Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - April 5, 2017
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Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - April 5, 2017
The Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee met on April 5, 2017, at 10:00 AM. The committee heard public comments, received reports on lifeguard dispatch integration, psychiatric emergency response, homeless outreach, and two new justice programs (SMART and CJI), and approved the FY18 HUD entitlement funding allocations.
Consent Calendar
- The record of action items for March 8, 2017, was adopted by unanimous consent without discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comments focused on homelessness and police practices. Martha Sullivan proposed a moratorium and amnesty on ticketing, arrest, and stay-away orders for homeless individuals, citing a 68% increase in encroachment arrests from 2013 to 2016 in the central division. Destiny Rivera urged police to think independently and redirect resources from sweeps to programs. Martha Welch criticized the police complaint process and the lack of resources for homeless placement. John Brady, who experienced homelessness, described the dichotomy of wanting help but being criminalized, and noted an encroachment ticket leading to a warrant. Richard Melvin called for emergency housing measures. Francine Maxwell thanked the city attorney for community engagement and requested more diversity in the city attorney's office and park & recreation department. E.B. Cosswin asked about the search for the next police chief. Steph Johnson emphasized the urgency of the mental health crisis. Daniel Beaman demanded more public restrooms. Susan Debore argued that police sweeps target minor offenses while ignoring gang activity.
- Public Comments on Lifeguard CityGate Report included concerns about retaliation and communication. Juan Gonzalez alleged retaliation from supervisors after a press release about a drowning. Chris Banos argued the report was conducted by fire professionals and incorrectly assumes efficiency would improve by mirroring fire rescue's CAD system. Ben Lewis noted inaccuracies in the report, particularly regarding cliff rescue responses. Jeffrey Hatfield defended the existing dispatch process as faster. Eric Jones criticized the fire chief's communication with lifeguards.
- Public Comments on PERT included Daniel Beaman, who supported the program; Martha Sullivan, who relayed concerns that clinicians often cannot speak directly to the person in crisis due to safety protocols; John Brady, who praised PERT but contrasted it with enforcement sweeps; and Susan Debore, who alleged PERT had been used in a retaliatory manner.
- Public Comments on Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) and Serial Inebriate Program (SIP) included John Brady, who asked for enforcement to be separated from outreach; Daniel Beaman, who supported SIP; Martha Sullivan, who noted no HOT/SIP coverage on Friday nights or weekends; and Susan Debore, who echoed the need for after-hours coverage.
- Public Comments on SMART/CJI included Jeannie Crescenzo, who questioned why illegal lodging and encroachment are treated as crimes rather than as housing needs; John Brady, who supported SMART and criticized the high cost of the status quo.
- Public Comments on FY18 HUD Allocations included Robert McNamara (support), Raymond Bernal (support for Memorial Park playground), Andrea Sorce (support for IRC microenterprise program), Anchie May (support for Project Chop), Daniel Beaman (concerns about HUD saving limits), and John Brady (criticized conditions at St. Vincent DePaul and asked about customer satisfaction surveys for homeless services).
Discussion Items
- Report from Fire Rescue on Lifeguard Dispatch Study (CityGate) : Chief Fennessey and Stu Gary presented findings. The study recommended maintaining some dispatch at Mission Bay, consolidating standard operating procedures, upgrading facilities and technology, and improving cross-training and coordination. Specific findings included that not all emergencies receive the closest responder, cultural differences exist between lifeguards and firefighters, and dispatch capabilities need integration. The report included 19 findings and 20 recommendations, with some already underway (e.g., forwarding inland water rescues to fire ECDC). Cost estimates for upgrades were $26,000 one-time and $5,000 annual maintenance for CAD integration, with longer-term facility upgrades estimated at $5-7 million. The information item required no action.
- Report on Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) : Dr. Mark Marvin and Assistant Chief Kay reported that PERT has 16 clinicians in San Diego police divisions, funded primarily by the county ($5.25 million total). In the last fiscal year, PERT had approximately 18,000 field contacts, with 6,800 individuals in severe psychiatric crisis. Only about half of contacts result in transport to a hospital. The program faces challenges attracting clinicians due to pay and safety concerns; seven positions were open. The committee discussed allocation of resources by call volume, the need for 24/7 coverage, and a pilot community paramedic PERT unit.
- Report on Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) and Serial Inebriate Program (SIP) : Lieutenant Beeson reported that HOT contacted over 13,000 homeless individuals in 2016, with 845 accepting services. In the first two quarters of FY17, 471 individuals were placed into shelters. The team operates 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM, Monday-Thursday, with limited Friday coverage. SIP has one officer and 32 treatment beds, with plans to increase to 40 beds by the end of the fiscal year. In 2016, 1,700 individuals were arrested for drunk in public, with 361 chronic offenders. The committee discussed the low acceptance rate (7-8%), the need for weekend coverage, and the importance of building rapport.
