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>> HAVRDA: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I CALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER. IT'S TUESDAY, APRIL 15. THE TIME IS NOW 9:15.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL. MADAM CLERK?
[Approval of Minutes ]
>> HAVRDA: OUR FIRST ITEM IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH 17.
ARE THERE ANY CHANGES OR DIRECTIONS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> MOTION MADE. >> HAVRDA: TO DO WHAT? MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> WHYTE: YES. >> HAVRDA: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
[Consent ]
ARE THERE ANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? >> CLERK: NO, THERE ARE
NOT. >> HAVRDA: WE'LL MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO PULL ANYTHING FROM CONSENT? NO? OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE THREE CONSENT ITEMS.
>> WHYTE: MOTION MADE. >> SECOND. >> HAVRDA: ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. NEXT UP IS ITEM 5, THE CCR
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
FROM COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO REGARDING A BIRD SANCTUARY DESIGNATION.>> GOOD MORNING. JOHN GARY, DIRECTOR FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT PEAFOWL THIS MORNING. I JUST WANT TO GET STARTED, IN MARCH OF 2024, COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO BROUGHT FORTH A CCR AFTER SOME CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS POSED ABOUT SOME TRAPPING GOING ON IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE PEAFOWL LIVE IN DISTRICT 7. FROM BEING TRAPPED INHUMANLY, ALLOW HANDLERS TO REMOVE AND SUGGEST AND UPDATE LANGUAGE ON OUR WEBSITE REGARDING PEAFOWL. WE DID REMOVE SOME CONFUSING LANGUAGE THERE AT THAT TIME, BUT THAT WAS THE BACKGROUND AND HOW WE GOT STARTED AND MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
THIS IS ABOUT OUR CURRENT PROCESSES. WE ONLY RESPOND TO PEAFOWL, CALLS FOR PEAFOWL IF THERE'S INJURY, BITES OR CRUELTY FROM THEM.
THEY ARE SOMEWHAT TREATED LIKE WILDLIFE HERE, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED WILDLIFE. WE ONLY RECEIVE ABOUT 12 OR 15 CALLS PER YEAR, WE RECEIVE ABOUT 94,000 CALLS A YEAR. IN THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE ONLY RECEIVED ABOUT 50 CALLS FOREPAW FOUL WITH THE VAST MAJORITY NUISANCE CALLS. THIS IS A MAP OF THE IMPACTED AREAS.
I SAY IMPACTED AREAS, THE AREAS WHERE THE BIRDS ARE IN OUR CITY.
THE DREAM HILL ESTATES NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S NOT SHOWN ON THE 'MA, BUT GLENN OAKS, THAT ENTIRE AREA, THE BIRDS LIVE THERE. THERE'S ABOUT A THREE OR FOUR BLOCK AREA WHERE THEY PRIMARILY ARE, BUT THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL SEE THE BIRDS FROM TIME TO TIME. THAT'S KIND OF THE AREA WE'RE LOOKING AT WITHIN THE CITY. WE DID ON FEBRUARY 25TH, WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD TOWN HALL AT THE BOB ROSS SENIOR CENTER WITH DISTRICT 7. IT WAS PRETTY WELL ATTENDED.
THERE'S ABOUT 30 RESIDENTS THAT ATTENDED. WE -- THERE WAS A MIXED BAG.
SOME OF THE RESIDENTS LOVED THE BIRDS, THEY WANT THE BIRDS THERE.
EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE BIRDS, IT WAS NOT THE FACT THEY WERE THERE, IT WAS MORE ABOUT THE POPULATION GROWTH. THERE WAS TOO MANY.
WE HAD TO -- THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT REALLY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF BIRDS. EVIDENTLY THE POPULATION HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS, AND SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST CONCERNS THAT WE SAW. THE IMPACTED AREA IS VERY, VERY SMALL. WHEN WE WENT TO THE ADVISORY BOARD, OUR ADVISORY BOARD, THE ASC ADVISORY BOARD THE CONCERNS THE IMPACTED AREA WAS SMALL, THE NUMBER OF CALLS WAS LOW, SHOULD BE MORE OF A TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE ISSUE, AND THEY
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DIDN'T WANT IT TO TAKE AWAY FROM OUR CRITICAL RESPONSE WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH AROUND BEEN A MAJOR FOCUS OF ACS FOR THE LAST YEAR. THE GOALS.BASICALLY CREATE A MANAGED CO-EXISTENCE AND STABILIZE THE POPULATION.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE NUMBER OF PEAFOWL, WE DID SEE PICTURES WHERE THERE WERE LARGE IN IMPACTED YARDS. I GROVE THROUGH AND THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEAFOWL, VERY SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF PEAFOWL LIVING IN THAT COMMUNITY. IT'S A VERY LARGE NUMBER. THE PLAN THAT WE BASICALLY HAVE PUT TOGETHER TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CONCERNS IS -- THERE'S BASICALLY THREE PHASES. ONE WOULD BE AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TRAINING TOWN HALLS WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS TO TEACH THEM HOW TO KEEP PEAFOWL OFF THEIR FROTH. WHY YOU SHOULDN'T FEED THEM. THEY WILL GROW TO THE SIZE OF THEIR RESOURCES. THE MORE YOU FEED THEM, THE MORE BIRDS THERE'S GOING TO BE. TALKED TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE REASONS WE SHOULDN'T FEED IN CERTAIN AREAS. AND THEN THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO, AGAIN REAL IMPORTANTLY ABOUT RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT DAMAGE TO YARDS, WHAT CAN THEY DO TO KEEP THE BIRDS OUT OF THEIR YARDS.
THE SECOND PHASE WOULD BE IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET AN EXACT NUMBER.
THE BIRDS ARE IN TREES, BACKYARDS, ALL OVER. WE ARE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO GET A COUNT SO WE CAN GET A GENERAL IDEA ABOUT THE NUMBER OF BIRDS AND TRY TO SEE IF THERE'S BEEN POPULATION GROWTH. WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH SOME OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO MAYBE HELP US DO THAT IF NEED BE, BUT WE'LL BE DOING THAT COUNT HOPEFULLY HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.
AND THEN THE LASTLY IS THE TRAPPING OF THE PEAFOWL. REALLY THE BIG CONCERN ARE THE BIRDS BEING TRAPPED HUMANLY. AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THE BIRDS ARE SAFE. EVEN THOUGH IF THERE IS THE NEED TO GO IN AND START TRAPPING, WE WANT TO DO IT HUMANLY AND WE'LL USE PROFESSIONALS WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. AND THEN ENSURE IF THE BIRDS HAVE TO BE LOCATED THAT THEY GO TO A PLACE THEY ARE GOING TO BE SAFE, A SANCTUARY. I THINK THAT WE WON'T TRAP AND RELOCATE PEAFOWL EXCEPT IN RARE CIRCUMSTANCES. IT'S THE NUMBER OF PEAFOWL IS FAR TOO MANY. WE'LL BE VERY CAUTIOUS IF AND WHEN THAT IS TO HAPPEN.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING. AND THEN THE -- I DID WANT TO MENTION ABOUT AN UPDATE TO CHAPTER 5. CHAPTER 5, WE REALLY WANTED TO THEY ARE SAFE, IN A SANCTUARY. WE DID WANT TO MAKE AN UPDATE TO OUR CHAPTER 5 ORDINANCE THAT WOULD THEN PREVENT THEM FROM TRAPPING AND RERELEASE THEM. WE'VE HAD THEM RELEASED IN SOME PARKS AND WE DON'T WANT THE BIRDS TO BE RELOCATED BY RESIDENTS OR PEOPLE THEY HIRE TO TRAP.
THAT'S KIND OF THE THREE-PHASE PLAN THAT WE HAD FOR THE PEAFOWL.
RESIDENTS -- WHEN WE WENT TO THE TOWN HALL, THEY LOVE THE BIRDS.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. EVEN THE PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH IT.
SO I THINK TAKING THIS APPROACH WOULD BE -- I THINK WE CAN MAKE THE RESIDENTS HAPPY AND ENSURE THAT THE BIRDS ARE SAFE. THAT IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> HAVRDA: WE'LL MOVE OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO.
>> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO THANK BRAD AND SHANNON AND DAVID AND LISA FOR WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH OUR TEAM ON THIS. I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.
BASICALLY IN THESE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS, AN UNLICENSED TRAILER CAME IN AND WERE THROWING ALL THE PEACOCKS INTO THE TRAILER AND IT WAS SCREAMING AND BROKEN WINGS AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF. SO WE REALIZED, WOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FOREPAW FOUL OR PEACOCKS. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANGES TO CHAPTER 5 TO ENSURE THAT ONLY LICENSED PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND TAKE
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THESE BIRDS OUT INTO THE CITY -- OR OUT OF THE CITY LIKE ACS CAN.I DON'T WANT TO GO OVER EVERYTHING THAT JOHN DID, BUT WE DID HAVE A VERY ROBUST INPUT SESSION. THEY ADD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE REALIZE WE DO NEED TO START AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THERE'S JUST AN OVERPOPULATION OF THEM. BUT PEOPLE ARE OH, I'M FEEDING THEM BUNDLES TO PEACOCKS. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH ACS ON IT. THEY'VE DONE CHANGES TO THE WEBSITE. I THINK WE HAVE TO KIND OF ATTACK THIS PROBLEM FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES. WE'RE SENDING OUT A LETTER TO THOSE IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS FORWARD AND WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKES A MOTION TO SEND THE PROPOSED CODE CHANGES TO FULL COUNCIL FOR
A VOTE. THANK YOU. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO ITEM 6, THE GOOD
NEIGHBOR PROGRAM. >> GOOD MORNING. MARIA VARGAS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SAFETY OFFICE AND I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM. THIS PRESENTATION WILL CONSIST OF BACKGROUND, OVERVIEW, PROCESS OVERVIEW, A PROGRESS REPORT AND OUR NEXT STEPS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM IS TO ADDRESS DEVELOPING CHRONIC NUISANCE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT EXERT A HIGH DEMAND ON CITY FIRST RESPONDER RESOURCES AND THAT CROSS THE BOUNDARIES OF CITY DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITY.
