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Record of Proceedings

Winston-Salem Public Safety Committee Meeting – December 9, 2024

Meeting Portal — Monday, December 9, 2024
BodyWinston Salem, North Carolina
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, December 9, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

We're all awake and doing well, right?

0:03

I see smiling faces.

0:06

Well, this is um wonderful first safety council meeting for our new council.

0:13

So I thank all of you who are here, and uh we'll have the roll call.

0:20

All right, we have council member CPO present.

0:24

Councilmember Hall.

0:25

Present.

0:26

Councilmember joyner.

0:28

Present.

0:28

Councilmember Andrew Bowen.

0:31

Here thank you very much, council members.

0:37

And for those of you who are here and in the public, um this is I will call it a neophyte council because all of us are new to the public safety committee.

0:53

Um I was not a former committee member, but I came to all the meetings.

0:59

Um, and these are all of our new newly elected uh council members, and uh so we have the wonderful wonderful task of serving on public safety, which is one of the most important areas of our city and the services that we render to the public.

1:25

It's the thing that most people know and remember about our city.

1:30

So we're very honored to actually serve on this uh committee.

1:36

Normally the way the uh committee works and we'll follow our agenda is that we have a consent agenda and we have a general agenda.

1:48

Uh new council members.

1:50

Typically, the consent agenda is voted on unless you pull an item because these items have been discussed in a previous committee, typically.

2:04

So, are there any items that you would like to have pulled for any discussion today?

2:15

If none, is there a motion to approve the consent?

2:19

To approve.

2:20

Second.

2:21

Great.

2:22

We have a motion and a second.

2:24

All in favor say aye.

2:26

Aye.

2:26

Aye.

2:27

Great.

2:28

We'll continue now to our general agenda.

2:33

And these items will have some discussion, and we will also be voting if we need to vote.

2:40

We'll be voting online on our item.

2:45

Okay.

2:46

So Madam Clerk, may we have the first item?

2:51

Item G1 resolution authorizing support of the reclassification of Winston Salem Police Department 911 dispatchers as protective service occupations.

3:05

And we are having um Chief Penn is not here, but who will be presenting this reclassification?

3:20

Good afternoon.

3:22

Good afternoon.

3:23

Um, I have Director Martha Hicks, who's our communications director here, and this was something we had worked on to present.

3:29

It's a federal movement for reclassification from a clerical to public safety professionals across the nation.

3:36

There are several uh jurisdictions throughout the country as well as within our state, Guilford County, Greensboro being some of them most close to us that have passed this resolution previously, and we thought it also was important for our city to recognize the work of our telecommunicators and the great work that they do as public safety professionals.

3:54

And uh the communications folks at the West Fail Police Department, the 911 Center do want to become part of this resolution is so that we know that the city and the mayor, the city council, the assistant managers, the city manager are all behind the 911 folks, and that we will become the first responders also because we are the first of the first responders.

4:24

We have most of the first contacts with anything that comes through the city.

4:28

And this is important on uh federal level because when they re-examine the movement to reclassify them, they will look at jurisdiction across the country that have passed a motion in support of the legislation to make that happen.

4:41

So they will look at various um areas and jurisdictions that have passed this legislation and are in support of it.

4:46

I'm sorry, of the resolution in support of the legislation to make that happen.

4:51

So we want to be on that um list of jurisdictions that have already passed support for the legislation to show that we value the work and that we truly recognize them as the first first responders.

5:07

Any questions or comments about this?

5:11

Um Mr.

5:12

Mayor?

5:12

I just want to echo and support this effort there for those if you've been up in the public safety center, you know it's a high stress uh situation, and these uh operators are the first ones to hear from individuals who's having trouble or issues going on.

5:27

Um cases they talk talk them through there or talk them down in some ways here.

5:32

So I think this is very appropriate to give them this designation.

5:36

Madam Chair.

5:37

Yes.

5:38

Um just a point of uh clarification.

5:42

Did you all say that Greensboro has already done this?

5:46

I believe Greensboro and Guilford County have already passed this.

5:49

Uh I think it was two years ago.

