's actions.

I also urge the council to clarify San Diego's local role, specifically that SDPD does not participate in civil immigration enforcement consistent with California sanctuary law and existing state policy.

Please explicitly state that SDPD will not transport residents on behalf of ICE as local resources should be reserved for city public safety priority, not federal civil enforcement.

I ask for confirmation that SDPD will not provide logistic support, such as traffic control and perimeter assistance for ICE operations or civil immigration actions rather than criminal investigations.

The city should ensure transparency by directly by directing the city attorney of SDPD leadership to provide a clear public summary of current department policy during ICE encounters.

So residents understand their rights and what local officers can and cannot do.

Thank you.

Next is Charlie, if you can please unmute.

Hello, council members.

My name is Charles Chapman.

I'm a member resident of District 2.

My first time here.

Thank you for all you are doing.

Thank you for all you continue to do.

Thank you for hearing our comments.

I too support the resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents and support litigation to curb and prevent these actions.

I ask you to take it a step further to clearly state the role of STPD in ICE encounters before Tom Holman's aggressive assault on San Diego begins or continues.

Please explicitly state in this resolution what it means for SDPD to not assist ICE.

We ask that that includes not transporting residents for ICE and not supporting with traffic control for ICE.

We also ask that SD SDPD protect the residents of San Diego by intervening when an ICE agent inevitably assaults them.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nexus Cambra.

If you can please unmute.

The five-minute timer also concluded.

We had uh 20 speakers in the queue when it concluded.

We now have 19.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Please proceed.

Hi there.

My name is Cambra.

I live in District 3.

I also support this resolution.

Like others who've spoken before me, including our council members.

I am horrified at the ongoing violence and unconstitutional actions of ICE agents in Minnesota in Oregon here in California and throughout the U.S.

I support litigation to curb and prevent further unconstitutional actions on the part of federal agents.

I also agree with previous commenters who have asked you, those who have been elected to represent us, your public, to further clarify and add explicit statements to this resolution that clearly delineate the role of our police force when our neighbors inevitably encounter ice in our streets, in their homes, in their places of work.

SDPD's commitment is to the residents of our city, our neighbors.

They must serve and protect us, the public.

If you can please unmute 1733.

If you can there you go.

Hello?

Yes, please proceed.

Hi, my name is uh Yeah, my name is Jonathan, and um I was actually calling in today um for the fact that I have a I'm an IT guy and a nerd, and I have an actual solution.

Um that could fix all of this, everything that we talked about.

Uh it'll fix the budget over time, everything.

It also um will definitely um be able to remove ICE.

Uh I also need it is I'm actually embarrassed of our legal system and then and the justice system, but I cannot find a lawyer.

I've been trying for three months to get a hold of a lawyer so maybe they could take this case because the contract that ICE and the president uh had signed is null and void.

But um that that's because I've done government contracts for 23 years.

I know how they work.

Um, but I need to speak to somebody about that as well as just present the solution that has zero weapons, it utilizes what we already have and it saves our budget.

City, state, and national, uh, between 50 and 87 percent uh annually after necessity uh items.

I just don't have anybody to talk to nobody to listen to me, and I don't get called back.

And uh that does conclude your time and Wendy Castro.

If you can please unmute Wendy Castro, I can unmute for you.

Yeah.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Hi, uh, my name is Wendy Castro.

Um, from District One, and I want to thank the council members that brought up this resolution.

And I just wanted to say that I support the resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents and support litigation to curb and prevent these actions.

I've been living in San Diego for 17 years.

We are a border town.

Millions of people cross our border every day to come to work.

And I really condemned all these unconstitutional actions by ICE.

And would like them to go further and actually clearly state the role of San Diego PD because San Diego PD should be keeping us, the residents of San Diego, safe and not assisting ICE.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Peach, if you can please unmute.

Hi there.

And thank you.

Um now is the time to speak up and out against the unconstitutional actions of ICE.

As a city called San Diego, we have a duty to stand up for our neighbors and friends who are being targeted by ICE.

Not adapting this resolution would be embarrassing for us as a city now and in the future as people look back on this time in history.

How dare we use the already extremely limited funds of this city to support ICE in their reign of terror?

If we can't afford free parking in our city's gem of a park, we certainly cannot afford to support or clean up after ice.

I also echo the call for an unannounced audit of the conditions in the OTA Mesa facility and remain concerned about the people detained there and the money spending.

I hope we can all have the bravery of Renee and Alex.

And I also want to ensure we remember Keith Porter Jr., who was shot and killed in Los Angeles by an off-duty ICE officer.

I stand on the right side of history and urge you to do the same.

It is now and forever.

Abolish and prosecute ICE.

Thank you.

Thank you, Tanil.

If you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you.

Thank you for the council members for remarks and recognizing the terror and harm in our country right now.

Thank you for recognizing Renee Good and Alex Predi.

I also want to recognize uh Keith Porter Jr.

I support the resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents and support litigation to curb and prevent these actions.

I ask you to take it a step further to clearly state the role of SDPD in ICE encounters.

And Tom Holman's aggressive assault on Sandy Egans begins.

Please explicitly state in this resolution what it means for SDPD to not assist ICE.

We asked that you include not transporting residents for ICE, not supporting with traffic control for ICE.

We ask that SDPD protects the residents of San Diego by intervening when ICE agents inevitably assaults them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

4818.

If you can please unmute 4818.

I can unmute for you.

There you go.

Hi, my name is Erica, and I strongly support resolution 608 to oppose the violent and abusive actions of ICE agents to pursue litigation that meaningful curve and prevent these harms.

This resolution needs to go further.

It needs to clearly and unequivocally define the role of the San Diego Police Department in any interaction involving ICE.

Stand AD deserve absolute clarity on what it needs for FDPD to not assist ICE and they should explicitly prohibit FCP from transporting residents or ICE, providing traffic control, logistical support, intelligence, as well as any operational assistance that enables ICE enforcement action.

Anything less leaves dangerous ambiguity that places residents at risk.

Moreover, SDPC has an obligation to protect the people of San Diego when ICE agents engage in excessive force, unlawful detention or violent conduct.

SDPD must intervene.

Your time has evolved.

I apologize, your time is concluded.

Nancy, if you can please unmute.

Nancy, I can't unmute.

There you go.

Nancy, you dropped off.

Going to Erica.

If you can please unmute.

Erica Silicone, if you can please unmute.

A pop-up should have appeared.

I will have to go on to our next speaker.

Going on to our next speaker, iPhone, if you can please unmute.

Star 6.

Hello, thank you for uh having us um today.

Thank you for bringing this up.

It's very important for the city of San Diego.

I'm in favor of this for sure.

And I want to just, you know, just reflecting on everybody, what they've said.

We need to have explicit details on what the role of San Diego Police Department will be having with us.

Yeah, that's about it.

I want you guys to just do the right thing for everybody in San Diego for all our neighbors and our children.

We deserve a safe place.

We deserve our children to be protected and our neighbors to be protected.

And we deserve that people who are coming here legally to work, legally who are here, not to get harassed or murdered on the streets.

And we want to be able to trust our police force.

So I think it's very important that you make explicit what the details of what they're supposed to do for us.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nexus Katie.

If you can please unmute.

Katie Hallett, there you go.

Hi, my name is Katie Hallett.

I'm a San Diego resident, and I'm speaking in support of this resolution with requested amendments.

As we process an overwhelming amount of information daily, I want to ground this moment.

Just last week at the council meeting, we commemorated the Holocaust.

A reminder that consequences when state violence is normalized and institutions fail to protect citizens.

I support this resolution, but without explicit enforceable directives.

It does not mean meaningfully protect San Diego residents.

The city must clearly and unequivocally define the role of San Diego police in ISIS encounters, including what non-assistance means in practice.

So yeah, that's all I have today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Nexus Tristan, if you can please unmute.

Hello, my name is Tristan Beerie, and I'm the youth organizer at Youth Will.

I am here in support of this resolution.

I support this resolution because I don't believe that ICE should exist in the same way I don't believe borders should, given that is not the world we currently live in.

I think that is important for San Diego, the city of San Diego, to at least remember the distinction between civil and immigration law and criminal law, as to ensure that the San Diego police department does not comply with the Gestapo-like actions of ICE.

Some may not know, but a fairly large portion of quote unquote illegal immigrants or visa over stairs, which does not constitute criminal law.

Even though crossing illegally is only a misdemeanor on the first offense.