THE CALLS AND VIOLATION ARE LOW PRIORITY. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU COMBINE ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT CALLS, THEY INDICATE A HIGHER PRIORITY.
THE OTHER PURPOSE OF GOOD NEIGHBOR IS CONDUCT ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT WHEN APPROPRIATE AND/OR REFER PROPERTIES TO APPROPRIATE RESOURCES AND ENGAGE WITH NEIGHBORHOODS TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE COMMUNITY CONCERNS AROUND SPECIFIC PROPERTIES WITH CHRONIC ISSUES. CURRENTLY THE SCOPE IS A SEXY MONTH ITERATION WHERE PROPERTIES MONTHS HAVE 12 ARREST MORE CALLS FOR SERVICE IN EACH OF THE PREVIOUS TWO QUARTERS WITHIN THAT SIX-MONTH PERIOD. THIS IS A LIST OF THE STAKEHOLDER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY. AND FOR PROGRAM BACKGROUND, IT WAS DEVELOPED INITIALLY IN APRIL OF 2023 AND SOUGHT TO COORDINATE EFFORTS BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS AT SINGLE-FAMILY DEVELOPING NUISANCE PROPERTIES. AN INFORMAL GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS WORKED TO DEFINE THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM. WE ANALYZED CALLS FROM 911, POLICE AND FIRE AND EMS, NON-EMERGENCY AND 311. AND THE SCOPE BEGAN INITIALLY WITH RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES CONSISTING OF UP TO FOUR UNITS THAT CALLED THREE OR MORE TIMES DURING A THREE-MONTH PERIOD. THAT SCOPE SHIFTED TO SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES WITH 12 OR MORE CALLS DURING A THREE-MONTH PERIOD DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF ADDRESSES THAT WERE RETURNED TO THE INITIAL SCOPE.
WHEN ANALYZING THE SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES WITH 12 OR MORE CALLS DURING THE PERIOD OF FEBRUARY TO MAY OF 2023, THE GROUP DISCOVERED 707 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES WITH A TOTAL COMBINED CALL COUNT OF 15,888.
THE TOP 100 ADDRESSES CONTRIBUTED TO 6,418 CALLS ALONE.
WITHIN THAT TOP 100, 32 WERE ACTIVE MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS AND EIGHT WERE DART PROPERTIES. THE TOP 20 PROPERTIES BY CALL VOLUME WERE ASSESSED BY SAFE AND STEPS WERE TAKEN TO MAJORITY OF MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS AND THIS SUGGESTED THE NEED FOR MORE ROBUST STAFF IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE PROGRAM'S INTENT. THE PROGRAM IS PAUSED TO DEVELOP DEDICATED STAFFING AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 ADOPTED BUDGET, POSITIONS WERE ADDED FOR THE PROGRAM. THE ICSO WAS CREATED IN EARLY 2024 AND WORKED TO TEST T AHE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROCESSES FOR THE CANNED PROPERTY SELECTION FOR REPORTING. THE CURRENT
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WE ARE IN A SIX-MONTH EVALUATION PERIOD WHERE WE WILL BE SEEKING FEEDBACK.SPECIFICALLY AROUND SURVEY TOOLS, COMMUNICATION, DATA REPORTING AND SERVICE CONNECTION. THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CURRENT PROCESS.
IT BEGINS AT THE TOP WITH CANDIDATE IDENTIFICATION, THEN PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS, ACTION PLAN DEVELOPMENT, FIELD OPERATIONS AND MONITORING AND ADJUSTING OF PLANS HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY. FINALLY PROPERTY STATUS REVIEWS AND UPDATES. THE CANDIDATE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE ICSO PULLING CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM 911, NON-EMERGENCY AND 311 FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS.
THAT'S A VERY BRIEF HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF A VERY INTENSE AND DELICATE DATA HANDLING AND ANALYSIS PROCESS THAT ALSO TAKES PLACE.
THE SCREEN POTENTIAL CANDIDATES ON PROGRAM STANDARDS SO THEY MUST BE SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES. THEY MUST HAVE CALLED 12 OR MORE TIMES IN EACH THREE-MONTH PERIOD AND MUST BE AN ACTUAL RESIDENT. THERE'S EXAMPLES WHERE HISTORICAL LANDMARKS SOME UP AS A SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE, BUT IT'S AN HISTORICAL PROCESS. IT CAN'T BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND MUST NOT BE A DART. THEN FINALLY PROPERTIES ARE PRIORITIZED.
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR INDEX WAS DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THE IMBALANCE WE EXPERIENCED IN 2023 WHEN WE RELIED SOLE ON CALL VOLUME TO IDENTIFY PROPERTIES.
IT'S AN ALGORITHM THAT INTENSITY NUMBER AND THAT IS SCALED TO BECOME THE INDEX. EMPHASIS IS PLACED -- I'M SORRY, APPLIED TO MATCH PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. SO WE EMPHASIZE PROBLEM TYPE VARIETY AND CALL SORT VARIETY AND GEE EMPHASIZE DISPOSITION TO INDICATE THERE IS NO VERIFIED PROBLEM OR ISSUE. THESE ARE THREE REAL PROPERTIES TO PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF THE INDEX APPLICATION.
EXAMPLE 1, THE PROPERTY EXPERIENCED A HIGH CALL VOLUME BUT A LOW CALL SORT VARIETY. SO THE MAJORITY OF THEIR CALLS WERE POLICE NON-EMERGENCY AND MOST OF THOSE CALLS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE OF A MENTAL HEALTH NATURE. SO THE INDEX APPLIED A LOWER VALUE TO THAT PROPERTY.
IN EXAMPLE 2, THE PROPERTY HAD A MODERATE CALL VOLUME BUT LOW CALL SOURCE VARIETY.
A MAJORITY OF CALLS WERE SAP. THE FINAL PROPERTY HAD A MODERATE CALL VOLUME BUT A HIGH CALL SOURCE VARIETY AND THE PROBLEM TYPES, LOUD MUSIC, JUNK VEHICLES, SHOTS HEARD, UNAUTHORIZED BURN, OVERGROWN YARD, ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ILLEGAL PROPERTY. SO PROPERTY 3 WAS ASSIGNED A HIGHER INDEX VALUE. THE TOP 25 CANDIDATES BASED ON THE INDEX ARE ASSESSED BY SAFF OFFICERS AND WE ALSO BACKFILL IN CASE WE DEFER TO MENTAL HEALTH TO ACHIEVE A FULL LIST OF 25. THE WORKING GROUP DEVELOPS ACTION PLANS FOR THOSE PROPERTIES AND THE DEPARTMENTS EXECUTE THOSE PLANS AND THOSE ACTIONS ARE MONITORED BY THE ICSO. AS SITUATIONS CHANGE OR DEVELOP AT THE PROPERTIES, THESE ACTION PLANS WILL BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. UPON CONCLUSION OF THE SIX-MONTH EVALUATION PERIOD, THE ICSO WILL ANALYZE AND SUMMARIZE THE ACTION PLAN EXECUTION AND REVIEW AND UPDATE PROPERTY STATUS. SOME MAY CONTINUE TO REMAIN ACTIVE, SOME WILL COME INTO MAINTENANCE SO WE WILL MONITOR THEM.
SOME WILL COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND SOME WILL BE DEFERRED.
WE WILL SOLICIT PROGRAM FEEDBACK AND PRODUCE SUMMARY REPORTING.
THE CURRENT GOOD NEIGHBOR PROPERTIES, THE DATA FOR THESE PROPERTIES RAN FROM JULY TO DECEMBER OF 2024. AND THE PROPERTIES HAD TO HAVE EXPERIENCED 12 OR MORE CALLS IN EACH OF THE THREE-MONTH PERIODS WITHIN THAT, SO JULY TO SEPTEMBER NEEDED TO EXPERIENCE 12 OR MORE CALLS AND OCTOBER TO DECEMBER, AGAIN, 12 OR MORE
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CALLS IN ORDER TO QUALIFY. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR TOP 25 WAS 78 WITH A MAXIMUM OF 167 AND A MINIMUM OF 33. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR OUR CURRENT TOP 25 PROPERTIES. YOU CAN SEE ON THE TABLE ON THE RIGHT THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROBLEM TYPES EXPERIENCED AT THESE PROPERTIES. THIS MAP SHOWS THE LOCATION OF THE 25 PROPERTIES. A LARGER BUBBLE INDICATES A HIGHER GOOD NEIGHBOR INDEX AND THE TABLE SHOWS THE COUNCIL DISTRICT DISTRIBUTION OF THE PROPERTIES. FROM JANUARY TO MARCH, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE. THE ICSO HELD DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE AND WORKING GROUP MEETINGS. SAPD SAFFE AND ACTIVE PLANS FOR THE GROUP.HERE'S SOME WORK DONE BY OUR STAKEHOLDER DEPARTMENTS. FROM APRIL TO JULY, THE PLAN WILL BE TO ADDRESS ANY OUTSTANDING ACTION PLAN ITEMS. WE ARE WORKING TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE GOOD NEIGHBOR COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CONDUCT OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS TO COUNCIL OFFICES AND PARTNERING WITH METRO HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES TO DELIVER SERVICE CONNECTION TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONNECTION TO SERVICES WAS A HIGHLIGHTED NEED THAT WE EXPERIENCED DURING OUR WORKING GROUP SESSIONS. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE COLLATERAL TO EDUCATE ON THE AVAILABLE CITY SERVICES, DEVELOPING AN INVENTORY OF SERVICES TO ASSIST RESIDENTS, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE AND DEEPEN PARTNERSHIPS BOTH WITHIN THE CITY AND WITH OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS TICSO PLANS TO REPORT ON PROGRESS TO THIS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN SEPTEMBER.
I WILL BE PRESENT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HAVRDA: THANKS, MARIA. WHAT HAPPENS -- THE PROGRAM IS SIX MONTHS, RIGHT? SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SIX MONTHS IF THERE'S STILL NO COMPLIANCE?
