Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - March 10, 2021
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Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee Meeting - March 10, 2021
The San Diego City Council's Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee met on March 10, 2021, via Zoom to consider several items, including the establishment of the Office of the Commission on Police Practices, appointment of an interim executive director, approval of interim standard operating procedures, fire department technology contracts, and a park curfew ordinance. All votes were unanimous.
Consent Calendar
- Approved committee actions from February 10, 2021 unanimously.
- Approved consent agenda items 1 and 2: joint use agreements for Far Middle Schools in Terra Santa, providing 4.6 acres of turf field, baseball field, walking tracks, and basketball courts.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment: Joy Sunyata (District 3) thanked the chair for sharing personal experiences of racism and praised partnerships between community planning groups and police.
- Item 3 (Police Practices Commission): Francine Maxwell (Fourth District) supported the office wholeheartedly. Kathleen Lippett suggested that commission members experience police academy training to gain appreciation for officers.
- Items 4 & 5 (Interim Director & SOPs): Andrea St. Julian (co-chair of San Diegans for Justice) requested that the interim SOPs not delay mandatory investigations. Francine Maxwell supported the interim director but urged a nationwide search for a permanent director. Joy Sunyata wished the candidate well and asked for more officer training and community outreach. Kathleen Lippett was not heard.
- Item 6 (Streamline Automation): No public comments.
- Item 7 (CAD-to-CAD contract): Michelle Krug questioned why only 8 of 18 tribal communities were included. The committee noted the concern.
- Item 8 (Park curfew): Brian White (Pacific Beach resident) supported the two-year community process. Marcella Turan (longtime resident) shared a personal story of her son being attacked. Vanessa Lovett (youth sports volunteer) described increased crime at fields. Kelly McCormick supported curfew as a step against drug dealing. Michelle Krug urged that homeless individuals be provided with alternatives. Kathleen Lippett blamed COVID for youth drug use. Joy Sunyata supported the curfew but expressed concern about root causes. Adina (District 3) warned against criminalizing unhoused people without providing alternatives.
Discussion Items
- Item 3: Ordinance Establishing Office of the Commission on Police Practices (OCPP) – The committee heard a presentation from Chloe Triplett (committee consultant) and Brandon Hilbert (chair of interim commission). The ordinance would create a city department to staff the commission, which was established by voters in November 2020 (Measure B, 74-75% approval). The executive director would be the appointing authority. The motion passed unanimously.
- Items 4 & 5: Appointment of Interim Executive Director and Interim Standard Operating Procedures – Presented by Doug Case (first vice chair). The interim executive director recommended was Charmaine Mosley, former director of the Community Review Board, with extensive experience. The interim SOPs allow continued review work while the council develops a permanent implementation ordinance, including definitions of police misconduct and meet-and-confer obligations. The committee discussed the need for a future nationwide search for a permanent director. Both items passed unanimously.
- Item 6: First Amendment to Agreement with Streamline Automation Systems – Assistant Fire Chief John Wood and Deputy Chief Doug Harry presented an 18-month extension for fire inspection and billing software, needed to complete a full RFP delayed by COVID. Cost: $12,408/month plus $17,000 for an interface, total ~$223,000. The motion passed unanimously.
- Item 7: Contract with Central Square Technologies for Next Generation CAD-to-CAD – Presented by Mike Scott. The system connects 911 fire/EMS dispatch centers across the county, saving 90–120 seconds per call, used about 8,000 times a year. Five member agencies serve 18 cities, 7 fire districts, and 8 tribal communities. Implementation funded by a federal UASI grant; city's share over 10 years is ~$716,000. The committee stressed inclusion of all 18 tribal nations and diversity in contracting. The motion passed unanimously.
- Item 8: Municipal Code Amendment for Park Curfew – Christina Chadwick (Parks and Recreation) proposed curfews at three Pacific Beach parks: Fanuel Street Park (10 p.m.–5 a.m.), Pacific Beach Library Park (10 p.m.–5 a.m.), and Mission Bay Athletic Area (11 p.m.–6 a.m.). The community-driven process began in 2019 with over 500 petition signatures. Enforcement starts with education and signage. Public restrooms will remain open. The committee discussed balancing safety with avoiding criminalizing homelessness. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All items on the discussion agenda were approved unanimously.
- The Office of the Commission on Police Practices was established as a city department.
- Charmaine Mosley was appointed interim executive director of the commission.
- Interim standard operating procedures for the commission were approved.
- The Fire-Rescue Department's software contract with Streamline Automation was extended 18 months.
- A 10-year contract with Central Square Technologies for a regional CAD-to-CAD system was approved, pending final grant award letter.
- A municipal code amendment authorizing nighttime curfews at three Pacific Beach parks was approved for city council consideration.
- The committee adopted its work plan for the year, focusing on police reform, firefighter wellness, brush management, park equity, and homelessness.
- The next meeting was scheduled for April 14, 2021.
Meeting Transcript
All right, Mary Ann Chloe, are we all set? Yes, please proceed. Okay, thank you. Good morning. Uh per executive order 29-20, which suspends certain requirements of the Brown Act. 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 we'll give details on how the public can offer their testimony. Public testimony. Each committee member is attending virtually. Also on the virtual meeting is Paige Falkland, Office of the City Attorney, Baku Patel, Office of the IBA, and Matt Yayegan, Office of the Mayor. The public may view the meetings on public television, 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. The committee meetings will be held virtually using the Zoom webinar platform. 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 webinar by telephone, you may dial either, you may dial 1669 254 5252. When prompted, input webinar ID 160 780 2331 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 and you you would like to comment on, you will raise your hand by either tapping the raise your hand button on your computer tablet or smartphone or by pressing uh star nine on your phone. You will be taken the order in which you raised your hand. You may only speak once on a particular item. When 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's how you will know it is your turn to speak. If you have joined the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone, you will receive a pop-up notice to select the unmute your device. Select unmute your device. If you have called into the meeting by cell phone or landline, press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. We will review these instructions briefly 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 comment. Also, please mute the volume on your TV or computer before you uh begin to speak as there is a flag. A quorum is now present, and we will now dispense with the approval of the committee actions of February 10th, 2021. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? So moved. Thank you, Vice Chair. Uh, and I will go ahead and second that. Now we will take uh council member comments and questions and have each council member register your vote. Please mute yourself once you have completed your comment. Uh we will start with Vice Chair Campio. I vote yes. Thank you. Uh Council President Proton Whitburn. I vote yes. Thank you. Councilmember Von Wolfer. I vote yes. Thank you.
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