If the San Diego police department can receive so much of our fiscal budget, they should abide by the ideal of serving and protecting San Diego by refusing to aid in the illegal kidnappings of our neighbors by these masked gunmen and instead helping those who are being stolen off our streets.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Nexus Tasha, if you can please unmute.

Can you hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Awesome.

There must be clear policies prohibiting the deployment of San Diego police officers in response to false or manufactured emergency reports by federal agencies, including HSI and ICE.

Especially when those agencies are reacting to whistles, horns, cameras, or loud observers.

Weaponized fear or a discomfort is not an emergency.

It should never be triggered.

Should never trigger an armed local police response.

Fabricated urgency, diverse resources, and dangers of public and erodes trusts.

This cannot be normalized.

The city must stop creating dead letters, resolutions, and executive orders without enforcement.

And instead, enforce laws that hold all law enforcement operating in this city accountable.

I heard the city's council's outrage toward DHS agents.

That same outrage must be applied inward.

Where is sustained accountability for the San Diego police department?

Where is the response to Gestapo style policing?

Officers jumping out of cars and bikes demanding ID with law unlawful bases, conducting searches without consent or cause, beating a shoe.

Thank you for that concluding comment.

My apologies, your time has concluded.

If you can please unmute Amira.

Hi, my name is Hamira Yousufie with PANA.

Um, while we support anyone recognizing that ICE is putting people in harm's way, I really just have to be honest that we're past the time for resolutions.

We are past the time for lip service.

ICE is tearing families apart right here in San Diego.

And if council wants to stand with our immigrant communities, you all need to vote the right way when it actually matters.

There's so much that can be done right now to support us and to create real delineations to ensure safety for our communities.

I do want to thank Councilmember Ilo Ribera and Councilmember Moreno and Foster who have stood with us in the past.

But there's so much more that could be done by the rest of council.

We must end the contract with Flock if we want to protect immigrant communities.

We must end any federal enforcement agencies from having access to RGIS if we want to protect our immigrant communities.

We must fully implement the due process and safety ordinances, ordinance and also pass clear programs.

City Clerk at Sandiego.gov and they will be processed.

Linda, if you can please unmute I want to thank you for this resolution.

I'm from District 9.

You know, we're the brand new ancients.

We set we set the tone for what kind of country we want by acting on a city level.

I support the resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents.

And I support litigation to curb and prevent the actions.

And I ask you to take it a step further.

Clearly state what the role of the San Diego police department is with ICE encounters and explicitly state in this resolution what it means for SDPD to not assist ICE.

Please include that you wouldn't be, they wouldn't be transporting residents for ICE and not supporting traffic control for ice.

And that they would also protect the residents of San Diego by intervening when an ICE agent insults it assaults another human.

You know, humans are being detained, and notably children are being left hungry, neglected, and harmed in ICE detention facilities.

The UN rights council have raised concerns as well.

We can do better.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Carmen.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Thank you.

My name is Carmen.

I'm from District 9.

I'm the policy and research intern at Youth Will.

I support the resolution to oppose the violent actions of ICE agents and support litigation to curb and prevent these actions.

I ask you to take it a step further to clearly state the role of SDPD in ICE encounters before Tom Hammond's aggressive assault on San Diegans begins.

Please explicitly state in this resolution what it means for SDPD to not assist ICE.

We ask that that include not transporting residents for ICE and not supporting with traffic control for ICE.

We also ask that SDPD protect the residents of San Diego by intervening when an ICE agent inevitably assaults them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Marley, if you can please unmute.

Hi, uh, my name is Marley, and I support the adoption of 608, but by itself and as it is, it is not an adequate response to ICE.

They are doing exactly what they are being directed to do, which is hurt people and create fear.

What we've seen with where they're doing in Minnesota and the violence they've perpetuated across communities, both there and across the country here in San Diego as well.

This is only the beginning of what this administration wants to do, and the best way to mitigate its effects on our communities and is to protect ourselves ahead of further ICE expansion.

I'm asking you all to continue to fight alongside and for your constituents and to further empower the people who make up our communities to enact meaningful local resistance.

This resolution is a good step, but it cannot be the last step given the brazen inhumanity of ICE and their actions.

Starting points might be the cutting off of surveillance information to ICE, defining SDPD's relationship to ICE or an audit of the OTI Mesa detention center.

More action is necessary and it must follow.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Audrey, if you can please unmute.

Audrey, I can unmute for you, but a pop-up should have come up.

Okay, you're dropped off.

Ismail, if you can please unmute.

Um, we can hear you.

Yes, I am uh here in support of this resolution.

Other reason why it is important to have uh very specific policies because uh we know that rhetoric is one thing, and there are several ways that the San Diego police department um has been manipulated by federal agents.

And uh either through uncompetence or through uh them just looking the other way, they continue to be manipulated by responding to these calls in uh favor of the federal agents.

Um the reason that this is important um to state is because that is not illegal to follow around ICE agents.

It is not illegal to record ICE agents, it is not illegal to honk your horn.

And um what a tactic ICE has been using is claiming this is reckless driving and getting San Diego to police to respond to reckless driving calls.

Stealing resources.

Thank you.

Your time has concluded, but thank you for that concluding remark.

Next is Nancy.

If you can please unmute, then it's the original, and Audrey is our final speaker.

Awesome.

Thanks for taking me again.

Um tech issues.

Uh I'm Nancy Beam with Surge, showing up for racial justice and San Diego Families for Justice.

With both groups, we are currently organizing hundreds of people who want to step up and support neighborhood patrols and be legal observers.

It's a beautiful thing watching our community mobilize, including in the last 24 hours for this comment.

Um, there have been legal observers to ICE doing neighborhood patrols for months who have seen SDP firsthand assist ICE through traffic control and transporting residents and standing by when neighbors are being assaulted.

As we are training people, I would love to be able to assure those who want to show up for their neighbors that SDPD will have their back to protect the residents of San Diego.

But at present, I cannot.

We support this resolution, but it needs to clearly delineate what it means for SDPD to not assist ICE.

Organizations and grassroots orgs are gearing up for the aggressive assault in San Diego.

We need clarity now before we have the next Alex, Renee, Keith or Silverio.

Thank you.

Next is the original, if you can please unmute the double speak coming off the dais is um absurd.

You guys did not care about the people that were coming across the border that were being raped and murdered along the way because you incentivized it.

That's in fact why Tom Holman should be going after government officials for incentivizing these people to come.

And you guys don't seem to care that.

I mean, you don't want ICE to do their job, and if they were, then the children that were murdered in San Diego County, as well as raped in their own bedroom, wouldn't have been because those people were supposed to have been deported again.

They already were at one point.

And if they could do their job, this wouldn't happen.

You guys didn't seem to care about where are all the children that came across the border.

You guys had thousands of them in the convention center that disappeared.

You don't care about them.

I don't understand how that can happen when you guys sit here and on one hand, you know, try to virtue signal that you care about them, but you didn't give a shit that the same people that are deporting them and involved in money making with that were doing it on their way up.

Hi, thanks for um having me on today.

Um I wasn't expecting to speak.

I'm actually at work, but um, I'll try to be quick.

My husband was arrested in November at our green card interview, and I appreciate this initiative, but I do think that we need to focus more on concrete actionable items.

The masked ICE agents that came into our interview and took my husband away in handcuffs and disappeared him for five days.

Um there was no oversight, and we are still reeling from this.

There's been no oversight, there's no way for us to litigate, there's no responsibility for these agents because they did not provide any badge numbers, they wouldn't tell us their names, and they were masked.

There's no consequence for poor or bad behavior, and I want to see that.

I think we need more concrete initiatives and real protocol.

Your time has concluded.

Thank you for those comments.

For the record, this item did receive 114 comments in favor and two comments in opposition via our e-comment form, which have been distributed to the council.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

That concludes public comment on this item.

Thank you to our city clerk, and thank you to all the members of the public who chimed in on this item.

Uh, we're gonna go back to council members, um, starting with Councilmember Von Wolper.

Uh thank you very much, Council President Pro Tem, and uh thank you to everyone who called in.

Um, especially uh that last speaker.

I'm so sorry for what you and your family are going through.

Um two members of my family uh also went through their green card interviews, and I just can't imagine seeing your husband taken in the middle of a legal process that you were told to participate in by your government.

I can't imagine if my sisters in law were taken as well when they went through their process a few years ago.

So I just um this is not how government is supposed to be, but I want to thank my colleagues uh for this resolution.

