San Diego Public Safety Committee Special Meeting - July 19, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
San Diego Public Safety Committee Special Meeting - July 19, 2023
The San Diego City Council Public Safety Committee held a special meeting on July 19, 2023, at 1 p.m. (originally scheduled for 2 p.m. but moved due to a packed agenda). The meeting covered the consent calendar, a series of amendments to the emergency ambulance service contract establishing an alliance model, approval of smart streetlight and automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology, and purchase of three new police helicopters. The meeting also included non-agenda public comment.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Authorization to execute third amendment to agreement with Tablet Command.
- Item 2: Adoption of the 2023 update to the San Diego County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
- Public comment included support from Blair Beekman and Lori Saldania (highlighting heat risks and first responder wellness), and opposition from a speaker concerned about single‐source contracts and hazard omissions.
- Passed unanimously (3-0, Vice Chair Montgomery Step absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 3, Joy Sunyata (District 3) expressed support for the alliance model but noted sensitivity around the 12-month evaluation period. Anthony Sorcy (San Diego Association of Pre-Hospital Professionals, SDAP) supported the second amendment but urged inclusion of 10 dual-paramedic ambulances to address chronic staffing shortages. Troy Hagen (Falk Mobile Health) reported hiring of 74 new paramedics and improved daily ALS hours. The Independent Budget Analyst (Bakupatel) noted financial risks and promised a forthcoming report.
- On Item 4, Joy Sunyata and Paul Forney (AMR) spoke in favor; Lori Saldania emphasized prevention and reducing EMS calls.
- On Item 5, Joy Sunyata shared personal billing challenges; Dan Schmikowski and original DRA raised concerns about billing burdens.
- On Item 6, over 30 speakers provided testimony. Supporters included Matt Greco (Deputy District Attorney’s Association), Catherine Douglas (La Jolla Town Council), Larry Webb (Mission Beach Town Council), Fred Tayko (San Diego County Lodging Association), and Josh Callery Coyne (Downtown San Diego Partnership). Opponents included Aaron Serrameto (Alliance San Diego), Lily Irani, Leo Neehorster (UAW 2865, DSA), Hamaira Yusufi (PANA), Benjamin Prado (AFSC), Seth Hall, Nancy Relliford, and many others from the Trust SD coalition, Privacy Advisory Board members, and community advocates. Concerns centered on privacy, racial bias, data sharing, lack of vendor transparency, and the Privacy Advisory Board’s unanimous rejection. Several speakers urged the committee to reject or send back the proposal.
- On Item 7, testimony was limited; Lori Saldania and Danny Avidia opposed, citing cost and lack of results; Blair Beekman suggested phasing purchases; Dan Schmikowski supported.
Discussion Items
- Items 3‑5 – Emergency Ambulance Alliance Model: Fire Chief Colin Stoll and Deputy Chief Jody Pierce presented three interconnected agenda items: the second amendment with Falk (Item 3), a contract with American Medical Response (Item 4), and a billing contract with Whitman Enterprises (Item 5). The alliance model shifts system control to the city, allows multiple providers, and aims to improve staffing stability. Chief Stoll noted financial projections show a $6.5 million surplus in the first year. Council members questioned nurse navigation, penalty structures, and timeline. The committee supported sending to full council.
- Item 6 – Smart Streetlight & ALPR Technology: Acting Captain Charles Lada and Sergeant Chris McAndrew presented a detailed proposal to deploy 500 smart streetlight cameras with ALPR. They emphasized crime‑fighting benefits, exonerating the innocent, and accountability. They stated no facial recognition, 15‑day video retention, 30‑day ALPR data retention, and strict data ownership by the city. Nine community meetings were held. The Privacy Advisory Board had recommended rejection due to policy deficiencies and lack of vendor information (vendor, Flock Safety, was disclosed only during the meeting). Committee discussion was extensive. Chair Von Wilpert made a motion to approve, seconded by Councilmember Campbell. Councilmember Montgomery Step expressed concerns about location selection criteria, insufficient safeguards, and the rushed process, voting no. The motion passed 3‑1.
