Public Safety Committee Meeting - October 13, 2025
Public Safety Committee Meeting - October 13, 2025
The Winston-Salem Public Safety Committee met on October 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM to discuss a contract renewal for crash reporting software, proposed revisions to city park rules, and an overview of downtown ordinances. The meeting included presentations from police and fire officials, and discussion on balancing public safety with equitable access to parks.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The committee unanimously approved the summary of minutes from the September 8, 2025, Public Safety Committee meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Chair Scippio read questions submitted by residents Paula Trothus and Bob Mainzer, including inquiries about local funding for homeless services, collaboration with nonprofits before implementing park rules, whether the ordinance is a funded mandate, safe parking for people living in cars, a map of public restrooms, and consequences for those unable to pay fines.
- Additional concerns were raised by community members via email regarding public urination and defecation, sleeping in public, and needle litter.
Discussion Items
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G-1: Resolution for LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions Contract Renewal and BuyCrash Addition
- Captain Amy Gauldin (WSPD) presented the $49,560 contract renewal and a new BuyCrash system allowing commercial vendors (e.g., insurance companies) to obtain crash reports for a $20 fee, with a $5 fee for involved parties (free at police department). This offsets administrative costs and reduces response time from 5–7 days to 24–48 hours. In 2024, 5,301 non-emergency reports were processed.
- Council member Hall asked for clarification on commercial vendors; Gauldin confirmed they are mainly insurance companies.
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G-2: Ordinance to Revise City Park Rules
- Ben Rowe (Assistant City Manager) presented the ordinance in response to 376 calls for service at Merschel Park from May to September 2025. Proposed rules include: no hammocks/camping gear, no structures, no storing personal belongings (e.g., suitcases/shopping carts), no trash picking, no defecation/urination except in restrooms, and no marijuana/controlled substances. Hours would change to sunrise to sunset, with exceptions for events. New signage at 83 parks would cost up to $75,000.
- Council members expressed concerns: Council member Andree-Bowen questioned impacts on families (wagons, strollers), fines ($500) for those in poverty, and targeting unhoused populations. Council member Hall noted the need for clearer language regarding events and programming. Council member Joiner worried about penalizing many for a few bad actors. Chair Scippio emphasized balancing rules against discrimination. City Manager Pate clarified the rules are not directed at homeless individuals but at problematic behaviors, and officers focus on compliance. City Attorney French noted fines often lead to court appearances but rarely incarceration for non-payment.
- A motion to table the item until the November 10, 2025, Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting for language revisions passed unanimously.
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G-3: Overview of City Ordinances Enforced by Police in Downtown Winston-Salem
- Captain Jason Gates (WSPD) presented existing ordinances (mostly class 3 misdemeanors with up to $500 fine/20 days): sleeping on public property, obstructing sidewalks, public urination/defecation, begging, and alcohol consumption on city property. Data from Sept 2024 to Oct 2025 showed 155 city ordinance violations at parks citywide, with 154 drug-related calls. Partnership with BEAR team and neighborhood services was highlighted.
- Chair Scippio asked about the history of ordinances; City Attorney French noted some date to 2022. Captain Gates confirmed enforcement relies on observation, witnesses, or video evidence.
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Fair Report and Fire Prevention
- Chief Penn reported that a clear code of conduct at the fair led to fewer incidents than previous years. Officer Luke Alderman will be recognized internationally as IACP Officer of the Year.
- Chief Mayo provided fire prevention tips for October: install smoke alarms (free program), safe use of lithium-ion batteries (use manufacturer charger, proper disposal), avoid cooking surfaces as counter space, and space heater safety (3-foot clearance).
Key Outcomes
- G-1: Approved unanimously (4-0) and referred to City Council on November 3, 2025.
- G-2: Tabled unanimously (4-0) to the November 10, 2025, COTW meeting for language refinements.
- G-3: Received as information only; no vote taken.
- Staff comments concluded the meeting at 3:04 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the public safety committee meeting for October. Yes, my mic is on. Thank you. We have we are now sitting in the most magnificent committee room there has ever been in a city hall. So welcome. And I hope those chairs are more comfortable than the old ones. And we have this new configuration here with the tables, though I preferred the round table. Um we have new microphones and new technology. So since this is our very first adventure into this, please give us some grace in case it doesn't work so well. Right now we'll ask uh city clerk if you'd be so kind to check and see if we're all here. Chairperson, Councilmember Scipio? Here, Councilmember Hall here. Councilmember Joyner present and council member Andrew Bowen. Here thank you. Uh just so everybody knows these fancy microphones is a little button you push uh to speak. Um the system only allows three microphones on at one time, and if you say something that I don't like, I have a mute button because that's what the chair has authority with these new microphones. So uh Mr. Pate, we're gonna target you today. You're all thank you. Our first um item on our very long agenda uh is uh approval of the public safety committee minutes. Move for approval second. We've heard the motion, it's been approved, and we're having voice vote today for everything. So all in favor, aye. Hi. So that passes. So now we'll go to our general agenda. Um Madam Clerk, would you please tee that up? Item G1 resolution authorizing contract renewal for Lexus Nexus Co-Plodic Solutions Inc. and addition of by crash reporting solutions, and who will be presenting this for us? Captain? Yes, good afternoon, Chair City of members of the public safety committee. Captain Amy Gaulden presenting the contract removal for Lexus Nexus Cop Logic Solutions in 2021. So we'd like to continue that contract. The contract itself is 49,560. Okay, thank you. The contract itself is 49,560. In addition to the contract renewal, we are also requesting to implement the by crash system, which allows us to provide copies of our crash reports through Lexus Nexus to commercial vendors. Commercial vendors are already obtaining those reports through Lexus Nexus, so what they would do is implement a fee of $20 for each report that a commercial vendor requests. And what that does, it allows us to offset the cost of the software costs and a portion of the administrative cost associated with the online reporting system, which is known as doors or desk officer reporting system. So just to also put it in perspective. The type of reports that go to the system are non-emergency calls for service, which typically are not a crime in progress, do not have weapons involved, anything that such as like an auto-breaking, littering, or shoplifting is a big component of that as well. So we had 5301 reports actually in 2024. I floated to the system. The by crash, like I mentioned, will then offset. We will provide those reports to the commercial vendors for that fee. There'll also be a five-dollar administrative fee for involved parties to obtain that crash report online through Lexus Nexus, or they can still come to the police department and obtain a copy of that crash report for free. Are there any questions? I do have a question. Yes, ma'am. When you say the commercial vendors, you can hear me?
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