Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - January 13, 2021
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Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - January 13, 2021
The Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee of the San Diego City Council met virtually on January 13, 2021, due to public health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was televised and live-streamed. Committee members present were Chair Montgomery Stepp, Vice Chair Campillo, Council President Pro Tem Whitburn, and Councilmember Von Wilpert. The main agenda item was a discussion of the committee's priorities for 2021, with the goal of receiving public input to inform the work plan to be presented at the February 10, 2021 meeting.
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved the committee actions from November 18, 2020. Vice Chair Campillo specifically thanked the Chair for actions that included renewing an agreement with San Diego Unified School District to open green spaces to schools in District 7.
Public Comments & Testimony
Non-agenda public comment (approximately 15 callers in queue):
- Samantha Jenkins (District 4 resident) asked the city council to push the San Diego Police Department to investigate whether any active-duty officers participated in the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
- Marisa Talbot (District 7 resident, co-chair of Pandy Higgins Progested) welcomed the committee and expressed hope for a transparent process.
- Tasha Williamson called for firing SDPD Chief Nisleit due to biased policing and excessive force, investigation into police conduct at Pacific Beach protests, public reporting of police training spending, and a return to name tags. She also criticized the city council for disregarding public voice.
- Luis Rodolico (Dirac Street resident) complained about repeated liquid garbage spills from city trash trucks, requiring residents to hose down the street.
- Blair Overstreet (Showing Up for Racial Justice, San Diego) highlighted the need for police accountability and called for reallocating police funding to community services.
- Amy Zimudio (homeless outreach representative, Central Beach) expressed fear among unhoused community members after a protest in Pacific Beach, stating that some protesters were known to despise the unhoused.
- Several callers (e.g., Joy Sanyata, senior advocate) welcomed the committee and offered suggestions for senior safety and inclusion.
Public comment on Item 1 (committee priorities):
- Kierra Pina (Center on Policy Initiatives, Community Budget Alliance) argued that policing is a racist institution and urged divestment, investment in community resources, dismantling street gang units, creating alternatives to police, funding community groups for emergency response, developing youth violence prevention, creating a transitional age unit, and passing the Protect Ordinance.
- Doug Case (First Vice Chair of the Community Review Board, soon to be Commission on Police Practices) urged adequate funding and a two-phase implementation ordinance to expedite commissioner selection.
- Blair Overstreet (City Heights resident) described police harassment of Black and brown youth and advocated for mental health crisis response without police, noting the lack of a non-police option for mental health emergencies in San Diego.
- Regina Sinski Crosby (Pacific Beach resident) reported witnessing excessive police force and biased policing at the Pacific Beach protest, noting police wore more riot gear than Capitol police during the January 6 coup attempt.
- Tasha Williamson called for rooting out racist police officers and reallocating unused training funds back to the community.
- Lori Saldania (former Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore) urged policies to address white supremacist groups, citing law enforcement’s failure to separate groups and protect counter-protesters.
- Ariana (District 4 resident, youth organizer at Mid City Kent) supported Community Budget Alliance priorities and called for decriminalizing low-level offenses and fully funding the Commission on Police Practices.
- Joy Sanyata (District 3) welcomed the committee and emphasized senior safety, pedestrian issues, and inclusion in CDBG grants.
- Adina Weinick (District 3) urged divestment from policing and adoption of Community Budget Alliance priorities.
- Sally Small (Emerald Hills Neighborhood Council) supported funding mental health and drug abuse services, and safe parks.
- Martha Welp complained about overtime and pension issues for officers and lack of complaint accessibility.
- Tarek Osafor (La Mesa resident) said residents no longer feel safe due to police failure to address white supremacists and are turning to private security.
- Bellin Hernandez thanked committee for prioritizing the Commission on Police Practices and urged inclusion of youth violence prevention and transitional age unit.
- Becky Rapp (mother and youth mentor) opposed expanding marijuana dispensaries near churches and urged upholding regulations to protect youth.
- Julie Hendrix (District 7) called for diverting police funding to mental health and youth outreach services.
- Katie Hallett (District 2) supported Community Budget Alliance priorities including dismantling street gang units, creating alternatives to policing, and fully funding the Commission on Police Practices.
Discussion Items
Item 1: Discussion of the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Priorities for 2021 Chair Montgomery Stepp noted that the committee had received input from members and the public, and that a work plan would be presented at the February 10 meeting. She thanked the public for their comments and emphasized that they do not fall on deaf ears. She highlighted the Office of Race and Equity, which will intersect with many issues but is not yet assigned to this committee. She affirmed that the committee will address implementation of the Independent Commission on Police Practices, community-oriented policing, diverse recruitment for police and fire, park equity, EMS response times, safe parking program, and the Community Action Plan on homelessness.
Vice Chair Campillo thanked callers and acknowledged specific priorities: towing and impounding policies (raised by Councilmember Whitburn), urban community gardens (from Councilmember Von Wilpert), opioid crisis, mental health resources for homelessness, expansion of home buyer down payment assistance for all first responders, a public safety training facility for fire, and firefighter wellness programs.
Council President Pro Tem Whitburn seconded the motion and stressed the need for efficient implementation and funding of the Independent Commission on Police Practices, updates on racial bias training, and consistent treatment of protesters. He also highlighted vehicle towing and impounding policies as a critical equity issue, homelessness, park equity, and the opioid crisis.
Councilmember Von Wilpert thanked the Chair for her leadership on Measure B and racial equity. She emphasized fully funding the Commission on Police Practices, implementing a 988 mental health crisis number, de-escalation tactics, wildfire safety, opioid abatement funds for medication-assisted treatment, park equity including community gardens, support for arts and culture, and addressing racial disparities in homelessness (noting that 28% of San Diego's homeless population is Black, compared to 5% of the overall population). She also called for re-evaluating the rule limiting non-agenda public comment to eight speakers.