5:50

Yes.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████████████████████████████52%
Fire Department Operations████████████████19%
Police Department Operations███████8%
Public Engagement██████7%
Human Trafficking██████7%
Procedural████5%
Historic Preservation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Winston-Salem Public Safety Committee Meeting – December 9, 2024

The Winston-Salem Public Safety Committee met on Monday, December 9, 2024, at 2:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Chair Annette Scippio and included Council Members Regina Ford Hall, Vivián V. Joiner, and Scott Andree-Bowen, along with Mayor Allen Joines and Mayor Pro Tempore Adams. All four committee members were present. The meeting lasted until 3:05 PM and covered a consent agenda, two general agenda items, and a committee orientation with presentations from the fire and police departments.

Consent Calendar

  • C-1: Approved a request for a public hearing on an ordinance authorizing a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to HyLyfe, LLC for operating one Trolley Pub in Winston-Salem. Referred to City Council on January 6, 2025.
  • C-2: Approved renewals of Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity for Carolina Custom Transportation (two limousines), Express Cab Company (five taxicabs), Hook and Ladder Entertainment, LLC (one Trolley Pub), and Safe Ride Transportation (eight taxicabs). Referred to City Council on January 6, 2025.
  • Vote: Consent Agenda approved 4-0 by voice vote.

General Agenda

G-1 – Resolution Supporting Reclassification of WSPD 911 Dispatchers as “Protective Service Occupations”

  • Presented by Martha Hix, Public Safety Communications Director. She explained this is part of a federal movement to reclassify dispatchers from clerical to public safety professionals, noting that Greensboro and Guilford County have already passed similar resolutions. The resolution demonstrates local support and helps the federal effort.
  • Council Member Positions: Mayor Joines expressed full support, noting the high-stress nature of the work and that dispatchers are often the first first responders. Council Member Ford Hall asked about benefits, and Hix confirmed that reclassification would allow dispatchers to receive the same benefits as first responders under federal law. Council Member Andree-Bowen remarked that dispatchers are often assumed to be first responders but are not classified as such, making the resolution important. Council Member Joiner supported the measure, adding that it would show support locally and contribute to the federal movement.
  • Vote: Motion by Council Member Ford Hall, seconded by Council Member Andree-Bowen. Approved unanimously 4-0. Referred to City Council on January 6, 2025.

G-2 – Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 34: Regulations for Massage and Bodywork Therapy Businesses

  • Presented by Detective Susan Warner (Special Victims Unit) and Assistant City Attorney Pridgen Green. The ordinance aims to combat the illicit massage industry (sex trafficking, prostitution) by requiring annual permit applications, background checks, and proof of state licensure. It supplements state law, which has less immediate enforcement. The ordinance exempts individual massage therapists already licensed and imposes no new burden on legitimate businesses beyond annual compliance verification.
  • Discussion: Council Member Joiner asked about enforcement responsibility. Assistant City Attorney Green explained that enforcement would involve multiple city departments depending on the violation (police for illegal activity, building inspectors for structural issues, etc.). The permit process would be housed in a city department like Revenue or Business Inclusion, not the police department. Council Member Ford Hall asked for examples of success in other cities; Green noted Greensboro saw positive results from a similar ordinance. Council Member Andree-Bowen asked about recent illegal massage parlor incidents in Winston-Salem; Detective Warner confirmed that both federal and state investigations and charges have occurred. Council Member Joiner also asked about the annual submission process: businesses submit to the city every year, and in years they also submit to the state, they submit to both.
  • Vote: Motion by Council Member Ford Hall, seconded by Council Member Joiner. Approved unanimously 4-0. Referred to City Council on January 6, 2025.

Committee Orientation

Fire Department Presentation

  • Fire Chief Trey Mayo (10 years as chief, 36 years in fire service) provided holiday safety tips: keep fresh-cut Christmas trees watered, use LED lights, watch for cooking fires (Christmas is the second highest day for cooking fires), and never leave cooking unattended. He stressed the importance of working smoke alarms and announced the city's free smoke alarm program, which installs 600–1,500 alarms per year. He cited a recent double-fatality fire in a home without working smoke alarms. Chief Mayo introduced Assistant Chief of Training Patrick Grubbs and Assistant Chief of Logistics Chief Sawyer.
  • Council Member Andree-Bowen requested a wish list from the fire department for future improvements. Chair Scippio and the City Manager noted that such requests would be addressed in the strategic planning process.