- Report on SMART Pilot Program and Community Justice Initiative (CJI) : Assistant City Attorney Hemerling and Chief Deputy Easton presented. CJI offers first-time, low-level offenders 16 hours of community service in exchange for dismissal; 2,431 participants accepted since 2014, resulting in over 29,000 hours of service. SMART targets chronic misdemeanor offenders with drug addictions in Central Division. It currently serves 10 participants with housing and treatment at a cost of $98,000 from Second Chance. Since November 2014, these participants had 442 police contacts, 102 arrests, 96 jail bookings (566 days), and 101 EMS calls ($192,000 cost). A $3 million joint grant application with the county has been submitted to expand SMART to 100 beds. The committee also discussed eligibility, recidivism tracking, and the status of Prop 47 grant funding.
- FY18 HUD Entitlement Program Allocations : Staff presented the annual action plan and a substantial amendment to the consolidated plan. The total CDBG budget is approximately $29.8 million, including $10 million in entitlement funds, repayments, and reprogrammed funds. The allocation funds 33 projects, including capital improvements (Parc de la Cruz Community Center, Bay Terrace Senior Center, Memorial Park Playground ADA upgrades, Silver Wing Ballfield lights). Also included are funds for the reinvestment initiative, homeless services ($1.3 million set-aside), and other HUD programs (ESG, HOPWA, HOME). The 30-day public comment period runs March 29-April 27. The committee was asked to recommend approval to council.
Key Outcomes
- The consent calendar was adopted unanimously.
- All information items were received without action.
- The committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of the FY18 HUD allocation action items (1 through 22) to the full city council. The motion was made by Councilmember Ward and seconded by Councilmember Bree.
- The next committee meeting is scheduled for April 26, 2017, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to the April 5th, twenty seventeen public safety and livable neighborhoods committee. We have a quorum consisting of Councilmember Bree, Councilmember Zap, and imagine Capitol Member Ward will be uh here shortly. Our first up we're gonna have non-agenda public comments. We have Martha Sullivan, followed by Destiny Rivera, and then Martha Welch. And you all have two minutes. Hello. Good afternoon. Um, my name is Martha Sullivan. Some of you saw me this morning at the rules committee. Um I'm a small business owner and I also live in uh in the same building near Old Town. Um what I really want to speak about where's the definitely not for track of my what I really wanted to talk about today um in non-agenda before this committee specifically is that the um we are proposing a moratorium and amnesty on the ticketing arrest and stay aware orders for homelessness. And this is because you know, we're criminalizing people for being too poor to be able to afford a home in this city where we know housing costs costs have skyrocketed. We also know that in twenty sixteen arrest for encroachment alone, the most common ch charge for homelessness increased sixty-eight percent in the uh police department's central division from twenty thirteen, which is the last available year for data. And in spite of this, the downtown partnership's monthly census in twenty sixteen showed a sixty-eight percent increase in street homelessness. So clearly, clearly the ticketing and the arrest and the stay away orders and the fines of homeless people, primarily downtown, to basically cleanse our streets of homeless people. Isn't working. Destiny Rivera, followed by Martha Welch, and then John Brady. Okay, hello. This is my I've never done this before. It's my first time. Um I just I'm here to talk about the police sweeps. I just um close to the mic. Okay. Go close. Well, I'm here to talk about the police sweeps. Um, just as a concerned, as a human, as a concerned citizen, I just can't even express to you how enraging it is to see what's happening. Um I bike down in the morning sometimes, and like it's really it's a moral issue to kick someone when they're so down. They're alright, like if you just are using your eyes and just look at what's happening. Um I can't imagine and I just I think that the police should be held accountable. Don't do everything that you're instructed to do. Think for yourself. It's such a waste of city resources to use this. Um all of that money that is being used to fund this police the sweeps in the morning. Why not direct that to an actual program that helps these people? Um yeah, I just I just think it's so important for police officers to think for themselves too, to maybe even question your superiors. And um I don't really know. Um just to that I just want to reiterate that it is a moral issue that these city resources could be used so much better, and I think it's time that we actually address this issue in a in a way that helps others. That's all they have to say. Thank you. Welcome to public comments. Next we have Martha Welch, followed by John Brady and then Richard Melvin. Martha Wells, they did a survey last year about uh probably one public survey was number one, but the councils vote for pendant and reserve. If you know, I called the um the phone to the non um phone to police when they told online police on online. They haven't called me yet. I mean, I didn't call me back yet about that report. Now I went to three police to say they're clothes. Each time I talk to the officers, you know, officers who do that. So that's why you can't do a line, you know, that's not right. If you had academy, you would have you have pictures, believe me, you look you like.
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