>> WE WOULD CONTINUE TO CARRY THEM AS AN ACTIVE PROPERTY.
BECAUSE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE COMPLEX AND CAN'T BE NECESSARILY BE SOLVED IMMEDIATELY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN THAT ACTIVE STATUS FOR
PROPERTIES NOT YET IN COMPLIANCE. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
SO IS SIX MONTHS JUST SORT TARGET? OR --
>> LIKE AS DESCRIBED, SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS WE DON'T WANT TO PUT A DEADLINE ON IT. THE RESIDENT AND THE DEPARTMENTS NEED TO WORK THROUGH EDUCATION, WARNINGS BEFORE WE HIT CITATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT LIKE THAT.
SO THERE IS A SCALE AND GOOD NEIGHBOR CAN BRING ELEVATED ENFORCEMENT IF NECESSARY
BASED ON THE CALL HISTORY. >> HAVRDA: I SHOULD HAVE STARTED BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING. I THINK THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT -- THAT'S WELL NEEDED AND I THINK WELL RECEIVED BY COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THE CRITICISM THAT I HEAR IS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LIKE TEETH IN IT.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN OVER AND OVER EVEN DART PROGRAMS THAT FAIL BECAUSE THEY COME INTO A LITTLE COMPLIANCE, JUST ENOUGH TO GET OFF THE BAD LIST AND THEN GO BACK TO BEING BAD ACTORS AGAIN.
WHAT'S THE RECOURSE IF THAT HAPPENS? >> THERE IS A SLIDING SCALE OF ENFORCEMENT THAT MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS DO HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL AND WE ARE PARTNERED WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. BECAUSE SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE IN THE DART PROGRAM OR VEND YOU -- VENTURING THAT WAY.
CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS IF THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY AND THEY HAVEN'T ELEVATED ENFORCEMENT YET WHEN IT GETS TO GOOD NEIGHBOR LEVEL, WE CAN SAY HEY, WE WANT YOU TO MOVE AWAY FROM WARNINGS AND INTO ENFORCEMENT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE KIND OF HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT DUE TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND THE HISTORICAL
ACTIVITY DEMONSTRATED IN THE CALL DATA. >> HAVRDA: I THINK THAT'S KEY. I KNOW WITH DART, I'VE HAD A PROPERTY IN DISTRICT 6 AND I'M JUST TALKING ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE. I KNOW THAT'S NOT INDICATIVE OF THE ENTIRE DART PROGRAM BUT IT'S BEEN IN DART FOR YEARS, AND SUPER FRUSTRATING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUSINESSES AROUND IT, TO ME. AND I JUST -- WHEN WE GIVE SORT OF LIKE A SIX-MONTH DEADLINE OR, YOU KNOW, THAT TIME FRAME, I WANT TO KNOW
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HOW WE CAN JUST BE A LOT MORE STRICT ABOUT IT. I KNOW WE HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HURT BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES, BUT AT SOME POINT WE REALLY HAVE TO KIND OF CRACK DOWNON IT. >> I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT THE SIX-MONTH TIME FRAME IS MORE SO SOMETHING THAT THE ICSO HAS FOR US TO REFRESH OUR CALL DATA POOL AND LOOK AT ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES. NOT NECESSARILY A TIME LINE DICTATING BRINGING A PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE. A PROPERTY CAN BE PUT INTO COMPLIANCE OR DEFERRED WITHIN THE MIDDLE OF A CYCLE OF A SIX MONTH. AGAIN, THE SIX MONTH IS FOR MORE OUR BENCHMARK TO LET'S PULL SOME FRESH CALL DATA, IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS AND
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT WAYS TO JUST MAKE THE PROCESS MORE STRICT OR TIGHTER. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PUT IT. TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO IN A TIME FRAME THAT'S -- I DON'T MEAN TO PICK ON THE SIX MONTHS. I'M TALKING ABOUT DART TOO. JUST KIND OF HOLDING TRUE TO THOSE STANDARDS FOR THE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE YEARS AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM --
COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I GUESS I'LL JUST RESPOND A LITTLE BIT TO THE QUESTION IF I MAY. I DON'T THINK THIS CHANGES OR REPLACES ANY OF THE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE PROCESS THAT WE USE WHEN SPECIFIC PROPERTIES ARE IDENTIFIED AS DART
PROPERTIES. THAT'S ACCURATE? >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO THIS -- WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS HEARING YOU BRING UP THE DART PROPERTIES THAT COME INTO COMPLIANCE AT SOME POINT OR MAYBE BECOME A PROBLEM LATER ON, I FEEL THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THOSE DART PROPERTIES AND OTHER PROPERTIES THAT AREN'T QUITE THERE YET AS THE COMPLEX ISSUES THEY ARE.
SO IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE, THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ROOT CAUSES AND THE COMPLEX ROOT SOURCES OF THE ISSUES THAT MAKE IT SO THEY BECOME RECURRING NUISANCES. SO I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S EASY TO FORGET THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY IS DOING AND IT'S IN ADDITION TO SO MANY OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE.
I WANT TO SANAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING, THANK YOU FOR THE COORDINATION BETWEEN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS. I GUESS WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS THERE'S 100 PROPERTIES THAT ARE OF THE TOP 100 ADDRESSES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO 6,418 CALLS. AT WHAT POINT DO WE MOVE BEYOND THE 25? IS IT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT GOES ON IN
>> IT'S SOMETHING WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE IS THE RESOURCE ABILITIES OF THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER DEPARTMENTS AND HOW MANY PROPERTIES THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS. WITH THE CALL VARIETY, WE DO SEE THAT SOME PROPERTIES HAVE A LARGER BURDEN THAN OTHERS. ACS HAS SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT THEY NEED TO ADDRESS IN CODE. SO IF CODE ENDS UP BEING TIED UP IN MORE AND MORE PROPERTIES AND ACS HAS FEWER AND FEWER, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT RESOURCE DISPARITY WHERE WE KEEP LUMPING HOUSES ON TO OWED AND THEY ARE OVERWHELMED. THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL BE EVALUATING AS WE CONTINUE TO GRADUATE OR RETAIN PROPERTIES IN GOOD NEIGHBOR TO FIND OUT WHERE THAT BREAKING POINT IS IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF SERVICES AND TIMELINESS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOTCHA. SO THE SIX-MONTH EVALUATION PERIOD IS -- RIGHT NOW WE CAN CONSIDER THIS PHASE ALMOST THE PILOT VERSION OF
THIS PARTICULAR PHASE. >> YOU CAN CONSIDER IT THAT WAY, YES, SIR.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: IT WILL EVOLVE BEYOND THE SIX MONTHS BASED ON DATA WE SEE, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE, HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS ARE REMOVED OFF OF THIS LIST?
>> YES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: WONDERFUL.
AND I GUESS THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS AFTER -- LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT
QUESTION AGAIN. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: COUNCILWOMAN
DR. KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROGRAM. AS I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND TO NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT NOW, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT WE GET.
AND PEOPLE ARE JUST UPSET ABOUT PROPERTIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE NUISANCE PROPERTIES FOR WHATEVER REASON. I GUESS I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE IS IF YOU ARE NOT -- IF THERE ARE CERTAIN PROPERTIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE CALLED US ABOUT WITH THESE ISSUES, DO WE JUST NEED TO TELL THEM TO CALL MULTIPLE TIMES IN EACH QUARTER SO THAT YOU KNOW THEY ARE AT -- THERE ARE
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PROPERTIES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED? >> THE RESIDENTS CERTAINLY NEED TO LEVERAGE OUR EXISTING REPORTING TOOLS THE CITY HAS, 311 AND NON-EMERGENCY BASED ON THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT SOME RESIDENTS MAY FEEL CALLING DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, BUT IF THEY DON'T CALL, THEN WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S THE OFFICIAL REPORTING TOOL OF RECORD.
WE'RE PULLING THE DATA DIRECTLY FROM THE DATA BASES FROM 311 AND THE CAD.
WE NEED RESIDENTS TO KEEP CALLING ABOUT LEGITIMATE ISSUES.
ONE THING I WILL HIGHLIGHT, WHEN I WENT OVER THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROGRAM, YOU SAW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CALLED THE MOST TYPICALLY WERE MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS. AND SO THERE'S SOME INDIVIDUALS IN RESIDENCES THAT HAVE THAT HIGH CALL VOLUME, BUT THEY ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM DUE TO THE PROBLEM TYPES AND THEIR CALL VARIETY.
>> KAUR: WHAT TYPE WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE? >> THE TOP 100 WERE TYPICALLY MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS OR THEY JUST WANTED TO HAVE THAT EMS MEDICAL ATTENTION OR TRANSPORT. SO THERE'S ALREADY PROGRAMS
IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THOSE ONES. >> KAUR: THOSE AREN'T NECESSARILY THE ONES THAT COME UP TO ME THE MOST. THE ONES THAT COME UP TO US THE MOST ARE CODE. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE PARKING IN LOTS, THE ACS ISSUES, OVERGROWN, THOSE ARE THE ONES PEOPLE -- THERE'S ONE HOUSE WHERE YOU CANNOT WALK ON THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE IT'S SO -- WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOREVER AND THEY ARE NOT ON THIS GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM. BUT IT'S BECAUSE THE CONSTITUENTS AROUND THEM ARE CALLING OUR OFFICE AND I KNOW CODE HAS BEEN OUT THERE, I'M ASSUMING THEY ARE NOT ON THE MAP BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T CALLED ENOUGH.
>> THE MAP WAS FOR THE TOP 25. WE PULLED ALL THE DATA AND WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES THAT TECHNICALLY QUALIFY FOR GOOD NEIGHBOR BECAUSE THEY CALL 12 OR MORE TIMES IN THE TIME PERIOD. THOSE PROPERTIES NOT IN THE TOP 25 ARE STILL SENT TO THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR REFERENCE.
