San Diego Public Safety Committee Meeting Summary - June 7, 2023

The Public Safety Committee of the San Diego City Council convened on June 7, 2023, to discuss two informational items: an update on the Commission on Police Practices (CPP) and a presentation on the Lifeguard Division. The meeting included public testimony, updates on the transition to independent police oversight, and a review of lifeguard operations and future needs. No votes were taken, as both items were informational.

Consent Calendar

• The committee approved the committee actions from the May 17, 2023 meeting unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

Non-Agenda Public Comment (Items within committee jurisdiction):

• Terry Ann Skelly (schools/PTA worker, mother): Opposed adding more marijuana businesses, citing risks to youth mental health and addiction concerns related to high-THC vapes.
• Larry Webb (Mission Beach Town Council president, Coastal Coalition member, speaking for himself): Criticized the lack of public transparency on the Protect Ordinance, for which the city spent over $200,000 on research and development over 21 months, and urged a committee vote.
• Barbara Gordon: Referenced the California Department of Public Health's "Mind Over Marijuana" campaign, which is part of a $12 million youth cannabis prevention initiative. She urged reconsideration of the cannabis social equity program, which proposes 36 additional outlets, and advocated for investments in youth programs.
• Francine Maxwell (Southeastern San Diego resident): Criticized the recent "Dragnet" drag racing enforcement operation, stating that community members were ticketed for minor violations, and called for better public education and communication.
• Blair Beekman: Expressed concern about the language used in discussions of surveillance kiosks, urging more honest and transparent dialogue. He also highlighted the importance of public accountability.
• Catherine Douglas: Requested an update on the Protect Act, noting $200,000 taxpayer dollars spent on an outside legal opinion with no public update, and urged accountability.
• Diane Grace: Urged prohibition of marijuana advertising visible to youth (billboards, coupons at street fairs), as part of a comprehensive fentanyl prevention strategy.
• Becky Rapp: Opposed the Cannabis Business Division's proposal to add 36 new pot shops, change zoning, and eliminate sensitive use restrictions. She criticized the lack of public outreach, noting planning groups were not informed until May 24, 2023, just two weeks before the Planning Commission hearing.
• Peggy Walker: Highlighted the "100 deadliest days" for teen drivers (Memorial Day to Labor Day). She cited 2021 data showing 10.5 million people drove under the influence of marijuana, including 1.5 million aged 16-20, and noted that minors are 2.5 times more likely to drive under the influence of marijuana than alcohol. She urged education and potency caps.
• Judy Strang: Expressed concern that marijuana businesses, facing lower profits, seek more consumers (including younger people) and more advertising to normalize use. She emphasized the need for good public policy and youth protection.

Public Comment on CPP Update:

• Blair Beekman: Suggested a hybrid approach to case review, keeping initial closed-session reviews but with public accessibility, and emphasized accountability and data transparency.
• Francine Maxwell (Women Occupy): Expressed partial satisfaction with the presentation but raised concerns about trust, including the appointment of a worker for a high-ranking senator to a designated low-to-moderate seat, the underutilization of outside counsel, and delays. She urged full implementation without further delay.

Discussion Items

1. Commission on Police Practices (CPP) Update

• Presenters: Charmaine Mosley (Interim Executive Director), Doug Case (Interim Chair), and Dwayne Bennett (Outside Counsel).
• Overview: Voters passed Measure B in November 2020, establishing an independent commission to replace the Community Review Board (CRB). The CPP is independent of the mayor and SDPD, with new functions including independent investigations, subpoena powers, and an appeals process. The implementation ordinance went into effect in November 2022.
• Staffing: Currently 3 full-time employees; vacancies include admin aid, senior management analyst, deputy executive director, chief investigator, performance auditor, and policy analyst. Two searches (deputy executive director and chief investigator) are underway via executive search firm CPSHR.
• Case Backlog: The commission is facing a significant backlog, with 107 active cases (including officer-involved shootings) and at least 70 cases beyond the one-year statute of limitations. The number of cases assigned from internal affairs has tripled since 2019, while the number of commissioners has more than halved.
• Proposed Solutions by Outside Counsel Dwayne Bennett: The current model, where volunteer commissioners review cases individually, is unsustainable)Skip? He recommended using contract investigators to review the backlog as a whole for trends (not individual findings), especially for cases beyond one year. He proposed clearing the backlog in 60 days with 3 contractors.
• Councilmember Campbell requested clarification on the one-year limit, learned about POBOR (Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights) and the importance of prioritizing cases within the one-year window.
• Councilmember Montgomery Steppe (Vice Chair) supported the proposal, discussed potential contracting mechanisms (as-needed contract), and offered to request an outstationed personnel department liaison. She also noted a parallel track for hiring a permanent executive director.
• The committee acknowledged the need for meet-and-confer processes with labor unions, which may delay implementation of procedures.

2. Lifeguard Division Informational Update

• Presenters: Chief James Garten and Marine Safety Lieutenant Lonnie Stevens.
• Overview: The Lifeguard Division provides safety services across 17 miles of coastline (Point Loma to Torrey Pines) and 27 miles of Mission Bay coastline, jurisdiction extending 3 miles out to sea. In 2022, they performed approximately 8,000 rescues, 50 cliff rescues, 55 boat rescues, over 2,600 medical aids, and almost 448,000 preventative acts. Estimated attendance was nearly 22 million.
• Operations: The division uses a network of towers (8 main, 33 seasonal), patrol vehicles, and vessels (including jet skis and fireboats) to observe, prevent, and rescue. They also have a swift water rescue team and a dive search and recovery team.
• Community Programs: Junior Lifeguard Program, scholarships (60 per year via Prevent Drowning Foundation), "Bridges to the Beach," and partnerships with the San Diego Life Saving Association (nonprofit). Chief Garten cited that formal swim lessons reduce childhood drowning risk by 88%.
• Equipment Needs: Chief Garten highlighted the need for new lifeguard towers at North Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach, a new junior lifeguard headquarters, a vessel replacement fund, and increased costs for equipment (e.g., rescue boards now $2,300, jet skis now $25,000).
• Enforcement & Grants: The division has been active in curbing illegal jet ski rentals on Mission Bay, working with the District Attorney. Recent successes included impounding 4-5 illegal rentals on weekends. Grants received include port security, state grants, and UASI for training.
• Staffing: The division enters summer with a full team of 125 full-time and 215-225 seasonal lifeguards. A proposed budget includes a dedicated recruiting sergeant and an advanced lifeguard academy.

Key Outcomes

• The committee approved the May 17, 2023 actions unanimously.
• No formal votes were taken on the two informational items.
• The committee expressed support for the CPP's progress and encouraged the use of contract investigators to address the backlog, but noted that independent investigations must wait for meet-and-confer and council approval of procedures.
• Councilmember Montgomery Steppe committed to request an outstationed personnel department liaison for the CPP and highlighted the need for a permanent executive director search.
• The committee thanked the Lifeguard Division for their work and acknowledged the need for new facilities and equipment, urging continued support in budget deliberations.
• A special June meeting of the Public Safety Committee was announced to cover additional agenda items.