San Diego Public Safety Committee Meeting - October 18, 2023
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San Diego Public Safety Committee Meeting - October 18, 2023
The Public Safety Committee of the San Diego City Council met on October 18, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Chair Marnie Von Wilpert presided, with Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe and Councilmember Jennifer Campbell present. Councilmember Campio was excused. The meeting covered four main agenda items: approval of body-worn cameras and digital evidence management technology, authorization for a third amendment to a DNA testing contract for sexual assault evidence kits, amendments to the 72-hour parking violation ordinance, and a proposal to reform firearm procurement to reduce gun violence. All items passed unanimously 3-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Joyce Anyata (District 3): Supported the body-worn camera resolution and praised the Trust Ordinance. Also expressed appreciation for security officers and emergency service contract updates.
- Terry Ann Skelly: Supported the ban on flavored e-cigarettes, referencing Proposition 31, and urged continued action against flavored marijuana products.
- Dan Schmikowski: Supported the 72-hour parking change and the firearm procurement reform, but questioned the cost of the DNA testing contract. Also called for the committee to be renamed "Public Health and Safety."
- Becky Rapp (Parent, District 5): Thanked the committee for the press conference on flavored tobacco enforcement, noting the need for decoy operations and fee increases for tobacco retailers.
- Francine Maxwell (District 4): Expressed concern about the lack of public engagement in the search for a new police chief and about the retention of officers. Also asked about the backlog of rape kits.
- Judy Strang: Supported increasing fees for tobacco retailers and emphasized the importance of public health in the committee's work.
- Catherine Douglas: Supported the body-worn camera program but raised concerns about the privacy ordinance and the need for immediate towing of vehicles blocking sidewalks.
- The Original (anonymous speaker): Opposed surveillance technology and body-worn cameras, arguing they create a police state. Also criticized the 72-hour parking change as a revenue grab and opposed firearm procurement reform as a step toward gun confiscation. Expressed skepticism about climate change policies.
- Blair Beekman: Raised health concerns about long-term body-worn camera use and called for studies. Also supported firearm procurement reform, referencing San Jose's efforts.
- Roseanne Sharp (Founder, Never Again CA): Supported the firearm procurement reform, stating that the city should not buy from dealers who violate laws.
- Therese Heimer (San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention, Brady United): Supported the procurement reform, citing data that dealers with violations supply a disproportionate number of crime guns.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Body-Worn Cameras and Digital Evidence Management Technology – Captain Laura McLean presented the program, noting 1,740 cameras in use, 792,000 videos recorded in 2022, and 6.3 million since inception. The current contract with Axon expires at year-end; a new vendor will be selected via RFP. The department updated its policy based on input from the Privacy Advisory Board and the City Auditor. The committee voted to approve the resolution.
- Item 2: DNA Testing of Sexual Assault Evidence Kits – Third Amendment – A supervising criminalist explained that the department outsourced approximately 1,800 kits, with 400 from 2016–2019 required by SB 22 and 1,300 pre-2016. Over 1,200 pre-2016 kits have been tested; about 100–140 remain. The amendment adds $1 million to the contract (total not to exceed $4 million) to continue testing current kits and complete the backlog. In-house testing is expected to resume by fall 2024. The committee voted to approve.
- Item 3: Amendments to Municipal Code for 72-Hour Parking Violations – Coda Seizer (Mayor's Office) proposed increasing the required distance a vehicle must move from 1/10 mile to 1/2 mile to improve enforcement. The city receives about 130 complaints daily (37,000 this year). The change aligns with county regulations and allows for clearer visual determination by officers. The committee voted to approve.
- Item 4: Firearm Procurement Reform to Reduce Gun Violence – Justin Garber (Chair's Office) presented the proposal, noting that taxpayers are the largest firearms purchasers ($55 billion annually). The city should ensure that suppliers comply with all laws, have policies to prevent straw purchases, and provide inspection reports. The committee voted to direct the City Attorney, Purchasing, and Police Department to develop options for reform.
Key Outcomes
- All four agenda items were approved unanimously (3-0, with Councilmember Campio absent).
- The committee directed staff to work with the City Attorney's office, Purchasing, and SDPD to develop firearm procurement reform options.
- The committee will next meet on November 15, 2023, at 2:00 PM.
- Chair Von Wilpert noted a recent roundtable on fentanyl with Attorney General Bonta, highlighting that regional efforts have flattened the rise in overdose deaths.
Meeting Transcript
Audio check, audio check, one, two, three, four. Good afternoon, and welcome to the public safety committee meeting of October 18, 2023. Our committee lays on Sarah Jordan will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting. Sarah, please proceed. Thank you, Chair. While members of the public are able to attend the 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 using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide testimony via a call-in or an internet-based service option. Chair von Wilbert. Thank you very much for reviewing the instructions for the public. A quorum is now oh wait, sorry. Did I skip a we did, sorry. Okay. Apologies. Um I will now call the public safety committee meeting of October 18, 2023 to order. Sarah, please call the roll. Vice Chair Montgomery Step. Here. Committee member Campbell. Chair von Wilpert. Present. And committee member Campio has been excused. Also attending the meeting is Lara Easton from the Office of the City Attorney, Baku Patel from the Office of the IBA and Chloe Madsen from the Office of the Mayor. 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 161-413-8702 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you're watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak on a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a call-in participant by pressing star nine on your phone. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you very much, Sarah. Uh quorum is now present, and we will begin by taking up the committee actions of October 6, 2023. Do we have any public comment on the committee actions? Thank you, Chair. We've received no speaker slips here in chambers and there are no hands on the virtual queue, so that will conclude public testimony for past committee actions. Wonderful. Thank you. Um I'll take any comments, questions, or a motion by my colleagues to pass. All right, we have a motion by Vice Chair Montgomery Step and a second by Councilember Campbell. Please go ahead and vote on the voting system. And that does pass unanimously 3-0 with Councilmember Kempio absent. Wonderful. Thank you. We will now move on to non-agenda public comment. Uh the council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings. Each speaker will have two minutes.
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