AND SO DSD, ACS, PD, FIRE, THEY DO GET A LIST OF ALL THE PROPERTIES EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT INTO THE TOP 25, SO THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEY CHECK ON THEM, THAT THEY ARE ENROLLED IN THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
>> KAUR: I'M SURE DSD KNOWS ABOUT ALL THESE PROPERTIES.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND PROPERTIES FOR THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM?
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE AS WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND UPDATE THE
PROGRAM. >> KAUR: I KNOW IT COMES DOWN TO A CAPACITY ISSUE, THAT'S WHAT EVERYTHING COMES DOWN TO. BUT IF THERE WAS A WAY -- IT FEELS REALLY -- I COULD ASK MY STAFF TO KEEP DOING 311 REPORTS TOO, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL GREAT TO TELL A RESIDENT, HEY, WE KNOW YOU'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PROPERTY FOR YEARS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU EVERY THREE MONTHS TO CALL IN TEN TIMES SO IT'S MAKES IT ON THE LIST. I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANOTHER WAY WE COULD GET PROPERTIES LIFTED TO THIS PROGRAM.
>> SURE, AND JUST WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND YOUR QUESTION AS WELL, COUNCILWOMAN. THE PROGRAM WILL EVOLVE AS WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE DOING. SO IT'S NOT A STATIC PROGRAM FOR SURE.
IN TERMS OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, YOU MAY RECALL THE TERRIBLE CASE WE HAD ON DIP LA WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL WAS KILLED BY TWO DOGS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED THROUGH THAT PROCESS WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATING OUR EFFORTS AMONG CITY DEPARTMENTS AND EVALUATING THOSE LOCAL PRIORITY CALLS THAT ARE LOW PRIORITY FOR ONE DEPARTMENT, WHEN YOU COMBINE THEM WHEN YOU HAVE CODE CALLS AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND NON-EMERGENCY AND EMERGENCY CALLS, HOW CAN WE BEST ADDRESS THOSE.
THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE PROGRAM. WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS THE INDEX MARIA MENTIONED. SO IT'S NOT ONLY THE NUMBER OF TIMES A PERSON CALLS, BUT THIS PROGRAM IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CALLS. EXAMPLE 3 THAT HAS THE HIGHEST ONE --
>> KAUR: THAT'S THE ONE I GET MOST OF IS EXAMPLE 3. >> VILLAGÓMEZ: YES.
SO RIGHT NOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. AS WE EVALUATE IT, IF THERE'S SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE CITY THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS WITH, PLEASE LET MARIA AND I KNOW SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO INCORPORATE THOSE.
BUT THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW IS BASED ON CALLS AND WE DON'T WANT
TO IGNORE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING -- >> KAUR: 100%.
I'M NOT TELLING US NOT TO ANALYZE DATA BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT COME TO OUR OFFICE. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE 311 AND WE WANT TO DO MORE OF THAT.
[00:35:02]
I'M ASSUMING THAT WE DON'T LOOK JUST AS AN ADDRESS. DO WE LOOK AT AN AREA IFPEOPLE ARE SAYING -- >> FOR THE DATA RETURN FOR THE CANDIDATES, IT'S JUST AN ADDRESS. ICSO IS INTENTIONALLY LOOKING TO GO OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO ENGAGE WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THE RESIDENTS AND GET SOME OF THAT QUALITATIVE INPUT WHERE MAYBE THEY ARE NOT CALLING BUT HEY, I SEE THAT ISSUE. WE CAN COLLECT THAT DATA AND
INFORM OUR STRATEGY AT THAT LOCATION. >> KAUR: I THINK THIS IS GREAT AND I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH EACH OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO TELL US WHAT YOU WOULD THINK WOULD BE A FIT FOR THIS PROGRAM. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH DART TOO WHERE SAFE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SUGGEST HEY THIS PROPERTY SHOULD BE DARTED AND WILL GET IT ESCALATED. THEY'VE SEEN MORE TRENDS SOMETIMES THAT WE HAVEN'T.
I JUST THINK IF WE COULD DO A MEETING THAT WE CAN AT LEAST SAY THESE ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THREE ADDRESSES I'VE JUST SEEN IN THE LAST MONTH THAT FOLKS WERE LIKE YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROPERTY.
AND THAT'S THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET. AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING WITH THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE CAN'T OBVIOUSLY -- IT'S LIKE WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENT AND WHAT THEY NEED.
THE LAST QUESTION I HAD, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED FROM PHASE 1 TO PHASE 2 YOU HAD MULTI-FAMILY UP TO FOUR UNITS AND THAT WAS REMOVED. CAN YOU GIVE ME MORE CONTEXT AS TO WHY? WAS IT JUST BECAUSE OF VOLUME?
>> SHEER VOLUME OF PROPERTIES THAT QUALIFY WITH THE 12 OR MORE CALLS.
WE DECIDED TO NARROW THAT SCOPE TO SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES.
>> KAUR: PROBABLY BECAUSE OF MUSIC AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
IF YOU WERE TO SAY, LIKE GIVEN BUDGET DISCUSSIONS ARE COMING UP, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD NEED TO ENHANCE THIS PROGRAM?
>> BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE OFFICES, YOUR OFFICES, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TO GET THAT INPUT AND CONNECT THE RESIDENTS TO SERVICES, BECAUSE AS THE COUNCILMAN SAID, SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS EXIST BECAUSE OF UNDERLYING COMPLEX SOCIOECONOMIC OR HEALTH REASONS. SO BEING ABLE TO BETTER CONNECT THE RESIDENTS TO SERVICES SO THOSE PROBLEMS NO LONGER EXIST SUCH AS THE HOARDING OF ANIMALS OR THE OVERGROWN YARDS OR HOMES FALLING DOWN AROUND THEM.
THEY AFFECT THE COMMUNITY, BUT TO RECTIFY THEM WE NEED TO ETHICS REVIEW GOOD TUNED LYING ROOT CAUSES ADDRESSED. I THINK HAVING A MORE ROBUST ABILITY WITHIN THE ICSO TO DO THAT AND THEN THE OUTREACH. WE'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH DEPARTMENTS WHO DO HAVE THAT CAPABILITY, BUT EVEN THOSE HAVE LIMITED SCOPES SUCH AS OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE ONLY IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES AND NOT ALL OF OUR CURRENT PROPERTIES HAVE ONE, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE. >> KAUR: WOULD YOU SAY ICSO HAS A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE PROBLEMS? >> WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. WE ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP OUR KNOWLEDGE SO THAT WE KNOW, OKAY, THIS RESIDENT SAID THIS, THIS AND THIS, THIS IS THE PERFECT SERVICE FOR THEM. LET'S GET THE ADVISERS OR
LIAISONS OUT TO ENGAGE WITH THEM. >> KAUR: I THINK IF WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR SOMEONE BECAUSE THE BARRIER IS KNOWING THAT KNOWLEDGE.
BUT IF YOU HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND HAVE SOMEONE ON YOUR STAFF THAT'S ACTUALLY ABLE TO GO DOUBT -- GO OUT AND DO THAT, WOULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK FOR IN THE BUDGET. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> HAVRDA: COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I FIRST WANT TO APPLAUD MARIA AND MARIA'S EFFORTS ON THIS. THIS IS GREAT. USING THIS TYPE OF DATA IS MAKING US SMARTER. IT'S SURPRISING, I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT THIS, 6,418 CALLS. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THAT.
WITH SOME OF THESE ADDRESSES, IS OUR RESPONSE CHANGED AT ALL OR ARE WE STILL JUST SENDING OUT MORE RESOURCES TO GO OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY CALL
IN? >> THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSES TO THE CALLS FOR SERVICE HAS BEEN APPROPRIATE. AND THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THEIR OPERATIONS.
HOWEVER, LIKE WE'VE ALLUDED TO, SOME OF THE ISSUES JUST WON'T GO AWAY BECAUSE THERE'S UNDERLYING PROBLEMS. THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF AN ACS OFFICER OR EVEN A PD OFFICER TO TRY TO ADDRESS AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE COULD. SO THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN --A
[00:40:01]
CONGRUENT RESPONSE TO THE CALLS. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO OFFER THAT COLLABORATION ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE AT THAT TIME.>> GAVITO: AND THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR FOR ASKING THE QUESTION WHAT RESOURCES DO YOU NEED. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THESE PROPERTIES, BUT NOW WE NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP OF CONNECTING THEM TO THE RESOURCES OR ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING ISSUES. AND SO IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PUSH FOR IN THE BUDGET, YEAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY GAME.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I DIDMENT TO TOUCH ON THAT WAS MENTIONED BY BOTH COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR AND COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA IS THAT YES, WE DO KNOW ABOUT THESE KIND OF NUISANCE PROPERTIES, BUT ALSO TOO I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH US TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE NEIGHBORS TOO, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORS CAN START -- YOU KNOW, ARE STRESSED OUT ALSO BY THIS NUISANCE PROPERTY. THEY ALSO MAYBE NOT FEEL SAFE IN THEIR OWN HOME. THERE'S DEFINITELY IMPLICATIONS IT HAS ON ALL OF THOSE AROUND THEM. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA WAS TOUCHING ON -- AT LEAST I WAS HEARING, I'M CURIOUS ON HOW WE CAN SHORTEN THE TIME LINE BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THAT IN DISTRICT 7 KIND OF PROBLEM PROPERTIES TOO WHERE IT'S -- IT JUST TAKES FOREVER AND NOTHING IS GETTING THE ONLY. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A -- GETTING THE ONLY. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION HOW WE CAN SHORTEN THAT. MAYBE IT IS HELPING ADDRESS THEM TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED. WE NEED TO NIP IT IN THE BUD ALSO FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS AS WELL. CAN YOU ALL SHARE THE ADDRESSES WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES? BECAUSE I DO THINK WE KNOW SOME PROBLEM PROPERTIES TOO.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT THAT CHANGE OF INFORMATION.