Key Outcomes
- The committee unanimously approved a motion (moved by Vice Chair Campillo, seconded by Council President Pro Tem Whitburn) directing the Chair to draft the 2021 committee work plan incorporating member priorities and public input. The work plan will be presented at the next meeting on February 10, 2021.
- The committee will incorporate a broad range of priorities including police reform, implementation of Measure B, alternatives to policing, mental health crisis response, towing policy reform, wildfire safety, opioid treatment, park equity, and racial equity in homelessness services.
Meeting Transcript
And the star the red eye as it flows into the sky and the night's the body and those high came together I would leave this work if that came touchy by touch this guy Saint Catherine's was a nightmare You know they took away my headphones Show they like you keep your hands set the courtyard is a dead zone And the nurse that they assigned me Had a rupture that's a ring tone Blasting out through guilty and speakers like it's book spray Buzzin' like a hornet halfway blown up you're still in Pennsylvania I'd advise you not to leave Take some nickels from the fountain make your friends and fall asleep Well that's your sense be of a mission I wish you wouldn't engage with all these creeps Cause they're never gonna love you that one specific way that you want them all love you're a flexible schedule and willingness to trade your medications Obsessing controlling you coming up on total supplication She came out to the cantina singing this must be the place that faithful has its limits I just wanna see his face Before she took her shot She said a little grace the Lord grant me the power to stop these hands from shaking I've been falling in the fountain since a week or so before I've been rattled by the accident my shoulders were still sore I almost rolled my eyes when they asked me how to score But sometimes it feels sweet to be the teacher What she was calling through the carpet I could not resist her charms She brought me to a fortress she called the family farm and out along the towers there were guards with heavy arms I guess there was some tension with the neighbors tripping at the air strip, drinking on the runway, laughing at the jets as we watched them fly away. She said you get what you get when you push too far ahead. They put us in these places for a reason I had a blessing, masquerading as wisdom on the lamp post, just jangling the keys to the kingdom in the lobby of a hotel on the highway. That one specific way that you want to move you and you want them all we love you first time I saw the fire in your eyes I'd never really been Tom Tight Until I fell into you I decide I'm not too good to open in my mind I used to let myself down all the time until I fell into you and you illuminate this town with your street life infany Yeah you took this boy and turned him around Yeah you made a man out of me You are you are I've been waiting my whole life for you out I've been waiting my whole life for the first time I saw you in the sun I nearly died I told myself I'd have to sacrifice that's when I fell into you threw me one but I was out my mind I'd always come back with another light So now I'm telling the truth and you illuminate this town with your street life infany Yeah you took this boy and turned him around Yeah you made a man out me I love you are I've been waiting for life you are you are waiting for the life I can see you standing on it with his arms around your body laughing but the jokes not funny at all and it took you five whole minutes to pack us up and leave me with it holding all this love out here in the hall I think I've seen this film before and I didn't like the ending you're not my home end anymore so what am I defending now you were my town now I'm in exile seeing you out I think I've seen this film before I can see it staring honey like he's just your understudy like it gets your knuckles bloody for me third and hundred chances balancing on breaking bridges those eyes add and soul to injury I think I've seen this home before and I didn't like the ending I'm not sure any more so who am I fending now you might crown and I'm an exile seeing you out I think I've seen this film before the side so step right out there is no amount of cry I can do for all this time we always want to be So who am I fending now? You might crown an exile seeing you out. I think you've seen this film before. So only not the side. So step right out. There is no amount of crypto for this time. We always want to have everything. You didn't even hear me. Don't even give a wall. Another learning read your mother. So the sound. I think I've seen this room. Okay, everyone. The committee members will be participating via Zoom, and no members of the public will be in attendance at the meeting in the interest of public health and safety. In addition, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the committee liaison has made arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. We appreciate the public's cooperation. I will go over the specifics of how to join the webinar and will give details on how the public can offer their public testimony. I will now call the public safety and livable neighborhoods meeting of Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 to order. Council President Pro Tim Whitburn. Councilmember Von Wilper. Thank you. Each committee member is attending virtually. Also on the virtual meeting is Baku Patel, Office of the IBA. Paige Falkman, Office of the City Attorney. Matt Yagegan, Office of the Mayor. The public may view the meetings on public television on City TV channel 24 for Cox Communication and Time Warner Cable or Channel 99 for ATT. Or view the meeting online by going to the City Council Committee's homepage at Sandiego.gov and selecting the City TV Live Webcast blue button on the right-hand side of the page. Members of the public can offer public comment on items by accessing the Zoom webinar online using a desktop computer, a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, or by calling into the meeting using a smartphone, cellular phone, or landline. The link to join the committee meeting webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone is listed on the agenda on how to join by iPhone one tap. To join the Zoom Zim uh webinar by telephone, you may dial either area code six six nine two five four five two five two or area code six four six eight two eight seven six six six once prompted input webinar ID which is one six zero seven eight zero two three three one pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each item. When I introduce the item you would like to comment on, you will raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on the computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by pressing star nine on your phone. You will be taken in the order in which you raised your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. Once our committee consultant, Chloe Triplett indicates it is your turn to speak. She will call you by your name as it appears on the Zoom webinar attendee list. Or she will read out the last four digits of your phone number if you have called into the meeting. That is how you'll know it is your turn to speak. Again, when the public comment period on an item is open. Please wait until the item you wish to speak to has been called before raising your hand to speak. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. When you are announced as the next speaker, please unmute yourself and offer your comments. Also, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you begin to speak. A quorum is now present, and we will dispense with the approval of the committee actions of uh November 18th, 2020. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? I shall so move.
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