- Item 7 – Purchase of Three H‑125 Helicopters: Lieutenant Rick Aguilar and Sergeant Josh Burkhart presented the request to extend the Airbus contract and purchase three new helicopters for $17,952,192. They cited rising maintenance costs on the aging fleet and safety improvements (crash‑resistant fuel tanks, backup hydraulics, autopilot). Committee members asked about vendor selection and trade‑in values. The motion passed unanimously (3‑0, Vice Chair Montgomery Step absent for part, but noted later as a 3‑0 vote).
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (3‑0).
- Item 3 (Second Amendment with Falk): Motion to approve staff’s recommendation passed 4‑0 (with Vice Chair Montgomery Step present and voting).
- Item 4 (Contract with AMR): Motion passed unanimously 4‑0.
- Item 5 (Contract with Whitman Enterprises): Motion passed unanimously 4‑0.
- Item 6 (Smart Streetlight & ALPR): Motion to approve staff’s recommendation passed 3‑1 (Chair Von Wilpert, Councilmembers Campbell and Campillo in favor; Vice Chair Montgomery Step opposed). The proposal will go to full City Council.
- Item 7 (Helicopter Purchase): Motion passed unanimously (3‑0, Vice Chair Montgomery Step absent).
- Next Steps: The IBA will release a risk report on the alliance model; full council votes are expected on July 31 or August 1 for the ambulance items; the smart streetlight contract will return to committee after procurement; a point‑by‑point response to the Privacy Advisory Board’s rejection will be provided early next week.
- Non‑Agenda Public Comment: Topics included opposition to Fukushima wastewater dumping, cannabis business regulation concerns, and library preservation.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to our special public safety committee meeting of July 19th, 2023 at 1 p.m. Uh, we have a quorum present. Our council president pro 10 will be joining us at 2 p.m. when this council meeting was originally scheduled. We scheduled a bit early though, because the packed agenda we wanted to give us more time. It is the last public safety committee meeting before August recess, which is why the agenda is so packed. Um I'm gonna read out how people can participate, and then I'll hand it over to Sarah. So while members of the public are able to attend our meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment as well using our Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or an internet-based service option must enter the virtual speaking queue within five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony or before the virtual speaking queue is exhausted, whichever occurs first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the committee is able to manage and conduct our city business. We appreciate everyone's cooperations. Thank you, Chair. Vice Chair Montgomery Step. Committee member Campbell. Committee member Campio. Here. Chair Von Wilpert. Present. Also attending the meeting is Laura Easton from the Office of the City Attorney, Baku Patel from the Office of the IBA, and Chloe Madison from the Office of the Mayor. If you are located, if you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it in the box indicated at the speaker's lectern at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link, which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. To join the Zoom webinar by telephone, please call 1669-2545252. And when prompted, input webinar ID 161-413-870-20. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. So I will begin the five-minute timer for any of those others to indicate if they wish to speak. Yes, thank you. Looking at the agenda from last time, I I see that there were several comments uh about surveillance. Um I also wanted to make note, and there were no action items. There were simply um information items and updates. But I I did want the uh council member members to know that there is at least one legislative calendar that shows today's committee still being at 2 p.m. I've alerted the city clerk's office. Uh so if you do these special times when you have a full agenda and you move items forward, um, please make sure that all council calendars reflect those changes in times because there are conflicting notices on different uh legislative calendar websites that show today's meeting still beginning at 2 p.m. And that concerns me for uh Brown Act notices in terms of people being aware that you are already underway when the legislative calendar on the city's uh website shows you is starting at two o'clock. Thank you. Thank you for those comments and chair with no other hands raised. That does conclude public testimony on the past committee actions. Thank you very much. Uh we will now vote on the approval of the committee actions of June 7, 2023. Can I get a motion? Councilmember Campio and a second from Councilmember Campbell. Um, with no other comments or questions, ever each member please register your vote. All right, go ahead. And that does pass unanimously three to zero with vice chair Montgomery Step absent. Thank you very much. I will now turn it over to any committee member, mayor, city attorney, or independent budget analyst comments.
openpublica.com