OBVIOUSLY WANT TO KEEP PRIVATE INFORMATION PRIVATE, BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW WE CAN FEED YOU ALL INFORMATION OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT BUT ALSO ARE AWARE OF, HEY, IF THIS IS A PROBLEM PROPERTY, IF THERE'S AWARENESS WITH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. >> VILLAGÓMEZ: YES, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR REQUESTED WE VISIT WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WE'LL SHARE THE
ADDRESSES WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOMEONE COME TO SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TOWN HALLS IN DISTRICT 7 TO SHARE THIS BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY GREAT WORK AS A CITY COORDINATING AND I'M EXCITED WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM AND EXCITED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP AND CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE HELP AND RESOURCES THEY NEED SO WE'RE
ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: COUNCILMEMBER
WHYTE. >> WHYTE: BRIEFLY. THANK YOUER TO THE PRESENTATION. A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. ARE WE GOING TO START LOOKING OR HAVE WE ALREADY LOOKED AT HOW, IF THE PROGRAM IS HELPING REDUCE
CALLS FOR SERVICE? >> WE ARE CURRENTLY IN MONTH 4 OF THE EVALUATION PERIOD.
AND SO AT THE END OF THE SIX MONTHS, WE WILL EVALUATE THE ACTIVITY THAT'S TAKING PLACE AND THE CALLS THAT ARE OCCURRING AT THE PROPERTIES TO SEE WHAT IS TAKING PLACE
DUE TO OUR ACTION. >> WHYTE: YES, SO TO ME LOOKING AT HOW THE PROGRAM CAN AID IN REDUCING THOSE CALLS AND PRODUCING GOOD PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCOMES I THINK IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DETERMINE. SECOND QUESTION IS, THE PROCESS FOREST -- FOR ESCALATING CONSEQUENCES WHEN SOMEONE IS REPEATEDLY VIOLATING NOISE ORDINANCE, ET CETERA. ARE WE LOOKING AT WHETHER
FINES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT IS WORKING? >> WE HAVEN'T EVALUATED THE EFFECT OF SENTENCING ON THE CALLS; HOWEVER, WE ARE PARTNERED WITH PDACS AND DSD WHO DO USE CITATION-TYPE STRUCTURES WITH FINES AND CITY ATTORNEYS, WE CAN EXAMINE HOW THAT'S ENDING UP IN THE COURT. CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS AWARE OF SEVERAL OF THESE PROPERTIES AND THE CURRENT FINES ARE DUE TO BE ADJUDICATED AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN EVALUATE AT THE END OF THE PERIOD TO SEE
ITS OUTCOME. >> WHYTE: YES, I THINK WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT'S WORKING HERE AND WHAT'S NOT, RIGHT? AND IF THESE NUISANCE PROPERTIES ARE GETTING FINED, ARE THEY ACTUALLY PAYING THEM OR THE FINES JUST PILING UP OVER TIME. SO I APPLAUD THE MISSION OF THE PROGRAM.
I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE NEXT STEP IS DETERMINING WHAT WE CAN DO TO, YOU KNOW, BETTER MANAGE THESE NUISANCE PROPERTIES AND REDUCE THE
[00:45:04]
AMOUNT OF THOSE PROPERTIES THAT EXIST. SO THANK YOU AGAIN.>> HAVRDA: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE 15 REAL QUICK. SO LOOKING AT -- DID YOU
HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY? >> HE'S JUST EXCITED READY
TO PRESENT. >> WALSH:. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: GOTCHA. THE BULK OF THESE ARE NOT THE OVER GROWN YARDS -- THEY ARE NOT THE OVERGROWN YARD, THE PERSON WITH THE JUNK VEHICLE, THAT'S 38 OF THE CALLS PLUS WHATEVER. THE BULK OF THE REST OF THE CALLS, THOSE ARE THE THINGS I'M HAPPY TO SEE HAVE YOUR FOCUS ON. GO BACK TO 12 AGAIN.
SORRY, I'M BOUNCING. WHAT I'M WONDERING AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE I'M HEARING CONCERNS ABOUT THE OVERGROWN YARD, TRASH, ILLEGAL PARKING, THOSE THING NEIGHBORS CALL ABOUT THAT THEY FEEL DETERIORATES THE VALUE AND THE FEEL OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKES THEM-CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM TO LOOK AT AND TO DRIVE PAST, ALL OF THAT. AND I'M -- SOME OF WHAT WE COME INTO CONTACT WITH IS WE'RE A PROPERTY RIGHTS STATE.
NO ONE IS GOING TO PRISON BECAUSE THEIR GRASS IS OVERGROWN SO I'M INTERESTED 234 WHAT COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE WAS ASKING ABOUT WHICH IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FINES AND FEES. WE CAN CONTINUE TO RAISE THEM, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT UP UNTIL THE HIGHEST AMOUNT THAT WE CAN LEGALLY FINE SOMEONE, BUT IF THEY ARE NOT PAYING IT, THEY ARE NOT PAYING IT. SO THE ISSUE IS YOU MIGHT GET PEOPLE WHO ARE HAPPY TO KNOW, OKAY, THAT PERSON HAS BEEN FINED AND FOR SECOND THEY FEEL THAT RELIEF, LIKE YAY, WE'RE SLAMMING OUR FISTS DOWN AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO A POOR QUALITY OF LIFE BUT THE ISSUE DOES NOT GET RESOLVED BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL NOT MOWING THEIR PROPERTY, MOVING THAT JUNK VEHICLE. JUNK VEHICLE MAY BE MOVED, BUT THEN EVERYTHING STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN. SO THERE'S GOT TO BE A FOCUS ON THOSE UNDERLYING ISSUES, THE -- THAT HONESTLY SAPD DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DO. SAPD SHOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE THERE HAVING THREE, FOUR-HOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE BULK OF THESE CALLS, BUT IF WE HAVE FOLK WHO ARE OUTREACH WORKERS WHO WORK IN A VARIETY OF THESE DEPARTMENTS, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO FIND OUT, HEY, THIS IS AN IS AN ELDERLY WOMAN WHO IS PRIDEFUL AND ISN'T GOING TO CALL SOMEONE TO MOW HER YARD AND SHE CAN'T DO IT AND IT'S BEEN YEARS, IS THERE AN ORGANIZATION THAT WILL KEEP HER ON A RECURRING LIST. IS THIS PERSON HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND THEY ARE DEPRESSED OR HOARDING THINGS AND NOT TAKING CARE OF THE INSIDE OF THE PROPERTY LET ALONE THE OUTSIDE.
THEY WON'T LET GO OF THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAS SOME SORT OF SENTIMENTAL VALUE TO THEM. I THINK THERE'S ISSUES THAT SOMETIMES THE AVERAGE RESIDENT IS GOING TO KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR AND ASK WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW CAN THEY HELP. IT'S HEY, I HATE LOOKING AT THIS VEHICLE, THIS TRASH AND THAT FEELING WE'RE A COMMUNITY AND WE TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER AND IT TAKES A COMMUNITY, IT TAKES A NEIGHBORHOOD TO -- IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD ALSO APPLIES TO YOUR COMMUNITY. AND SO WE DON'T GET THAT FEELING, WE DON'T HAVE THAT SENTIMENT ANYMORE. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER, CHECK NEIGHBORS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND IT'S BECOME INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS TO DO SO ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS.
RIGHT? AND SO WHILE I HEAR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SAID, I DO WANT TO PRIORITIZE THE FOCUS ON DATA.
THESE ARE THE 100 ADDRESSES THAT GET THE MOST CALLS, IT DOES NOT DO US ANY GOOD IF WE HAVE PEOPLE CREATE ARTIFICIAL DATA BY CALLING IN 100 TIMES IN A MONTH.
THAT IS NOT HELPFUL, EVEN IF IT DOES REALLY BOTHER THEM PERSONALLY.
IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES I THINK TO ESCALATE, WE'VE CERTAINLY FOUND SOME ASSISTANCE FROM CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM, CITY DEPARTMENTS WHEN WE HAVE THOSE NUISANCE PROTYLE THAT AREN'T COMING INTO COMPLIANCE, BUT THERE'S OTHER ENTITIES THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH. WHAT STATE LAWS WOULD Y'ALL ADVOCATE FOR AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND WE LOBBY FOR AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE AGAIN PROPERTY RIGHTS.
[00:50:01]
WHAT ARE THE ISSUES OR CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THE D.A.'S OFFICE AND WHAT CHALLENGES ARE THEY SEEING THAT ARE LEADING TO PEOPLE NOT GETTING -- TO JUSTICE NOT BEING ACHIEVED. AND SO THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE COMPLICATED, COMPLEX, BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE THE END ALL BE ALL.THERE'S GOING TO BE BARRIERS THAT EVERY OFFICE WHETHER IT'S ICSO, SAPD, WHETHER IT'S MUNICIPAL COURTS, THERE'S GOING TO BE BARRIERS FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE WANT WHICH IS PERFECTION, COMPLIANCE, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT ARE WE DOING AFTER THAT. HOW ARE WE GOING TO NAVIGATE THOSE BARRIERS. NEXT PRESENTATION I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> HAVRDA: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANKS.
WE'LL MOVE OVER TO ITEM 7, CRIME DATA. TAKE IT AWAY, CHIEF.
>> CHIEF MCMANUS: GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FIRST QUARTER CRIME STATS FOR 2025 VERSUS 2024 AND IT'S A RELATIVELY SHORT PRESENTATION, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN A PRESENTATION BASED ON WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE SHOWING. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE REGARDING REQUIREMENTS WHICH IS -- REPORTING REQUIREMENTS WHICH IS NIBRS AND THEN THE NUMBERS RIGHT AFTER THAT. SO THE FBI, IF YOU REMEMBER FROM MAYBE PAST PRESENTATIONS, THE FBI USES THE NATIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND THE FORMER REPORTING REPORTING PROGRAM WAS THAT NIBRS CAPTURES EVERY CRIMINAL OFFENSE IN ONE EVENT. WHEREAS BEFORE IT WAS SIMPLY THE MOST SERIOUS CRIME THAT WAS COUNTED. THERE ARE TWO GROUPS, GROUP A AND GROUP B. GROUP A THE MOST SERIOUS, GROUP B ONLY REPORTED IF THERE'S AN ARREST MADE. SO CRIMES AGAINST PERSON DOWN, PROPERTY DOWN.
CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY UP AND I'LL EXPLAIN MORE IN A MINUTE, BUT OVERALL THE DROPPING CRIME FOR THE QUARTER FOR BOTH PROPERTY, VIOLENT CRIME AND CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY IS 19.3%. AND IF WE BREAK DOWN THAT VIOLENT CRIME AND LOOK AT EACH CATEGORY, WE HAVE DOUBLE-DIGIT REDUCTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD EXCEPT FOR NON-FORCIBLE SEX OFFENSES WHICH REMAIN FLAT FOR THE QUARTER.
AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR PROPERTY CRIMES, WE SEE DOUBLE DIGITS EXCEPT FOR BURGLARS FOR A WHOPPING 24.5% REDUCTION IN PROPERTY CRIMES.
AND THEN FINALLY CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY, WE SEE A -- THE REDUCTIONS YOU SEE ARE PROBABLY DUE TO LACK OF REPORTING THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN DRUG AND NARCOTICS. MORE ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE -- WHEN ARRESTS ARE MADE, THOSE CRIMES ARE REPORTED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HIGHER NUMBER OF ARRESTS FOR NARCOTICS, ILLEGAL NARCOTICS, AND IF WE LOOK AT OUR ARREST NUMBERS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025, WE HAVE A 3.4 INCREASE IN ARRESTS. AND IF WE WANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OCTOBER, DECEMBER '24, OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER '24 VERSUS JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2025, WE'RE LOOKING AT 10.6%. THAT COULD EXPLAIN THE INIES IN NARCOTICS CATEGORY. THAT'S IT FOR THE REPORT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >> HAVRDA: DID YOU SAY NIBRS CHANGED THEIR
CRITERIA? >> CHIEF MCMANUS: THE FBI DID.
PRIOR TO 2021, WE USED TO REPORT UNDER THE UCR PROGRAM, UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING PROGRAM AND ONLY LOOKED AT EIGHT CATEGORIES OF PART 1 OFFENSES.
THEY USED A HIERARCHY REPORTING SYSTEM. IF THERE'S A CRIME, WELL, IF THERE'S AN EVENT AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE CRIMES COMMITTED IN THAT EVENT, ONLY THE MOST SERIOUS CRIME GOT REPORTED. UNDER NIBRS, UP TO TEN
[00:55:07]
CRIMES IS REPORTED SO A MUCH MORE THOROUGH LOOK. >> HAVRDA: AND THIS IS
BASED ON THAT. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: THIS IS NIBRS.
>> HAVRDA: THE FIRST QUESTION WAS IF WE SHOULD DO OUR OWN CLASSIFICATION --
>> CHIEF MCMANUS: SAY AGAIN. >> HAVRDA: I WAS GOING TO ASK IF WE SHOULD HAVE OUR OWN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THAT CRITICISM.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WERE SOME INCIDENTS THAT WEREN'T BEING REPORTED OR INCLUDED
IN THIS DATA, BUT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S BEEN REMEDIED. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: YES.
>> HAVRDA: THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO THANK OUR OFFICERS, THEY ARE OUT EXECUTING THESE PLANS. THANKS TO THE OFFICERS ON THE STREET LEVEL DOING THE WORK. WITH I THINK IT WAS MOTOR
VEHICLE THEFT, IT SAYS IT'S DOWN -- DID YOU SAY 43%? >> CHIEF MCMANUS: 43.2,
YES, MA'AM. >> HAVRDA: AND YOU ARE COMPARING THE FIRST QUARTER
OF -- >> CHIEF MCMANUS: 2024 TO THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024.
>> HAVRDA: HAVE WE LOOKED IN RETROSPECT BEYOND '24? >> CHIEF MCMANUS: NOT FOR
THIS REPORT. >> HAVRDA: I'M JUST WANTING TO SEE ANY TRENDS.
I KNOW THE PANDEMIC WAS KIND OF WEIRD TIMES BUT BEFORE AND AFTER, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. AND SO I TALK A LOT ESPECIALLY NOW WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE CRIME DATA GOING DOWN AND PEOPLE WILL SAY THEY DON'T SEE IT.
I TELL THEM HOW YOU SAID IF YOU WEREN'T WATCHING THE NEWS WOULD YOU THINK THERE WAS THIS MUCH CRIME IN CITY. PEOPLE ARE IMPACTED BY THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T FLY.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO EXPRESS TO THE COMMUNITY THE NUMBERS ARE WORKING WITH OUR FAVOR, CRIME IS GOING DOWN. BUT WE ALL JUST REACT TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. DO YOU HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: SURE, AND I PREFACE WITH IF YOU'VE BEEN THE VICTIM OF A CRIME LATELY, YOUR CAR IS BROKEN INTO, YOUR HOUSE IS BURGLARIZED, YOU ARE REALLY NOT HEARING CRIME IS DOWN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND I REPORT THEM AS THOUGH SHOW. IF THEY ARE UP, THEY ARE REPORTED UP, DOWN, REPORTED
DOWN. >> HAVRDA: ARE WE DOING ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
AUTO THEFT? >> CHIEF MCMANUS: WE HAVE AN AUTO THEFT UNIT, YES, MA'AM, THAT WORKS PRIMARILY -- THEY LOOK AT CHOP SHOPS, THEY LOOK AT CREWS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN WHOLESALE AUTO THEFTS. YES, THEY LOOK AT ALL THAT.
>> HAVRDA: IF WE EXPAND THAT? WHY IS THERE SUCH A BIG
TREND DOWN? >> CHIEF MCMANUS: I COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF REASONS THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AFFECTS IT. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GIVE YOU ONE REASON WHY IT'S DOWN OR CRIME IS DOWN, BUT THE -- WHEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS?
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YES, SO HAPPY TO SEE CRIME GOING DOWN, BUT I TEND TO AGREE WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT I HEAR FROM AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS THAT THERE'S STILL TOO MUCH I MEAN GOING ON IN OUR CITY. I LOOKED AT A RECENT REPORT, IT WAS AT THE END OF 2023, AND SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A YEAR AND A BIT REMOVED FROM THERE. BUT BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, WE'VE ALL SEEN INCREASED CRIME IN THOSE CITIES COMPARED TO SOME OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE. AND MY POINT REALLY IS THIS AND I'M GOING TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID AT OUR LAST PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILWOMAN KAUR EARLIER THIS MEETING MENTIONING THE BUDGET BECAUSE I THINK NOW IN ALL THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS WE'RE HAVING LEADING UP TO LOOKING AT THE NEXT BUDGET, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING A THE THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US IF TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO MOST POSITIVELY AND DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR CITIZENS' LIVES. WHEN I TAKE A LOU AT THE STATISTICS, YES, I'M HAPPY CRIME IS GOING DOWN, BUT I THINK ABOUT THE HOT SPOT POLICING AND HOW THE UTSA
[01:00:09]
STUDY HAS SHOWED US WHAT I THINK MOST OF US ALREADY KNEW.WHICH IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE MORE OFFICERS ON PATROL ON THE STREETS, WE DETER CRIME.
AND SO I WANT TO AGAIN REITERATE MY PROPOSAL. THE CITY HAS -- HAS A PLAN, I GUESS, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING, MARIA, TO FUND AN ADDITIONAL 65 POLICE OFFICERS IN EACH OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS. I THINK WE NEED TO SPEED THAT UP. MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WE FUND AN ADDITIONAL 100 IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND AN ADDITIONAL 100 IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET SO WE GET TO THAT 200 NUMBER IN A YEAR'S QUICKER TIME. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS HERE, EVERY SINGLE DAY IN SAN ANTONIO THERE ARE ABOUT 300 CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE OR PROPERTY. 300 A DAY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE JANUARY -- THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FROM JANUARY TO MARCH OF THIS YEAR. IT'S ABOUT 77 CRIMES A DAY AGAINST PEOPLE AND 233 CRIMES AGAINST OUR CITIZENS' PROPERTY.
PER DAY. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING SO FAR IN 2025.
LET'S GET SOME MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET. LET'S DO IT QUICKER.
AND IF WE DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE OUR PEOPLE SAFER.
THANKS, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
COUNCILWOMAN ALDERETE GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I REALLY QUICKLY -- I'M GLAD TO SEE THE TREND GOING DOWN, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING US WITH LAST WEEK'S PUBLIC SAFETY TOWN HALL.
WE LOVE WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE DISTRICT-SPECIFIC STATS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT, AS COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA SAID PEOPLE WHEN THEY FEEL THE CRIME, IT'S THEIR WHOLE WORLD. WE DO TRY TO TELL THEM TURN OFF THE TV, IT'S NOT SO BAD, LET'S GO OUTSIDE. COUNCILWOMAN KAUR AND I WERE AT THE JEFFERSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING LAST NIGHT AND WE HEARD ABOUT THAT CASE AT WOODLAWN LAKE AND THAT'S A PLACE WE ALL VISIT ALL THE TIME SO IT FEELS VERY PERSONAL. I DO WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE'S PROPOSAL. I THINK -- WHEN DID WE SEE HOT SPOT POLICING, LAST MONTH? IT'S WORKING. I DO ECHO WHAT HE SAID ABOUT 100 POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING FOR IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON TOO.
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE APPRECIATE OUR POLICE OFFICERS PRESENCE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO AS WELL AS I DO. THANKS, CHAIR.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ANECDOTE ABOUT WHENEVER YOU ARE SPEAKING TO RESIDENTS AND THEY'VE EXPERIENCED A CRIME, THEY ARE NOT HEARING ANY OF THIS, RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU'VE GONE SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT EVER BEING THE VICTIM OF A CRIME AND THEN ONE YEAR YOU ARE THE VICTIM, CRIME IS UP 100% FOR YOU.