I want to thank the city attorney for taking the appropriate actions when it's time now that we're authorizing this resolution.

And I want to thank uh our San Diego police department for the work they're doing.

I mean, this is not something they'd ever thought they'd be asked to do, which is not something I ever thought I'd be asked to do as a city council member.

And we're just a city council in the city in this country.

You know, when I ran for office, I I was hoping that we were going to be able to work on parks and libraries and roads and 901 systems.

I had no idea that we would be called upon to defend our our residents from massed men on the street authorized by the federal government.

And so this is something we are all reeling from as well.

And you know, in January of this year, January alone, the San Diego Police Department received 94,000 calls for service.

And in January alone, 50,000 of those calls, over 50,000 were 911 emergency calls.

And we have approximately 1,800 sworn police officers working in our police department to respond to the 50,000 911 calls last month alone.

Our officers are under enormous strain to respond to the needs of our residents to prevent and solve crimes to respond to medical emergencies.

And now the federal government, a lot of their agents are causing increased strain on our city.

So I am in conversations as a chair of public safety.

I've asked the department to start tracking the monetary damage this is doing to us.

I mean, it's very hard because you never know when a call is gonna come in, but we need to start tracking exactly what the damages are to our city so we can get reimbursed.

Um I also know I I believe that um we have a lieutenant on on the line to answer any questions.

But Lieutenant, I'd uh I'd love to hear you know, you explain to the public what your perspective is and how the federal government literally calls 911.

They do not have a special line into the police department.

And so um Lieutenant, could you explain what you've been dealing with as a as the police officer?

Absolutely.

Hi, my name is Cesar Jimenez.

I'm a lieutenant with the San Diego Police Department, and I'm also our public information officer.

And I'm uh the liaison of our Hispanic community as well.

I myself and admin and immigrant.

Um I came here at 17 years old from Mexico.

And I've been going to different churches, uh Spanish speaking churches, uh, immigrant churches, uh, Univision, Telemundo, and uh talking about our stance on immigration, which is that we do not take part in any immigration laws.

We don't ask people about their immigration status.

It's um it's not part of our purview.

We're concerned with state law and with local law.

And so um in that way, you know, our our job is is very narrowed and focused to those things.

So um that's what we're trying to tell the public.

Uh we're trying to tell our uh immigrant community or Spanish speaking community and other also not just being Spanish speaking uh communities as well.

Um, that they can come to us to report crime, that if they see a crime and they're a witness to that, they should come forward and report it.

Um, that they should not have fear of us as far as immigration goes because that's not something that we ask.

Um it's not within uh the officers' purview, it's not how we train them.

Thank you very much.

I appreciate you, and um, you know, just also under our our legal system here at the city of San Diego, we are governed by a city charter, and that's our city constitution.

And city charter section 57 states that it is up to the chief of police and the city manager to have all power and authority necessary for the operation and control of the police department.

We have been told over and over on this dais that our we cannot impinge on the charter responsibilities of the police department to conduct its own responsibilities.

Um I under thank you for everyone who called in today.

We are doing the you know the best we can every day.

Um, thank you for Councilman Ilo Rivera's due process ordinance and the work we're doing to try and protect residents here in the city.

You know, we are about a municipal government trying to do the best we can, and please do can continue coming to us with ideas and thoughts, and thank you to our police department for answering the over 50,000 911 emergencies you get every day and for following the the California Valleys Act very clearly, uh SB 54.

So those are all my questions and and thank you to everyone again, and I'll make the motion to approve the resolution.

Thank you.

We have a motion by councilmember von Wolper.

We'll turn next to Council Member Ilo Rivera.

Uh thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Uh, I want to thank uh the members of the public who were here today and who called in.

Um I'll start by seconding the motion and uh wanted to speak to a couple um different points.

Um first because it did come up and it it is this is a good time to um to mention it the due process and safety ordinance with the council, which the council passed unanimously in the fall.

It continues to move through the meet and confer process.

Um I appreciate uh COTA uh you you being communicative with our office on that.

I don't know if you'd like to provide an update, um, just so folks know where that stands.

We have uh thank you, council member.

We have one REO left to meet with.

We will hopefully get that calendar this week and then uh return to this council for its second reading um and then signed by the mayor.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

So we're we're close to bringing that back for uh our what would hopefully just be a uh the formality of a second reading, um, which would then uh mean that it'll go into effect um uh as was passed in the fall.

Um I understand I think where the amendments uh are the the requested amendments are coming from.

I want to speak to a couple of them though.

Um the first is one before I even do that, worth mentioning City Attorney Ferbert has been has been acting with strategic foresight since immediately taking uh her her office um to try to get ahead of what she has anticipated to be um violations of the city's rights um and and our our residents' rights, and has the office has done a lot on that front, and I think that deserves recognition.

Um there's multiple lawsuits that have been filed, um uh amicus briefs have been filed, uh and I I want to make sure that city Ferber gets that recognition because um I don't think there's been any equivocating uh on her part in terms of the willingness to stand up against abuses of the city, again the city's rights uh or our residents' rights.

Uh specifically to the amendments, uh the first one here is very much an operational decision of this uh elected city attorney, and um I think it all of these, especially given the very collaborative nature city attorney Ferbert has has taken when it comes to responding to federal abuses of of power.

Um they deserve conversation directly with the the elected city attorney.

Um I've never shied away from uh the council taking action when I think we need to, and um and I I want to talk to our city attorney before um we do something like declare the the our support for the creation of a specific unit within her um her office.

Um again I understand where these are coming from.

I think there's a lot of of value in this.

Um I just would like to have some more conversation with the city attorney first.

Um that being said, um I I also want to recognize some of the concerns and and questions um raised by folks who are still uncertain about what to expect from SDPD and the city uh in in moments of of chaos that is manufactured by ICE border patrol and other federal agents.

Um I've uh spoken with I've spoken with the mayor and the chief about a couple things that I think we could do uh to provide additional clarity.

Uh this is there's an ongoing conversation since uh late spring, early summer about this.

Um one of those things is being willing to ask for identification when federal agents aren't well ask for identification when uh unidentified uh people are attempting to detain uh uh Sandy Eggens um to ensure at a bare minimum that there is actual act uh there is actual um authority um and that these are not just random men who are uh kidnapping people.

Uh second, um I think there needs to be um uh a bit more clarity in terms of um the the way in which SDPD may have to respond to a call based on the way the call comes in.

Uh I could and I because I think the transparency here is important.

There's no guarantee that these federal agents will identify themselves as federal agents when they make the call.

However, when arriving, um I think that there can be some more clarity in terms of what the protocol will be and when SDPD will be removing themselves from the situation.

Um and then I I just believe this needs needs to be an ongoing conversation.

And I I want to recognize the frustration of community members who are doing their best to show up and again bear witness and um are feeling like their police department is being used as a shield for uh uh abuses by the federal government.

That's not okay.

And uh I think there's some more progress that can be made there.

Um so the the uh with that uh the last thing I I wanted to mention here is um I don't think this is not the end of this conversation, unfortunately.

I I wish it were.

I wish that you know by by next week the situation will be resolved.

I don't think it will be.

And so um we're going to need to continue to take action.

We're gonna need to continue to uh not just take a position as a city, but I think all of us as council members are going to need to lean on every institution in this city that has not made it clear where they stand that they need to be clear that what is happening right now is not okay.

Uh we've had certain institutions like our school district step up and and use their voices unequivocally about uh what of how wrong this all is and the impacts it's having in our community.

At the same time, and this part might be a little bit uncomfortable, but I'm gonna say it.

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which is supposed to represent the voice of business in the city, has a for-profit detention facility as a member and has said nothing about the abuses of federal power that are undeniably bad for this city's economy.

Even if you remove all of the all of the humanity from it, at a minimum, it's bad for the economy.

And we've heard nothing, and those business voices are important.

It's the one thing that Trump gives a damn about people with money.

And I think we have a responsibility as a city to lean on all of them to use their voices, and to to certainly not uh grant them uh immunity from having to take a position during this time.

Uh the and the final thing I wanted to say is I wanted to thank Council members uh Foster and Whitburn for also standing with community, for marching with community.

Um there was a very, very powerful uh procession that we participated in a little more than a week ago.

Um and so I just wanted to say thank you all for for standing up and being out there as well.

Um with that, that concludes my second.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Thank you.

We have a motion by Councilmember Von Wilpert, followed by a second by Councilmember Ila Rivera.

