Special Public Safety and Leveled Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - November 16, 2017

The Special Public Safety and Leveled Neighborhoods Committee met on November 16, 2017, to hear non-agenda public comments, adopt the consent calendar including the Piazza Familia project, and receive an informational update on the recruitment process for the city's next police chief. The meeting featured extensive public testimony on school safety concerns at Longfellow Kate Spanish Emergence School and on the transparency and community involvement in the police chief selection process. Committee members asked questions and provided comments but took no final action on the informational item.

Consent Calendar

• Piazza Familia Project: The committee unanimously adopted a consent item related to the Piazza Familia public amenity, which will be maintained by the Little Italy Association. Councilmember Ward thanked staff and community partners, noting the opening is imminent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Martha Welch (community member): Criticized the city for police stations being closed part-time, insufficient police academies, low officer pay relative to the sheriff's department, and delays in fire station construction. She asserted that the city is not prioritizing public safety and that officials are not being truthful.
• Lisa Lawrence (parent, Longfellow Kate Spanish Emergence School): Requested immediate safety measures, including adult crossing guards, citing five close calls since the death of a mother of two in North Claremont. She noted that the city's own guidelines call for temporary crossing guards until permanent traffic controls are installed, but her requests to hire special event traffic guards had been denied.
• Jennifer Ragusa (Bay Park resident, parent of two Longfellow students): Stated that the city has not provided adequate changes despite a death in the community. She said she has been requesting improvements since 2012 and that the traffic pattern changes on Claremont Drive have made Bergner to Milton a dangerous thoroughfare for 800 children. She expressed frustration at being passed between city officials and declined meetings with the mayor.

Discussion Items

• Police Chief Recruitment Process Update (Informational Item):
  • Chief Operating Officer Scott Chadwick, Deputy COO Ron Via, and consultant Regan Williams of Bob Murray and Associates presented the process to select the city's 32nd police chief following Chief Shelley Zimmerman's retirement.
  • Ron Via described the community engagement phase: six neighborhood workshops with over 340 participants and an online survey with over 2,000 responses over 28 days. The next phases include candidate recruitment (narrowed to no more than six), then three interview rounds: community panels (three panels of eight members each, drawn from city boards, commissions, and community organizations), a professional panel (law enforcement experts to assess managerial and legal skills), and finally a mayor-led interview. The mayor will select a candidate, who will be presented to the City Council for confirmation in open session, expected in February 2018.
  • Regan Williams summarized trends from community and staff input: issues of attracting/retaining staff, homelessness, enhanced training (mental health, diversity, de-escalation), racial profiling, community policing, and transparency. Desired characteristics included experience in diverse communities, honesty, communication skills, accountability, and a leader who is a "cop's cop."
  • Public comments from multiple speakers expressed opposition to the proposed process:
    • Aaron Davis (community member): Stated the community feels left out and that confidentiality is being used as a cover for secrecy, contrasting with more open processes in Seattle, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
    • Christy Hill (ACLU, Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency - CPAT): Called the process "smoke and mirrors," arguing community input is symbolic and real power rests with mayoral staff and unknown law enforcement experts. She called for public disclosure of panel members, community representation on the decision-making panel, and release of finalist names.
    • Chris Wilson (Alliance San Diego, CPAT): Said community concerns were heard but not addressed. He noted the community panels cannot narrow candidates, so their input may be ignored. He also pointed out that the consultant met with police officer and management associations but refused a meeting with his coalition.
    • Emily Howe (community member): Supported CPAT's demands, called for meaningful selection criteria and transparency, and shared personal experiences of unequal treatment.
    • Doug Case (chair, Community Review Board on Police Practices): Appreciated the inclusion of his board but criticized the lack of community representation on the professional panel that makes the final narrowing. He analogized community panels being put at the "kid's table" and requested a community representative on the decision-making panel.
    • Francine Maxwell (4th District resident): Asked the committee to "break up the old boys' network," alleging nepotism in SDPD promotions and calling for real transparency, including seating the 17 unconfirmed CRB members and including youth directly affected by the justice system.
    • Abdul (United Taxpayers of San Diego): Supported community involvement in selecting a chief who represents all communities, not just the mayor.
    • Alara Chilton (San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association): Echoed CPAT concerns about racial bias and asked for the opportunity to meet with process leaders to discuss panel composition and candidate narrowing.

Key Outcomes

• The committee adopted the consent calendar (including the Piazza Familia item) by unanimous voice vote.
• The police chief recruitment update was received as informational; no vote was taken.
• The committee scheduled its next regular meeting for Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. in the same room.