THAT'S -- MATH ISN'T -- MATH AND DATA DOESN'T ALWAYS INFORM HOW PEOPLE FEEL.
AND AGAIN, I GUESS SO I'M MENTALLY THINKING ABOUT RESPONDING TO A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING HEARD RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK WE EITHER WANT TO BE DATA INFORMED OR WE DON'T. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO REMAIN FOCUSED AND INFORMED BY DATA AND THE DECISIONS AND THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE DO BE INFORMED BY DATA. AND SO THE CONCLUSION OF -- MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOT SPOT POLICING PROGRAM AND IT'S CHALLENGES AND ALL THAT, A CONCLUSION I WOULD DRAW IS WHEN YOU MORE STRATEGICALLY INVEST YOUR RESOURCES INCLUDING YOUR POLICE OFFICERS INTO THE AREAS WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED, THAT'S WHEN YOU SEE THE BENEFIT. IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WIDESPREAD PUT A POLICE OFFICER ON EVERY STREET. THAT'S NOT NEEDED, IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S LEADING TO THE IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S THIS IS AN AREA OF FOCUS, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING SHORT-TERM, MID-TERM AND LONG-TERM TO SEE THE RESULTS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS EXPECTING. I WOULD ALSO CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE 2019 AND 2023, THERE'S A LOT OF DESOCIALIZATION THAT HAPPENED, A LOTT OF UPROOTING OF NORMS AND PRACTICES AND PEOPLE'S
[01:05:03]
QUALITY OF LIFE DECREASED. MANY PEOPLE WERE WITHOUT JOBS.MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. LOST FAMILY MEMBERS.
LOST JOBS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND I'M THINKING ABOUT IN 2023, 2024, ALLOCATING ARPA RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS A LOT OF SOCIAL NEED THAT EXISTS AS WELL AS ECONOMIC NEED. AND SO IN ADDITION TO HOT SPOT POLICING, IN ADDITION TO GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, IN ADDITION TO THE BROADER VIOLENT CRIME PREVENTION PLAN, WE'RE MAKING SO MANY OTHER INVESTMENTS OUTSIDE OF JUST THAT ADDITIONAL OFFICER AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 100 ADDITIONAL OFFICERS, THAT'S, WHAT, 10 MILLION OR SO DOLLARS? THAT'S -- WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET THAT FROM? IF WE HAVE A DEFICIT, IF WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE IMPLEMENT INCREASES TO THE BUDGET, HOW WE'RE IMPLEMENTING INVESTMENT, WE WANT TO DO IT IN THE MOST STRATEGIC WAY POSSIBLE. AND SO THINKING LESS ABOUT JUST INCREASING THE SHEER NUMBER OF OFFICERS, MAYBE IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT THOSE OFFICERS TO DO. WHAT IS THE END GOAL WE'RE LOOKING AT. YOU CAN ASK POLICE BUDGET. THE ANSWER FOR SO MANY WOULD BE NO, Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN MONEY FROM POLICE AND WE KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. IT'S A WIN FOR MANY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ADDING 50, 60, 70 OFFICERS EACH YEAR, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT GOING TO FEEL THAT. IT'S SOMETHING WE GET TO SAY, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW -- BECAUSE OUR CITY IS SO BIG. IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC OUTCOMES AND LESS ARBITRARY NUMBERS AND ADDITIONS TO THIS AND THAT.
AND I FELT LIKE FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE BEEN TRENDING IN THAT DIRECTION AS A COUNCIL WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUTCOMES AND LETTING CITY STAFF RECOMMEND, RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUDGET OR CHANGES AND THEN WE RESPOND TO. BUT ALSO INFORMED BY THE DATA AND OUTCOMES.
SO CHALLENGE YOU THERE. ALSO, I HOPE THAT ON THE GROUND YOU ARE FEELING AN IMPROVEMENT IN MORAL AND THE DEPARTMENT ESPECIALLY AS RELATES TO THE DECREASE.
YOU GO TO NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S DOOM AND GLOOM. YOU GO NEXT DOOR AND IT'S THIS PERSON DRIVING THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT 7:00 A.M. AND 5:00 P.M., EVERY DAY THEY ARE UP TO NO GOOD. I HOPE THAT IN THE SMALL VICTORIES THAT YOU ALL FEEL, THEY ALL FEEL THAT. IT'S NOT ALWAYS SHARED. THE SENTIMENT YOU ARE SHARING HERE IS NOT THE SAME SENTIMENT FELT ON THE GROUND.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN TAKE THIS AS SOME MINOR WIN WITH THE CHALLENGE WE WANT TO CONTINUE DOING BETTER, CONSTITUENTS EXPECT MORE OF US AND WE'RE ON OUR WAY.
THANK YOU. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE TROTS, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE THINK ABOUT OUTCOMES AND WHERE IS IT OUR OFFICERS ARE NEEDED MOST AND WHAT ARE THE CALLS WE'RE GETTING AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEIR TIME IS SPENT ON WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE CALLS WE GET A LOT ARE FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, THEY ARE SEEING CRIME FROM FOLKS BREAKING WINDOWS OR IF THERE ARE ISSUES AROUND THEIR BUSINESSES. SO QUESTION, SO ARE THE ARRESTS -- SO FOR THE NUMBERS THAT YOU ARE SHOWING, ARE CALLS FOR SERVICE YOU MEAN OR DOWN IN
THESE -- UP OR DOWN IN THESE SAME CATEGORIES. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: I WOULD HAVE TO GET THAW INFORMATION, BUT CALLS FOR SERVICE I BELIEVE ARE UP.
>> KAUR: OKAY. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: WE WOULD HAVE TO BREAK THEM DOWN BY
CATEGORY. >> KAUR: I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO KNOW BECAUSE FOR US WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THEY ARE GETTING CALLS FOR BROKEN WINDOWS. HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THE BUSINESS OWNER DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY TIME AND TIME AGAIN FOR A BROKEN WINDOW. AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE DOING TO HELP SUPPORT THAT IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING -- THERE'S PROPERTY CRIMES THAT ARE OCCURRING.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA MENTIONED THIS REALLY WELL. WE'RE SAYING THAT CRIME IS DOWN, BUT THAT IS NOT THE PERCEPTION. YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT PERCEPTION IS NOT REALITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING THAT THIS IS WHAT THE DATA SHOWS DOESN'T NECESSARILY TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE SAFE. AND SO HOW ARE YOU SHARING THAT MESSAGE, HOW IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SHARING THE MESSAGE THAT, YOU KNOW,
[01:10:06]
THAT THE CRIME -- WE ARE MORE SAFE NOW THAN BEFORE? >> CHIEF MCMANUS: MOST OF THE CONCERNS AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S EAST, WEST, NORTH, SOUTH, MOST OF THE CONCERNS ARE ORDER MAINTENANCE-TYPE COMPLAINTS, IT'S NOT ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME . THE EXAMPLE --
>> KAUR: COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: MENTIONED WAS THAT WHEN I GO TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS OR NOT, BUT WHEN I GO TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, I ASK THEM TO PRETEND THAT -- HOW MANY PEOPLE WATCH THE NEWS AND READ THE NEWSPAPER? EVERYBODY RAISING THEIR HAND. SAY HOW MANY OF YOU PRETEND FOR ME THAT YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE NEWS OR READ A NEWSPAPER IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS.
EVERYBODY'S MIND IS BLANK, EVERYBODY VOID OF NEWS, YEAH, WE'RE VOID OF NEWS.
GO YOU WAKE UP IN THE -- DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEARING FOR YOUR SAFETY? AND THEY LOOK AROUND AND SMART SMILING, NO, NO. IT'S BECAUSE WHEN YOU WATCH THE NEWS, THE FIRST HALF A DOZEN STORIES ARE LIGHTS AND SIRENS, WHO GOT SHOT, STABBED, KILLED, AND TECHNOLOGY THEY MOVE ON. THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GET THEIR PERCEPTIONS FROM, THE NEWS. MOST PEOPLE GO ABOUT THEIR DAY PICKING UP THEIR KIDS, GOING TO WORK, MOVIES AND THE GROCERY STORE AND DON'T FEEL THREATENED, DON'T FEE IT'S UNSAFE. BUT WHEN YOU WATCH THE NEWS, YOU CAN EASILY BE BRAINWASHED. MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE ABOUT ORDER MAINTENANCE, QUALITY OF LIFE-TYPE THINGS, BROKEN WINDOWS.
I'VE HEARD IT, BEEN HEARING THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND PRIMARILY BASED ON THE COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE HEARD, IT'S HOMELESS. UP AND DOWN BROADWAY AND IN THAT AREA. SO, YOU KNOW, I LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME -- THERE'S EXCEPTIONS TO THIS. VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME FOR THE MOST PART IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER KNOW THEIR ASSAILANT, AND THERE'S ALWAYS, ALMOST ALWAYS, EXCEPTIONS, THERE'S ALMOST ALWAYS RISKY BEHAVIOR INVOLVED. YOU'VE GOT EX-BOYFRIENDS SHOOTING NEW BOYFRIENDS, EX-GIRLS SHOOTING NEW GIRL FRIENDS, HUSBANDS SHOOTING WIVES AND IT GOES ON AND ON.
I READ THESE REPORTS EVERY MORNING AND SHAKE MY HEAD AT SOME OF THE INSANITY THAT'S
HAPPENING CAUSING THIS VIOLENCE. >> KAUR: I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
I GUESS MY PUSH FOR THIS BUDGET IS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MOST OF THAT WE DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE TO AND WE CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT AND TRY TO ADDRESS THAT. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING THIS SUMMER TO TRULY ADDRESS OUR PROPERTY CRIME. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS OUR DRUG CRIME. DO WE NOT HAVE A NARCOTICS DIVISION ANYMORE IN THE
SAPD. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: IT'S NOT CALLED NARCOTICS.