We'll turn next to Councilmember Whitburn.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

I want to thank Council members uh Vod Wilpert and Moreno and Ilo Rivera for bringing this resolution forward.

While it is a resolution, I think it is important that this council be on record uh in opposition to what is happening in this country.

Uh there are moments when silence becomes complicity, and this is one of those moments.

What is being done in the name of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration is immoral and it is unconstitutional.

It is harming families, it is harming children, it is harming people who never should have been in harm's way.

And that includes people who are right here in this room today.

Across this country, immigration and customs enforcement has been weaponized for political purposes.

Fear has become the policy, and human lives have been treated as acceptable collateral damage.

Uh the deaths are completely unacceptable.

They did not happen in a vacuum.

They are the predictable result of an administration that has deliberately escalated enforcement tactics, stripped away guardrails, and treated intimidation as a governing policy.

I heard several commenters uh rightfully today say that we need to do more than just pass a council resolution.

I think it's important that we do this.

We do need to do more, and more is being done.

Rest assured that this is not all that San Diego is doing.

As Councilmember Ela Rivera noted, the Office of the City Attorney has been engaging in litigation.

Uh it recently shared its intent to join the city of Boston's Amicus Brief in support of Minneapolis-St.

Paul and the state of Minnesota's challenge to federal immigration officials' aggressive tactics, unlawful immigration policies and practices, and their commandeering of state and local property to stage immigration enforcement actions.

That is the city of San Diego taking that stand, and I appreciate the Office of the City Attorney for advancing that.

Uh you'll recall that Mayor Gloria issued an executive order last year outlining a series of administrative directives in response to the ICE raids here in San Diego, reaffirming in writing the prohibition on San Diego police facilitating ice raids, uh, and directing the city to distribute know your rights materials, among other things.

I was actually with the mayor last year.

We walked uh to a number of businesses in South Park distributing know your rights materials after the uh ice raid there, uh, letting businesses know uh what their rights are uh in those sorts of situations.

And as you heard, there is more that we will continue to do here at the city council.

We see the consequences firsthand in our city.

We hear from patients, uh, I'm sorry, we hear from parents, we hear from teachers, we hear from health care providers and from neighborhood residents who are wrongfully detained uh in these ice enforcement actions.

We cannot be silent, and I'm glad that the city council is taking a stand.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Thank you, Councilmember Whitburn.

We'll turn next uh virtually to Councilmember Campio.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Thank you, my colleagues for bringing this forward today.

I'm in total support.

I just want to start by saying how we've heard from members of law enforcement and the military, uh, people who sign up and know that they're putting their life on the line uh to keep communities safe, all within the bounds of our constitution and our laws, and how they know that what is going on with federal immigration enforcement is not true law enforcement because it doesn't make us safer, and it is an overreach of government power.

Uh I I have the utmost respect for people who uh wear a badge and know that uh they're going out because they're kiss their kids and their spouses goodbye in the morning, knowing that they might not come back that night and do everything they can to uphold the law because they know as we watch what's going on in other cities and in San Diego that immigration enforcement is not law enforcement.

Um there is a place for uh enforcing immigration laws, uh, but the Constitution and laws have to be followed.

Uming what we now know with the federal administration issuing administrative warrants as if they are the same thing as judicial warrants issued by a neutral judge, an Article III judge, uh, is a is a mockery of 240 years of law.

And uh that it tells you everything you need to know is that they have taken it upon themselves uh to do what they think is something they ought to be doing, uh, but that's not the way the law works.

Uh every law enforcement officer um and myself being a former prosecutor, we know that uh legislatures make laws.

Uh executive branches execute those, and when there is a dispute, and when someone's liberty is on the line, a neutral judge is the one who gets to decide it.

Um I would tell everyone in the United States of America that you need to read the uh judicial opinion, uh the order of the court ranting uh Adrian Conejo Arias and his five-year-old son.

Uh Liam uh that the habeas corpus uh writ that was issued this last week.

Um I've never uh seen in my uh career as an attorney anything like it uh where it's very, very clear um that the current federal administration uh is treating the Constitution as a pesky inconvenience, is what the judge uh stated their attitude towards it was.

Um these people who are going through our immigration system one way or another still have rights that ought to be upheld, and more than that, uh they have human dignity that ought to be respected.

Um I I just would remind everyone that scripture teaches us that uh we were once strangers uh in a foreign land and we were welcomed.

And uh yet in my district, masked federal agents pulled a father from his car as he was waiting outside the Nevista elementary school.

Um that wasn't public safety, it wasn't necessary, and it was merely to intimidate the community and to destabilize families uh and to inject fear.

Uh there's no utility that comes from that type of enforcement.

You know, uh I would just I would just say that San Diego always has been and continues to be built by immigrants, and they are our neighbors, our co-workers, they are business owners, and they are our family members, uh, and they deserve dignity and respect under the law.

And more than anything, we have to uh adhere to a belief that law enforcement must have the enforcement of the laws must have civility and proportionality.

But those are not in conflict with enforcement.

Those are inseparable from enforcement.

Um it is just time for the Trump administration to get rid of these cruel tactics uh and for the enforcement of our federal immigration laws to be lawful and transparent and humane.

Uh, and so I am in support of this item.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll turn next to Councilmember Campbell.

Thank you.

I just want to say a few words of first of all, it is unbelievable to me in all my years of life that our federal government, after 250 years of governance, is run by a bunch of people who are lawless.

Break the laws constantly, all the laws.

I mean, there must be 200 laws they've broken already.

Unbelievable.

It's no wonder that people have lost faith in them.

But I also want to point out something that I have been told, and I hope the attorneys here know about this, and if not, we'll look it up for me.

I was told that if, say, for example, an ICE agent comes to your house and tries to break in your door without a warrant, that's not allowed under the Constitution.

There must be a warrant now in California.

It has to be a California judge who signed that warrant, not a federal judge.

A California judge.

So you can see we're trying to do what we can legally, et cetera.

We're going to keep fighting this, and I know all of our people, almost every single one in this country, is united against this horrible assault on our democracy.

We will not put up with it.

I am very much in favor of this resolution.

I thank you for bringing it forward.

We'll turn next to Councilmember Foster.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

This has been a heavy, a heavy day for me.

Um have some celebratory comments as we are moving into Black History Month and celebrating 100 years, but it was nothing of the sort.

And as I listen to the conversation, clearly we have limited control over the federal government.

But one would think we have control over local government, no matter if Charter Section 57 delegation of authority or not.

Somebody is in charge, and somebody is the boss.

And I can understand why our residents are asking for more clarity.

And quite honestly, I think our police department and mayor owe that type of clarity.

And it says the city council must give priority in the funding of municipal services to the need of the residents for police protection.

It doesn't say to fight crime.

It says to provide police protection to the residents.

And I don't know what my colleagues hear, but what I hear, our constituents, residents, asking, what is that police protection?

And I don't think it's an unreasonable request.

The other thing that I just want to make clear, and I do appreciate the statement that we are making here today.

But I think we've made it since this idiot got into office.

And I think we continue to make it.

But there is nothing binding our police officers to anything in this document.

Nothing whatsoever.

And I just have to say that as we are experiencing what we are experiencing, I am also surprised at our law enforcement officers.

Because as you hear what has been taking place in the short time that I've been on this dais and attending meetings that I attend, law enforcement is a family.

Doesn't matter if you're a local police officer.

Doesn't matter if you're an attorney.

Doesn't matter if you're a prosecutor.

It doesn't matter if you're a state patrol trooper, CHP, or a federal law enforcement.

I sit on the sandag.

What is the committee called?

Public safety committee.

I am in a room on a monthly basis with about every single high-ranking police officer.

There's no discussion on how this administration is putting our officers at risk because that's what's happening.

Not only are they putting our residents at risk, but they are putting our men and women in uniform at risk.

I've listened to the phone calls.

I've listened, listened to the incidents.

Yes, they call 91, but you better believe they signal that they are law enforcement and they do indicate accordingly in accordance with the way law enforcement communicates.

So there is never a moment when the call comes in that SDPD does not understand.

It is a call by a law enforcement agency, at least from what I've heard.

So I want to be, if I can have a few more minutes, please.

So I want to be clear on that.

So to think that they don't know what's taking place to the extent that it is a law enforcement action, they know.

They do not know the full circumstances as to what they are going into, which is why I say they are putting our officers at risk.

And that is unacceptable.

