Public Safety Committee Meeting - April 25, 2024
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Public Safety Committee Meeting - April 25, 2024
The San Diego Public Safety Committee met on April 25, 2024, at 9 a.m. to consider consent items, resolutions, surveillance technology approvals, and receive an annual update on the Your Safe Place Family Justice Center. The meeting was chaired by Chair von Wilbert, with Vice Chair Campio and Councilmember Campbell present; Councilmember Whitburn was absent (chairing an MTS meeting). All votes were unanimous 3-0.
Consent Calendar
- Items 1–3 and 5 approved as part of the consent agenda, including:
- Dissolution of the Citizens Advisory Board on Police Community Relations (transitioning to the Commission on Police Practices per Measure B).
- Acceptance of a $1.25 million state grant for firefighting vessel replacement.
- Approval of a feasibility study for lifeguard facilities at the Northern Garage area.
- Authorization of an agreement with Qiagen for maintenance of DNA testing instruments (funding from general fund, state, and federal grants; Vice Chair Campio requested clarity on funding sources before full Council vote).
- Item 4 (Mission Bay/Ocean Beach surveillance cameras) was approved separately via a motion by the Chair, noting compliance with the Trust Ordinance (community meetings, Privacy Advisory Board review, use policy). The motion affirmed that benefits outweigh costs, civil rights and liberties are safeguarded, and no effective alternative with lesser cost or impact exists.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Consent Agenda: Joyce Sanyata (District 3) expressed sadness over the dissolved board but supported the transition; supported surveillance cameras based on “situational awareness.” Blair Beekman questioned state funding for surveillance and urged careful use. Lady Liberty criticized dissolution and raised concerns about surveillance and border immigration. Several speakers supported the Stop Hate Littering Act (AB 3024), including Rachel Granadino (District Director for Assemblymember Chris Ward), Joyce Sanyata, Nasratullah Nouri (Afghan Family Services), Mohammed Rahimi (civil rights advocate), Denish Rodanul (Chicano Federation), and a 9-year-old student who shared an anti-Semitic incident. Some speakers raised concerns about data collection, privacy, and the backlog of sexual assault kits.
- On Non-Agenda Items: Speakers addressed marijuana regulation, including urging support for Mayor Gloria’s proposal to cut the Social Equity Cannabis Program, citing youth risks and addiction. Others discussed the border and human trafficking.
Discussion Items
- Item 6 – Resolution Supporting AB 3024 (Stop Hate Littering Act): Presented by Carrie Shaw (policy advisor for Councilmember Campillo). The bill updates the Ralph Civil Rights Act to include distribution of hateful materials on private property as intimidation. Councilmembers Campillo, Campbell, and von Wilbert spoke in support, noting a 73% rise in hate crimes in San Diego (2023) and the need to protect vulnerable communities. The resolution passed unanimously 3-0.
- Item 7 – Mobile Device Forensic Technologies (Celebrite, GrayKey, Axiom): Presented by Criminalist Brian Liu. The tools extract and analyze data from mobile devices under legal authority (California Electronic Communications Privacy Act). Privacy Advisory Board (PAB) recommendations were addressed, including exclusive legal language, auditing, and oversight. The department partially accepted recommendations (e.g., misuse investigated internally, not necessarily by Internal Affairs). Approved unanimously 3-0.
- Item 8 – Nighthawk LEO Vision: Presented by Lieutenant Matthew Dobbs. A cloud-based data analysis tool that synthesizes multiple data returns (e.g., social media, texts) from lawfully obtained warrants. Currently 20 authorized users in homicide, gangs, and narcotics. PAB recommendations largely rejected (e.g., limited list of crimes, independent oversight) due to the tool’s nature as a search engine for already-obtained data. Approved unanimously 3-0.
- Item 9 – Annual Update on Your Safe Place (Family Justice Center): Presented by City Attorney Mara Elliott and Executive Director Diane Doherty. Key statistics: 19,430 calls, 40,000+ individuals reached via social media, 9,000+ hours of counseling, 2,700 referrals, 500+ hotel nights, 400+ survivors supported through events, 91 mobile clinics. The center faces resource constraints: only 14 staff, outgrown facility (lease expires December 2025), limited hours, and competition with DA’s new San Marcos family justice center. Councilmembers expressed strong support and pledged to advocate for budget priority and new facility space.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: All items passed unanimously 3-0 (Minutes, Consent Items 1-3 & 5, Item 4, Items 6, 7, 8). The meeting adjourned to the next regular meeting on May 15, 2024 at 2 p.m.
- Directives: Vice Chair Campio requested detailed funding sources for the DNA testing agreement before full Council vote. The committee noted the need for continued support for Your Safe Place, including facility relocation and budget requests.
- Next Steps: The AB 3024 resolution will be forwarded to the state. Surveillance technology use policies will be updated per approved motions. The Family Justice Center will explore new location options with city real estate department and report back.
Meeting Transcript
All right, everybody, welcome. Welcome to the public safety committee meeting of April 25th, 202 uh 2024 at 9 a.m. Our committee liaison, Sarah Jordan will provide information and instruction for the public to participate in today's meeting. Thank you, Chair. While members of the public are able to attend the meeting 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 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 city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair von Wilbert. Thank you very much. I will now call the public safety committee meeting of April 25th, 2024 to order. Sarah, please call the roll. Vice Chair Campio. Here. Committee member Campbell. Here. Committee member Whitburn. Chair von Wilbert. Present. Also attending the meeting is Lori 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 on the box indicated at the speaker's lecture and 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 dial 1669-2545252. And when prompted, and put webinar ID 161-215-0336 pound. 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 are 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. A quorum is now present, and we will start by taking up the approval of the committee meeting minutes of March 20th, 2024. Please unmute yourself and provide your testimony. You know, I wanted to be clear that it is causing a national security risk to our nation by facilitating this invasion when we have you know criminals that are being released onto the streets. We've already seen them commit crimes across the nation that they have come from San Diego and been dispersed into different areas. Um but this is a public safety concern that nobody is addressing. It's very important that you guys do because that is what your committee is about, and you have yet to acknowledge. This is no longer about the meeting minutes. I appreciate any comments on the meeting minutes. Thank you. Those are my meeting minutes. So you're gonna cut me off. When I'm trying to tell you what happened. Okay, all right, let's go ahead and move on. Any other comments? What thank you for your testimony. Our next speaker is Blair Beekman. Blair, please unmute yourself and provide your testimony. You will have one minute to speak to the past committee actions. Hi, uh, we're being to speak to item one from the previous uh public safety meeting regarding buffer zones at health care facilities, places of worship. Um interesting item. Uh good luck with that item and how you're going to be uh addressing that uh in the future.
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