Police Department Presentation

  • Assistant Chief of Police Katie Allen (Field Services Bureau) introduced police department leadership. She noted that violent crime is down, staffing is improving with 27 new graduates currently in field training and a new class of 25 recruits starting that day (reduced from 27 due to early attrition). She introduced assistant chiefs: Chris Diamont (Executive Support Bureau), David Rose (Investigative Services Bureau), Manny Gomez (Criminal Intelligence Bureau), and several captains. She encouraged council members to participate in ride-alongs and tour the Real-Time Crime Center.

City Manager Introduction

  • City Manager Pat Pate introduced additional staff: City Attorney Angela Carmen and her assistants (Lori Sitz, Camille Franch, Pridgen Green, Jerry Contos, Frederick Evans), Assistant City Manager Aaron King (Emergency Management, DOT Planning Director Chris Murphy), and Budget Director Scott Tush.

Recognition of Retiring Assistant Police Chief Wilson Weaver II

  • Chair Scippio and Mayor Joines led recognition of Assistant Chief Wilson Weaver II on his upcoming retirement after 40 years of service. Council members shared personal stories: Chair Scippio recounted babysitting him as a child and noted his integrity, love, steadfastness, obedience, and nobility. Mayor Joines praised his dedication and noted he called to check on the mayor's safety after a trail murder. Other council members thanked him for his integrity and service. Chair Scippio presented him with a homemade cake.

Key Outcomes

  • All agenda items (consent and general) approved unanimously (4-0) and referred to City Council for the January 6, 2025 meeting.
  • Committee Orientation provided an overview of fire and police department operations, staffing numbers, and community safety initiatives.
  • The committee honored retiring Assistant Chief Wilson Weaver II for his 40-year career.

Meeting Transcript

We're all awake and doing well, right? I see smiling faces. Well, this is um wonderful first safety council meeting for our new council. So I thank all of you who are here, and uh we'll have the roll call. All right, we have council member CPO present. Councilmember Hall. Present. Councilmember joyner. Present. Councilmember Andrew Bowen. Here thank you very much, council members. And for those of you who are here and in the public, um this is I will call it a neophyte council because all of us are new to the public safety committee. Um I was not a former committee member, but I came to all the meetings. Um, and these are all of our new newly elected uh council members, and uh so we have the wonderful wonderful task of serving on public safety, which is one of the most important areas of our city and the services that we render to the public. It's the thing that most people know and remember about our city. So we're very honored to actually serve on this uh committee. Normally the way the uh committee works and we'll follow our agenda is that we have a consent agenda and we have a general agenda. Uh new council members. Typically, the consent agenda is voted on unless you pull an item because these items have been discussed in a previous committee, typically. So, are there any items that you would like to have pulled for any discussion today? If none, is there a motion to approve the consent? To approve. Second. Great. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Great. We'll continue now to our general agenda. And these items will have some discussion, and we will also be voting if we need to vote. We'll be voting online on our item. Okay. So Madam Clerk, may we have the first item? Item G1 resolution authorizing support of the reclassification of Winston Salem Police Department 911 dispatchers as protective service occupations. And we are having um Chief Penn is not here, but who will be presenting this reclassification? Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Um, I have Director Martha Hicks, who's our communications director here, and this was something we had worked on to present. It's a federal movement for reclassification from a clerical to public safety professionals across the nation. There are several uh jurisdictions throughout the country as well as within our state, Guilford County, Greensboro being some of them most close to us that have passed this resolution previously, and we thought it also was important for our city to recognize the work of our telecommunicators and the great work that they do as public safety professionals. And uh the communications folks at the West Fail Police Department, the 911 Center do want to become part of this resolution is so that we know that the city and the mayor, the city council, the assistant managers, the city manager are all behind the 911 folks, and that we will become the first responders also because we are the first of the first responders. We have most of the first contacts with anything that comes through the city. And this is important on uh federal level because when they re-examine the movement to reclassify them, they will look at jurisdiction across the country that have passed a motion in support of the legislation to make that happen. So they will look at various um areas and jurisdictions that have passed this legislation and are in support of it. I'm sorry, of the resolution in support of the legislation to make that happen. So we want to be on that um list of jurisdictions that have already passed support for the legislation to show that we value the work and that we truly recognize them as the first first responders. Any questions or comments about this? Um Mr. Mayor?

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