And I'm a little disappointed because I can go through social media of some of our officers, and I think we should all be amazed at the sentiments that are conveyed.

And oftentimes it is do what I say do, or you will fill the circumstances.

That is unacceptable.

As again, it says we must prioritize funding of municipal services to the need of the residents for police protection.

And so we do have work to do.

And I do think our San Diego police department and our top law enforcement official should be out there more, should be clearly communicating that this is unacceptable in calling his counterparts in the different agencies to task.

They are not qualified.

And so for me, I would like to see more action, as much as I do appreciate our statement.

And so I'm going to continue meeting with the police chief because I do think they should do more.

Shouldn't take one council member from the city of San Diego to bring that up.

What is it, AB 26 and the duty to report?

Where does that play into this?

How many instances are we reporting as a city of San Diego to the Attorney General's reporting hotline, if I were to ask that question?

Because our officers are there.

Those calls are emergency calls.

It's not one officer that goes, it's several units.

As always, we have more work to do.

I will say, even as we do the due process ordinance, once we pass the legislation, it is up to the operations side of our organization to implement.

And so as we bring these policies forward, I am really curious to see what the San Diego Police Department policy looks like, how they will implement those policies to achieve the intent of the council, and also to make sure that there's an accountability measure and to figure out how that works.

And if that means reporting, if our only option is to report to the attorney general's hotline, then let's set up a process to do so.

And then we can call the attorney general here to give us an update as to where we are at with those types of complaints.

So thank you again to my colleagues.

Thank you, Council, President Pro Temp.

But just looking for more to do, more and more and more to do.

Councilmaker Foster, um representative from Cynthia PD did raise their hand in the virtual queue, and so I wanted to ask if you wanted to wanted to hear from them since they have sure.

Please, by all means.

Yes, I'd like to thank the council member for acknowledging the fact that our officers do respond.

Sometimes we don't know all the details of what our officers are responding to, but yet they respond nonetheless, and they stand in the middle uh between um the problem that's happening between our federal agencies and our citizens, and we try to bring the peace.

Uh we try to lower the temperature.

Uh we are there to ensure that violence is not made or escalated in any way, and our officers are there in the middle uh to protect the citizens and ensure that there's a peaceful resolution to the problem that's presented at that moment.

Uh, then once again, we don't always have all the details too because uh, as other council member uh mentioned, we don't share radios with them, and we don't have cell phones.

They call 911, and ultimately it's an emergency call, and our officers go and respond.

So uh thank you for mentioning that, and and we are there to protect our citizens, and um and we will continue to do so.

And we are in our communities, as I mentioned personally, um, going to go speak.

Uh somebody mentioned the Buena Forquetta incident.

Um, and that was you know, it to the citizens that were there, it looked like a coordinated response.

Uh, when they called us, they left by the time that we got there, and when we arrived, people were like, What's you told me and me personally, they said you told us that you're not gonna cooperate with uh immigration enforcement yet, here you are.

And so we had to explain what happened.

We explained our relationship and how we don't share that information, and we got there based on an emergency service call.

So that that's that's where we're at.

We are here and and we are in our communities um all the time.

We just finished uh uh civilian academy uh in City Heights.

Council member Eloh Rivera was there for the graduation, and part of what we talked about was our immigration uh posture.

So thank you for that time.

I can appreciate that and thank you for the comments, but I will um respond with an incident that I um discussed with Chief Wall, and I was receiving comments or receiving phone calls in the district one afternoon, and I was told that SDPD was doing was helping ICE, and again, you have to understand this is the public that is calling me, and this happened on market.

I'm gonna say about 43rd, somewhere around there.

Um it's really D9, but I call it home at certain times.

Um when I showed up to the scene, there were police officers there conducting a stop, and as I rolled, as I came in, I identified myself as the council member for the fourth district, and the officer that I tried to engage basically ignored me.

And when I indicated, I I he ignored me, and I actually called the police chief.

And I said, Okay, well, I'll call the police chief.

That officer told me I don't care who you call, call whoever you want to call.

All I was trying to do was to make sure it was not an ICE situation so I can go into the venue that I was going to calm the public down and tell them this is not an ICE engagement.

This is a necessary traffic stop that is going to make our communities safe.

But what they thought was going on, and this is how deep this goes, and why I say this can end in a disaster is because everyone in the venue thought it was an ICE incident.

And so I know our intentions, I'd like to think are always well.

But again, we could only control what we can control.

And individuals' perceptions are their realities.

And so when the public ask, what are you going to do to protect us?

I don't think that's an unreasonable ask.

So thank you again, um, Council President Pro Tem, and that concludes my comments.

Thank you, Councilmember Foster.

And I give you a couple of my minutes so that you could complete your comments.

I'll turn next again back to Councilmember Iler Rivera.

Thank you, Council President Hoteva.

I'll make this quick.

I I just because I think there was an important comment made that is illuminating of to what some of the dissonance is between the community and the city right now.

And I fully believe when Mr.

Jimenez says STPD shows up with an intent to keep the peace, that that he means that.

However, if the lack of peace is coming from one side of the equation, and SDPD is either unable or unwilling to stop that side of the equation from breaking the peace, from imposing violence on the group, they cannot keep the peace.

And in saying that, I it's creating a false expectation for what the community can hope for in those circumstances.

And I know that I I truly actually do believe that that does not come from a place of trying to be deceptive, that it is comes from the place of being someone who signed up to be someone who keeps the peace.

The federal government has broken the broken the model.

And they've distorted it in such a way that the way that we normally speak about things does not apply here.

And so we cannot say that we're going to show up as peacekeepers if we're not able to not again unable or unwilling to actually keep the peace on both sides of the equation.

Um so this is the thing that we're going to need to work through and figure out how to how to communicate with the community in a more clear way.

I hope that that clarity comes before more dramatic and violent and regular occurrences happen in San Diego.

But but that was a great example of what I think we're we're hearing in terms of the miscommunication.

And it needs to be solved for sooner rather than later because to Councilmember Foster's point, the consequences of that trust being broken are significant.

It is it's going to take so long to repair that, and someone's going to get badly hurt, if not killed, as a result of what the federal government is doing and the lack of clarity that exists in terms of what to expect in terms of protection and safety.

I appreciate the additional time.

Thank you, Council President for Temple.

Next on the lights is Councilmember von Wilbert.

Um thank you, and thank you to my colleagues for and to our police department.

Thank you, Lieutenant, for this discussion.

This is very hard.

We are sitting here in local government with our residents discussing the best ways to protect ourselves from the unlawful and unconstitutional actions of a federal government.

Take a moment to realize what we're doing.

But also the I want everyone who is watching this, everybody who is engaged in this issue to realize that what really the real fight, the real people who have control over these federal agents are not here sitting in this room.

They're not wearing San Diego police officer uniforms.

This debate is happening in our federal nation as we talk right now.

We are under a partial government shutdown because our federal congressional representatives and our senators are in a fight over a budget about how to control the Department of Holy Land Security in ICEs and federal agents' actions.

Currently, there are Congress members who are fighting not to fund DHS until there are warrant requirements for signed by judges, body cam requirements for ICE, limits on excessive force for ICE, and a ban on the deportation or arrest of American citizens.

That is what is being fought on the floor of the federal government right now.

And they are asking not to fund ICE or DHS any further until those requirements on ICE's conduct on the federal agents' conducts are put in place.

So we can do all we can to scramble here in San Diego to protect our citizens, but everyone needs to advocate at the federal level of government right now and call your congressional representatives, call your U.S.

senators to rein in these unlawful actions by ICE so that we can get back to actually doing what we need to do here in our communities.

So please, that's where the fight needs to be.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Von Rupert.

I think we've exhausted all of the other speakers in the council, so I'm gonna go ahead and chime in here because I'll be frank.

I think I'm a little bit speechless, uh, not on this item in particular.

I think a lot of us tend to turn to the same commentary that we all feel on this issue, which is a sense of um that we're appalled or heartbroken over what we're seeing.

Um but I I think I think for just a moment I want to acknowledge, I think the feeling that I know my wife has acknowledged to me, I imagine is partially the feeling that people, whether you're here in the audience or out in the community are feeling, which is that I think everything we've seen happening on a federal level and how it translates locally, has given also a pretty significant sense of hopelessness.

I think that's the response we're seeing from people.

And the reason why folks are turning, doesn't matter to who, whether it's your local government officials, your state and federal officials, SCPD, your neighbors, because there's a sense that we each, I think feel disempowered from what we're seeing enacted upon us from our own federal government.

And I I think it's actually important to acknowledge that.

Um I think the statement that we make, any statements that we make, whether it's from this resolution, uh, hopefully when we see the due process ordinance put into place, that there are concrete steps, I hope, that we can see moved forward that advance our effort to protect our own citizens here in the city of San Diego.

To protect every resident in the city of San Diego.

But I think there's a broader question at hand as to how we actually respond at every level of government and how we respond as people.

I think that is the challenge that we all have are facing to answer.

Um I, for one, believe that part of the reason why this discussion is difficult and why it doesn't feel like there are concrete steps is because we need to have an honest and earnest admission that local government seems to be similarly helpless in our responses thus far from the federal government.

We're taking we're seeing local governments take legal action, we're seeing local governments uh try to put what we have thought of as the typical process in which we handle order uh in place, whether through ordinances, laws, et cetera.

And then we've watched a federal government that has been willing to ignore them, bypass them.

Uh councilmember Campbell mentioned earlier whether someone can break into your home.

I I think that was uh not a question until a couple weeks ago when the federal government said, no, the federal government can break into your home, whether they like it or not.

So I just want to acknowledge this, not because I think there's an answer, but because I I have long felt that in each of these discussions, what is really important is that we begin asking ourselves as residents here in San Diego, how we collectively can respond.

And I think that involves pushing, as all of you are, for us to find every pathway, every legal limit, every every bit of power that we can push from a local level back on what we're seeing from the federal government.

But I think it also means trying to really figure out what the response is from every everyday San Diego's, other entities and organizations within our region that have any sense of power, because the voice that actually has to speak up in response to this needs to come literally from everyone.

Um that's how I've I've long struggled to view the situation that we're facing because I think it is the collective power of the people that might give us some hope to actually fight back.

Um and to that I will just point out that we talk a lot about what's happening in Minnesota or any any other major city at the moment, especially the ones that have faced these surges from the federal government.

But the reality is that the actions the federal government are taking in San Diego have not subsided.

They may not be at the level at which we're seeing in Minneapolis, but they've certainly increased significantly from the time that we've started under this administration, and they're gonna continue.

Um, if especially if funding is not blocked.

And so I hate to say that this is this is still just the beginning.

And I think we have yet to answer to ourselves what can we do to actually push back, what can we do as a government to push back, and also what can we do as as citizens here in San Diego.

So I I want to thank my colleagues for putting this forward.

Um, and especially I I do want to acknowledge what Councilmember Elo Rivera said to especially acknowledge City Attorney Heather Ferbert because very early on under this administration, she sought out um a streamlined process from the council so that her office could engage in litigation all around this country as as necessary.

But that is only one small piece of the battle, which is the legal piece of it.

Um as councilmember Foster said, there are so many more questions to answer as to what we can and cannot do.

And I think it's fair to say that that if you feel like those questions haven't been answered.

I I'm I'm okay with admitting that I don't think we have that answer ourselves either.

Um, but I think we're committed to continue to working towards that.

So I'll conclude my comments, and I believe Councilmember Campbell has something to add.

Very quickly, there is lots we can do.

I'm from the civil rights movement from the 50s from the 60s.

What can we do?

We can't peacefully assemble.

We can sing, we shall overcome, we can sing, we are a peaceful people.

We can sing hymns, we can gather in the streets, we can march with permits from our city.

Picture this.

ICE agents surrounding a federal building, supposedly protecting it from us.

Uh as a judge has told them now, ICE, you cannot go into the streets and push people after people throw things at them like tear gas.

Now, will they believe the courts?

Will they act the way the court has told them?

I don't know.

But say they are lined up around a federal building, and there's a street in front, and the citizens are across the street on the sidewalk and in the other side streets, protesting peacefully, and there's the San Diego police in front of us as a line to protect our people, so that those ICE people stay over there on their side of the street and don't come and throw things at us and don't push us and don't hurt us.

Our police department wants to protect us.

And I think that's what you would see happen here in San Diego.

So let us hope that that's the way it is in the meantime.

Organize yourselves, be ready for peaceful protest.

That's what we had to do in the civil rights movement.

It took a lot of training to take that crap from those people with whips and hoses and dogs and beating up on us with batons.

We had to stay peaceful.

That's the key.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman McCampbell.

And I'll I guess I'll just close by saying because this triggered a reminder to me, even from what we might have heard.

But um the actions we're taking, the actions we could take.

I I I think the frustration and the sense of hopelessness is that that is not stopping people from getting pulled off our street right now.

That's not stopping people from getting abused, violated.

Um yeah.

So I I I will just note that uh as much as we think we're doing, I I think it's okay to acknowledge that it's still not enough.

Um would you have a uh motion by Councilmember Von Wilbert, a second by Councilmember Ila Rivera.

Seeing no other speakers, please call the roll.

I sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

Councilmember Campio, if I can get your vote for the record.

Oh, yes.

That passes unanimously eight to zero with council president Lacava absent.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Thank you.

Uh we will now take up non-agenda public comment.

The council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings.

Clerk, do we have any non-agenda public comment?

Yes, we do have non-agenda public comment speakers here in council chambers and a few online as well.

We have 10 overall for Rule 2.7 non-agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the comment of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda, but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city council.

Each speaker will have two minutes.

If you're in chambers, please submit your speaker slip.

If you're joining us virtually, please raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

If I can have the following individuals, please come up to the yellow reserve seats.

Starting with Michael Schmidt.

Michael Schmidt, did you leave?

I don't see Michael Schmidt here.

Anthony Ross?

Anthony.

Yeah.

Come up to the microphone.

You'll be our first speaker.

After that will be Ramseys, then Blair Beekman, then Marissa Burke.

You'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Hello, City Council.

My name is Anthony Rolfs.

I'm the member of the Boulevard Planning Group.

And with respect to everything that's been said today, I want to thank you all for the way that you voted.

It means a lot to me.

It means a lot to our constituents who are concerned about what's happening in our county of San Diego.

But I also want to question some of the decisions that have been made and some of the reasons that have been cited to justify the support.

And I want to question why, if y'all are in support of this resolution that's passed today, why we aren't making the connection between what's happening in our cities now on a daily basis and what happened a month ago when y'all voted in favor of flock surveillance systems.

Now, I wrote down some of the comments that y'all have made.

Is it multiplying an unaccountable police force that's causing us the death of our in-custody inmates such as Kanoa Wilson, Kenosha Wilson, and Hayden Shuck, which those two cases, those two family lawsuits have cost the city a combined 46 million dollars.

Now, please correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand, the annual budget for the San Diego City uh uh for the San Diego City is 250 million dollars.

If 46 million is being paid out to two families, that's a fifth of almost the entire city budget that is going just uh to make up for SDPD's uh lack of oversight and their lack of accountability.

And I also want to address what you what you mentioned uh council member Campbell when you were discussing uh peaceful assembly.

You mentioned that we have the right to peaceful assembly.

Well, we were in this office, we were in this chambers a month and a half ago, and everyone was peaceful, and the majority of the constituency all over San Diego expressed clear concern for being against clock and y'all still voted in favor of it.

Thank you for that clear.

If you have any written comments, we can definitely pass those out.

Ramseys, if you can please come forward.

All right.

So um I want to expand on something that I was saying a couple weeks ago when I brought up the case of Kanoa Wilson.

So the reason why that case is gonna be so pivotal in the coming years is because when we end up prosecuting these agents in the future, they're gonna use local examples as justification for why we they can get their federal officers off.

So, as correct me if I'm wrong, but as I'm sure we're aware, Daniel Gold is still on SEPD's payment sheet, and he hasn't been prosecuted.

And if he's left, not prosecuted, that's precedent for future lawsuits and litigations.

So Renee Good's killer very well could get off using the justification that that officer did, and he wasn't even taken to trial.

So that's why we need to be expanding that.

And along with that, I don't want our budgetary concerns to be a reason for our inaction.

So, as much as I'm concerned with expanding the police budget, I think we need to be reallocating other city resources to surveilling these federal officers.

Because like I said, if it's not the police surveilling these officers, it's on your constituents, and they don't have the immunity to do so.

So we need to be expanding the reason why surveillance is gonna be so important is because we need to know the names of the officers, their badge numbers, their commanding officers, and everything about all of their operations if we want to be able to prosecute these people in the future.

So thank you for that.

Please pay attention.

Thank you, Blair Weekman.

Hi.

Uh thank you for uh the meeting today.

Thank you for the words of uh Council Person Lee, uh closing remarks.

Uh I really believe direct uh dialogue can be of help for all of us, bringing something together.

Um good luck what we can be doing.

I definitely want to be talking about this issue more.

And um, I hope you can respect my my words at proclamation today.

I think they can help the situation.

I meant them sincerely.

I think they can be of help.

Good luck how we can work on issues together and um ask for cooperation.

The the Bay Area has, we can too.

They did last fall, did a great job.

And I hope we can too.

Um I wanted to comment with my remaining time.

Um, you guys have done really important work.

Um we had a big park plan going on, new tech coming in with all the parks in the past.

Um, you guys took took a put the brakes on it, and I had to really readjust in what because of the new Trump administration was coming in.

I hope that is precipitating good conversations, you know, in ways we can be working on issues together here locally.

I think I really hope we can be addressing flock together.

Uh we have council persons who've talked about flock, who've talked about we have an overabundance of tech when smaller amounts of tech, you know, well placed can do the same amount of good public safety work.

I mean, you guys have all I've heard the conversations here.

Oakland has a left flock in the next two years.

They work towards compromise, you know, that flock can be here now, but there's a procurement process starting to leave flock and find an AOPR vendor that's uh is better principled, and we really could be doing though that kind of good work here, and I think we we want to be together and understanding best practices.

Let's really make clear what are best practices, what we can be doing to move forward.

Good luck in our efforts.

Thank you.

Thank you, and Marissa Burke.

Hi, thank you.

The taller one is sometimes better, so you can not have to bend down.

Yeah, all right.

So this is just gonna come from my heart.

Earlier, I spoke from something that I wrote, but this is just from my heart, my experience.

Um I have a long history of experiencing violence.

And um I was in a domestic violence situation, and when I was getting out of that situation and almost lost my life, um, I called the police.

They helped, great.

But afterwards, and after he was put away, I had neighbors on each side of me, and each one of them came to me at different times and said we heard your screams.

We heard you screaming, we heard you screaming for help, and we didn't do anything.

And they literally said, because I don't want to, we didn't want to get involved, we didn't know what to do.

Our neighbors are screaming.

We are screaming for your help.

We were in the mayor's office screaming and banging to be heard, not for press, to be heard.

And that's what my question is to all of you.

Are you gonna listen to our neighbors?

You're the you're the ones with the reach.

You're the ones with the people in the offices in the ears of the people that that can make these changes that can make a clear distinction in what is going to be done and what is not going to be done.

And history is watching, people are watching.

And which side are you gonna be on?

Are you gonna be on the side that listened to your neighbors and heard their cries, that listen to the people in the streets screaming to be heard to do something, or are you not?

Because there is no other option.

It is due or don't.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment here in Council Chambers.

I'll go to those participating remotely.

Currently have 11 speakers in the queue, starting with Becky Repp.

If you can please unmute.

Good evening, Council President and Council members.

My name is Becky Rath.

I'm a public health educator, and today I'd like to speak to the importance of substance prevention in the city's land development code updates.

Addiction does not begin in a treatment center.

It begins with exposure, normalization, and access.

Prevention is the first and most cost-effective public health strategy we have.

Yet it is often overlooked in land use decisions.

We know that advertising matters.

Exposure to marijuana marketing, especially large billboard signage, increases youth perception that use is harmless, and it also increases initiation and weakens community standards around health and safety.

This data is well documented in public health research and reflects our experience with tobacco and alcohol.

Land use policy is one of the city's strongest prevention tools.

What we allow to be promoted in public space sends a message about what we value and what we normalize, especially to young people and vulnerable populations.

When rules contradict communities lose trust and impacts are disproportionately felt.

I suggest that the code explicitly prohibit marijuana advertising on billboards and similar large signage.

You could use language such as marijuana advertising, including imagery, symbols, product references, and brand promotion should be prohibited on building signage as well as off-site commercial signage that's visible from public right-a-way.

The land development code update is an opportunity for this council to send a strong message to the public that the council believes in prevention and public health standards.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is the original.

If you can please unmute.

Man, the hypocrisy that comes out of those chambers is insane.

It's so crazy how you want some people to identify themselves, yet you didn't care that the people that were flooding over our border were dropping their documents.

And you sit there in virtue signal like you care about the constitution when you've been eroding away at it for years and didn't care when you know people were just trying to have freedom of speech during the COVID days.

You were forcing everybody to capitulate to your demands.

And it's quite ridiculous because it's like Marty, you're coming after our guns.

So if why don't you, you know, practice what you preach and go ahead and make sure that you're not going to be doing that if you really care about the Constitution, because that backs up our First Amendment rights.

But I'd like to know when you guys are actually going to care about the people in the community, like our homeless brothers and sisters that are dying in Tent City or being raped, where drugs are being distributed on a massive scale on a daily basis.

You know, I went to go do the point in time count on Thursday, and it's interesting when you're exposing things that are going on, instead of them mitigating that and making sure that deaths aren't happening, they want to stifle the flow of information.

So dreams for change, Jody Walters, the site program manager, said that the city had kicked me out of Tent City OLOT, and that I wasn't allowed to do the count.

Why is that?

I volunteer to do it every year, and all of a sudden, because you know, I'm um bringing forward things that the homeless people are trying to get mitigated, and instead of doing that, she works to tell people that if they report anything, they're actually going to be kicked out.

So whether or not you guys are the scapegoat, it is atrocious that you guys would kick somebody out from doing the point in time count, especially somebody who's bringing light to the fraud, waste, and abuse that is happening in that space.

So don't sit here and act in virtue signal like you really care about people because you don't give a damn about those people.

And we pay a pretty penny to have them being murdered and raped at Tent City.

So when you guys actually care, that place will be shut down until the children.

Can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Thank you so much.

Francine Maxwell, Southeastern San Diego resident.

I want to thank you for today's meeting.

It was very um educational and informational, especially given that we're Black History Month.

When the chairperson of public safety continues to flex that she's the chair, hold a hearing.

That'd be a flex.

30 million dollar payout.

We need to discuss it as a city to make sure that policies and procedures changes.

City council members that flex about being in a meeting with a ton of people, and there's nothing in their newsletters.

That's not a flex.

So again, to educate your constituent and residents is a flex.

The San Diego police department continues, continues to have unethical, immoral behavior, and nobody is wanting to hold a hearing in reference to that.

When a black man, as we are entering Black History Month, has to be 10 times better than their brother in blue.

Absolutely, they are brothers, they are family.

But the black man has to be 10 times is better with two master's degrees, graduated from the FBI Academy, countless awards, countless customer service awards coming out to the community, 21st century policing to the bone.

And he, for the third time, three gifts passed over for promotions for people of a different persuasion, occasion with one-third of the experience and one-third of the degrees.

Let's have a conversation about that.

How this is a city for all of us.

When we continue to see black officers have to be told to put their head down or they may not make rank.

Again, eighth largest city, city for all of us, city council members talking about what you do, how many resolutions you give out, call a hearing, and let's fill the chamber as we get ready for the budget season.

Thank you so much for allowing me to speak.

Thank you.

The five minute timer to conclude during the speaker.

There were nine speakers in the queue with their hands raised.

No additional speakers will be taken after that.

Next is Nancy.

If you can please unmute hi, uh, this is Nancy Beam A Surge and showing up for San Diego Family for Justice.

I want to thank Councilmember Foster for your pointed remarks about the role of FCPD to protect the residents of San Diego.

The rest of my comments, others have said more eloquently, but I just want to bring it up again to show solidarity.

This is so unacceptable.

A 30 million dollar settlement seems to clearly indicate wrongdoing.

I find it personally unacceptable how little action has been taken by a Democratic supermajority city council and mayor that claims to be so concerned about public safety.

And I also want to bring back to mind the flock vote from December.

What is the status of the RFI?

We would like to know.

Councilmember Bungle Pert, you just said earlier this meeting that everyone has a right.

Um protection from unreasonable search and seizure.

Well, every day on my five minute commute to drop my kids off at school, I pass by three flock ALPR readers, one way in District 9.

In the eyes of the federal government, I am a domestic terrorist because I'm using my First Amendment right to peacefully assemble.

This is terrifying to know the federal government government can find a way and to flock's nationwide network despite local control and know where I am every single week, Jane.

This public safety committee says it's concerned about public safety.

Please listen to the people.

Thank you.

Next is Barbara Gordon, if you can please unmute.

As a public health advocate, I want to recognize February as heart health months.

We all need to take our heart health seriously, as high blood pressure is the most common underlying condition identified.

We know from research that smoking is a major cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Most people with high blood pressure, known as hypertension, don't know they have it because with no symptoms or warning signs, it has earned the nickname as the silent killer.

Harvard research uh published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology found that people who smoke marijuana face a higher risk of dying of complications of high blood pressure than marijuana non-users.

High blood pressure is preventable.

Daily exercise, healthy diet, and no smoking of any kind, marijuana or tobacco, are the keys to keeping your blood pressure under control.

Understanding the relationship between tobacco and marijuana use and cardiovascular health is essential for informed decision making and risk management.

I urge all to take the precautions that will keep our hearts healthy by fostering tobacco and marijuana prevention messages.

We can work towards a healthier and safer community.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you.

Next is Peggy Walker, if you can please unmute.

Good evening.

Thank you very much.

Speaking to public health, public health agencies acknowledge that addiction is an enormous plague on communities, resulting in high social and treatment costs, and contributing to homelessness, housing, and medical treatment issues that tax city budgets.

To address this, the federal government has just announced the launch of a great American recovery initiative.

This initiative notes that unfortunately, 96% of those with addiction in 2024, that's 38.1 million Americans, did not perceive they needed treatment nor received it.

This has been called a devastating failure in terms of the economic ripple effects, increased health care costs, homelessness, lives lost, and family instability costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

The new program will invest 100 million to address addiction-related issues and expand recovery treatment for those in need.

I urge his council to engage with this initiative, coming at a time of surging addiction in our neighborhoods, addiction to opioids, high potency THC, and intoxicating products like Kratum 70H and nitrous oxide, with nearly 17% of Americans or over 48 million suffering addiction.

With nearly 17% of Americans are over 48 million suffering addiction, I believe everyone can agree this critical problem needs to be addressed with science and database solutions.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Next is 1384.

If you can please unmute 1384.

I can unmute for you.

Zoom user, if you can please unmute.

All right, thanks for taking my call.

Yeah, it's been a crazy meeting this time.

One thing that's kind of slipped through the cracks here, it's Black History Month and Black Lives Matter just stormed a white church in St.

Paul and shut it down.

And those guys got arrested.

It wasn't a church bombing like in Alabama.

But it was Black Lives Matter by screaming and scratching scaring the hell out of white kids.

That lemon guy got arrested by the feds.

They all should be arrested, each and every one of those guys.

But I want to hear the black guy denounce it.

You gotta denounce that man.

That's just wrong.

No matter what color you are, you don't want a bunch of uh illegal aliens coming in and shutting down that church on 30th, do you?

Or whatever, but why guys aren't gonna pull that move anymore?

We're not gonna buy anyone with a dog.

And then uh we just if you're gonna protest against ice, show them your hands, obey the police, do not point your car at the cops.

Don't drive down the streets and block it.

Don't be carrying a gun.

You know, that's just asking for trouble.

That guy was resisting arrest.

He wasn't just sitting there and he kicked a cop car a couple weeks before, but he was taking a big risk, man.

But uh if you want to protest, stand 30 feet away and yell and scream.

But if you're keeping if they're in your face, man, maybe we should educate guys how to get arrested.

You know, show them your hands, man, that you don't have a gun.

These guys are for now, they're getting trained in Minneapolis.

The ICE agents are getting on the job training.

So when they come here, they're gonna have a lot more training and actual experience.

So I think they'll be able to do their job a lot better.

But it's still I'm listening for the apology for Black Lives Matter.

Your time is concluded.

Next is 1733.

If you can please unmute.

1733, if you can please unmute.

I can't unmute for you.

Hi, um, this is Jonathan.

Um, I put up the uh that I have a a good solution for the I situation as well as uh first responders.

Um, I just wanted to reiterate uh it's more of a question too.

Hopefully, somebody could answer it before the end of this call.

I do I'm trying to get attorney.

It is impossible to find attorneys if you want to do things illegal way.

Um it's not just this.

I have things like there's um another issue with the credit bureaus, and like the only way to get an attorney is you have to have money to um be able to get one because your only other options would be one that's appointed, that's usually if you're on the other side.

Uh one that would take it on the consignment, and they choose, and then pro bono, they choose too.

So it's absolutely the calling the bar of San Diego is a frickin' joke.

Um, a lot of it's because there's a bunch of different uh laws, and they have to study for certain types, so you can't do a criminal, a personal, and a federal, um, even if it's one that death threats to tax evasion, you know.

Um, and I just don't know why that's not available to the public to find when they need help and they want to do things the proper way, and why they can't uh leverage uh lawyers.

But there's even uh hate hate crimes and things like of that nature.

We get there's nobody, there's nobody that will help us out as a public if we don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend on lawyers.

Um there's no such thing, and I think it's a big problem, and I hope somebody could at least uh answer that because I don't understand the point of it.

All of us are going on these rants when no questions ever get answered.

I don't under I really don't understand this.

Like we we need help.

We're asking help for help.

That's a little everything in the government.

We we ask for help.

We don't get any answers.

You hear us?

But you there's no action.

I guess that's kind of what I'm hoping is that we could actually get help.

I don't think of talking to people's ear.

I just want to reply.

That's it.

I just want to be just acknowledged.

That's all.

Thank you so much.

Next is Madison, if you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you.

Good evening, City Council members.

And thank you for the opportunity to speak about the impact of cannabis on pregnancy and early childhood.

The science is becoming clearer that just as there's no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

Emerging evidence shows there is no safe use of cannabis or THC during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Prenatal cannabis exposure is consistently linked to low birth weight, babies being small for their gestational age, preterm birth, increased NICU admissions, and in some cases, infant death.

Sadly, CDC and national survey data show that marijuana use during pregnancy is rising from about 4% in 2017 to 7% in recent years, with the highest use occurring in the first trimester.

Cannabis is now the most commonly used illegal substance during pregnancy, and it often co-occurs with alcohol or nicotine, which further amplifies risks.

Large population studies and meta-analyses have also linked prenatal cannabis use to pregnancy complications such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, placential eruption, and abnormal weight gain during pregnancy.

And unfortunately, the concerns extend beyond birth.

Children exposed to cannabis in the womb show higher rates of anxiety, aggression, and hyperactivity, as well as biological signs of heightened stress.

New research even suggests changes in placental immune gene expression that may affect long-term development.

Despite this, many pregnant women are being told that cannabis is natural or safe.

As Dr.

Yasmin Heard of Mount Sinai has warned, today's cannabis is far more potent than in the past.

And misinformation is putting children at risk.

Thank you.

Next is 93.

Oh my gosh.

Please unmute.

There you go.

Thank you.

As we recognize Keith Porter, Renee Good, and Alice Purdy, we also must remember the murder of Kanoa Wilson.

They accept the forced beating of Sean Jones, the assault on Lopez Flores, and the shooting of Edwin Fain and NRM with his hands up.

This country was built on deception, violence, rape.

Family separation and human trafficking as a business model.

When will Officer Daniel Gold be arrested for the murder of Kanoa Wilson?

When will Officer Emmanuel Coomb be charged for the use of the excessive use of force on Lopez Flores?

Four officers beat and pay Sean Jones.

When will they be charged?

Release the 37,000 chief law misconduct report.

Transparency is what the mayor stood on.

Clearly a talking piece from a fourth time.

Marnie, you should step down from chair because your personal relationship has created an absolute bias that as the chair, you do nothing to hold SBPD accountable.

Not a resolution, not an ordinance has this city council created to keep certain communities safe from SDPD officers like Sergeant Brandon Wilson, who said canines only like dark meat, and now is being alleged of saying Officer Ingram Jr.

is a bad shot because he should have killed Edwin Thane.

It's Black History Month, and instead of protecting black people, you gave days to SDPD officers in a tone-deaf rally to say job well done as a covered for officers most of their careers who harm so many of us.

Shame on you.

Yes.

Thank you.

1384, you're our final speaker.

If you can please unmute.

1384, I can't hear you.

If you have any comments, please feel free to email them in to City Clerk at Sandiego.gov.

That concludes on agenda public comment for this meeting.

Thank you, Council President Protect.

Thank you.

Does the city attorney have anything to report out from closed session?

There's no report out from closed session.

Well, with that, we will now adjourn council to the next regularly scheduled council meeting on Monday, February 9th, 2026 at 10 o'clock a.m.

We're adjourned.