IT'S UNDER COVID. >> KAUR: WHAT DO WE HAVE A SOLUTION FOR AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT WHAT WE CAN DO IN THOSE AREAS. WHETHER IT'S MORE BIKE OFFICERS OR FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS RATHER THAN JUST SAYING BLANKETLY WE NEED, YOU KNOW, 100 MORE OFFICERS IN GENERAL.
I WANT TO SEE TARGETED SOLUTIONS VERSUS GENERIC AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF -- AT
LEAST THAT'S WHAT I THINK OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN HEARING. >> CHIEF MCMANUS: IF I COULD MENTION, IF YOU RECALL, THE PURPOSE FOR THE 360 NEW OFFICERS IS TO REVERSE THAT 60/40 RATIO, AND WE'RE START TO SEE THAT. THERE'S FOLKS WE HIRED IN THAT ARE OUT OF THE ACADEMY AND OFF THEIR RIDES SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT REVERSAL. UNTIL WE GET THAT 360, WE
DON'T SEE THAT. >> KAUR: BUT THAT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE RATIO AND IT'S NOT LINKED TO HOW CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO 60 TO 40, ONCE WE HIT 60 TO 40 WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE ALL HOW DO WE -- I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE GOING FROM 60 TO 40. MY PUSH IS MORE. WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING PROPERTY CRIME. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A PLAN THAT IS SET UP TO ADDRESS THAT. I THINK WE ARE DOING
[01:15:02]
GREAT ON CONTINUING TO ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME ON CRITICAL CALLS.THE LAST PRESENTATION WE HAD, WE SHOWED HOW QUICKER -- HOW DEEP THE TIME TO RESPOND HAS BEEN DECREASED ALREADY, BUT THE THING THAT I DON'T SEE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY INTENTIONALLY PLANNING FOR IS PROPERTY CRIME, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? I STILL THINK THAT -- WHETHER MY CAR IS STOLEN OR CAR IS BROKEN INTO OR PACKAGE IS STOLEN OFF MY FRONT PORCH, THOSE ARE ALL, TO ME, IMPORTANT AS
A RESIDENT AND CONSTITUENT AS WELL. >> SO JUST TWO MORE QUICK THINGS. WE DO HAVE A PROPERTY CRIMES TASK FORCE.
GOING WAY BACK BEFORE WE TURNED IT INTO A PROPERTY CRIMES TASK FORCE, DETECTIVES USED TO DO THEIR WORK FROM THE STATION.
THEY GO OUT AND WORK ON THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING LEADS AND ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR A VARIETY OF PROPERTY-TYPE OFFENSES.
THE THING ABOUT THE 60-40 RATIO, ONCE WE HIT THAT, AS WE GET MORE TIME OFF CALL FOR THE OFFICERS, THEY HAVE MORE TIME TO -- THEY HAVE MORE TIME TO DO COMMUNITY-TIME POLICING.
SO IF THEY GO INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS A LOT OF PROPERTY CRIMES, THEY CAN WORK THAT THROUGH DIRECTED PATROL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ANSWERING CALLS 60% OF THEIR TIME. SO THAT'S THE GOAL.
>> UNDERSTOOD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> JUST A SECOND. I JUST -- A COUPLE THINGS.
THE -- I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, THE UTSA PLAN, THE PLAN WE'RE WORKING ON, THAT'S FOCUSED ON VIOLENT CRIME.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT, OF COURSE, BOTH PROPERTY AND VIOLENT CRIME ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT VIOLENT CRIME HAS TO TAKE THE FRONT SEAT. IT HAS TO BE THE THING WE'RE FOCUSING ON. IT'S WORKING. WE DO HAVE THE TASK FORCE, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE MORE POLICE OFFICERS WE HAVE THAT ARE VISIBLE, THE MORE CRIME WILL GO DOWN, NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF CRIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- I TALK A LOT ABOUT. THIS WE CAN'T HAVE A POLICE OFFICER ON EVERY CORNER, BUT WE CAN HAVE LIGHTING ON EVERY CORNER. THAT'S A DETERRENT. I HEAR BACK, WE WANT A POLICE OFFICER ON EVERY CORNER. THAT'S THE HIGHEST STANDARD. RIGHT? BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 60-40 RATIO, I THINK A LOT OF US TALK ABOUT INCREASING SAFE OFFICERS. 60-40, IF WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT AND NOT JUST STOP AT 60. WE WANT TO GROW TO AS MUCH OF A PERCENTAGE AS WE CAN. OFFICERS THAT ARE JUST REGULAR PATROL OFFICERS CAN ALMOST ACT AS SAFE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE COMMUNITY POLICING. THEY KNOW THE ELDERLY AND THE KIDS AND ALL OF THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THOSE PARTICULAR POINTS. I THINK THEY'RE SALIENT GIVEN SOME OF THE DISCUSSION HERE. ALSO, I MEAN, MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR MARIA, BUT ARE WE TALKING WITH UTSA ABOUT SPECIFICALLY A PLAN FOR PROPERTY CRIME, LIKE WE'VE DONE FOR VIOLENT CRIME?
>> WE MENTIONED IT AT ONE POINT. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY
FURTHER DISCUSSION. >> OKAY. MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE SOLUTION AND WE DON'T WAIT FOR THE VIOLENT CRIME PLAN TO BE
AND JUST THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS, RESOURCES TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME
TIME. >> ONE FINAL POINT, TOO, ABOUT THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS. WE'RE JUST, AS A CITY, GROWING SO MUCH.
I SEE IT SO MUCH ON FAR WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
JUST TO KEEP UP WITH THE RATIO AND ATTRITION, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS. RIGHT? OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER WHITE. >> AND I CAN'T SAY IT BETTER THAN CHAIR DID OR THAT YOU DID, JUST TO RESPOND TO COUNCILMEMBER KAUR.
I MEAN, THE MORE OFFICERS WE HAVE THAT ARE ON PATROL AND NOT TAKING CALLS, THE MORE THEY ARE OUT THERE AND THEY ARE DETERRING CRIME BY BEING OUT THERE AND BEING VISIBLE. AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THE PLAN IS TO FUND 65 TO DO 100 INSTEAD IS AN ADDITIONAL 3.5 MILLION DOLLARS. WE NEED TO FIND THAT 3.5 MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET AND GET TO 100 THIS YEAR AND WE NEED TO DO THE SAME THING NEXT YEAR BECAUSE AS THE CHAIR SAYS, WHETHER IT'S VIOLENT CRIME OR PROPERTY CRIME, CHIEF, YOU WOULD AGREE, IF OFFICERS ARE VISIBLE, IT
IS GOING TO GO DOWN AS WELL. >> YEAH.
>> THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS A QUESTION FOR MARIA THAT MAYBE YOU CAN GET US THIS DATA. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- I DON'T KNOW -- LET'S SAY TEN YEARS AGO, HOW MANY CALLS WERE WE RECEIVING AND HOW MANY OFFICERS DID WE HAVE VERSUS THE CALL LOAD WE'RE RECEIVING TODAY AND HOW
MANY OFFICERS WE HAVE NOW. >> WE'LL GET THAT
INFORMATION TO YOU. >> AWESOME. THANKS, CHAIR.
[01:20:02]
THANKS, CHIEF. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER --
COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> FOR SURE.
JUST HAVE TO REALLY QUICKLY STATE, THERE IS NOT DATA THAT SHOWS THAT YOU INCREASE NUMBER OF OFFICERS AND IT DECREASES CRIME.
JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN. IT'S BEEN -- THE COUNTER HAS ACTUALLY BEEN PROVEN IN SOME CASES THAT YOU CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS AND YOU STILL SEE AN INCREASE IN CRIME. WHAT I WANT TO -- WHAT I WANT TO CONVEY TO MY COLLEAGUES IS THAT PEOPLE WANT THOSE AROUND THEM TO BE POLICED. YOU CREATE A POLICE STATE AND PUT AN OFFICER ON EVERY CORNER, EVERY PERSON ON THAT CORNER IS GOING TO BE POLICED.
SO THEN YOU CREATE POLICE STILL REPRESENT THE STATE, THE GOVERNMENT. SO WHILE THERE IS GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT INCREASING GOVERNMENT AND INCREASING SURVEILLANCE, ALL OF THESE THINGS, THAT IS GOING TO CREATE, I THINK, A CULTURE AND -- IT'S GOING TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT IS UNINTENDED.
SO PEOPLE IN THEORY WANT AND BELIEVE THAT, BECAUSE IT'S THE SIMPLEST THING TO BELIEVE, IF YOU ADD MORE OFFICERS, THEN IT'S GOING TO DECREASE CRIME AND MAKE THEM SAFER. YOU CAN READ MANY A BOOK THAT SAYS THAT IS NOT THE CASE. SO I WANT TO CONVEY IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE STEADFAST IN YOUR BELIEFS.
I KNOW YOU APPRECIATE I AM STEADFAST IN ONE. DATA SUPPORTS ONE AND
NOT THE OTHER. THANK YOU. >> ONE LAST COMMENT.
>> YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. >> WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT POLICE HERE. POLICE, POLICE, POLICE. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE THAT WHEN CRIME BECOMES AN ISSUE, THE FIRST FINGER POINTED IS AT POLICE, THERE'S AN ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT PLAYS A ROLE IN CRIME REDUCTION. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS TO WORK IN SYNC. IF IT DOESN'T, WE'RE WASTING OUR TIME.
>> THANKS, CHIEF. ONE MORE FINAL POINT. JUST WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE PERCEPTION AND YOUR POINT IS WELL-TAKEN.
IF PEOPLE FEEL SAFER WITH A POLICE OFFICER VISIBLE, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DELIVER. I WANT TO SEE THESE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GO DOWN ESPECIALLY WITH THE VIOLENT CRIME. BUT WHAT WE'RE HEARING OVER AND OVER AND OVER IS THAT PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH WE SHOW THEM THE DATA, THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE. I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE NOW, I HEAR MYSELF TALKING, NOT EVERY COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE THAT. I'LL SAY THAT. BUT I BELIEVE THAT VISIBILITY IS PART OF THAT PERCEPTION. THANKS.
COUNCILMEMBER ALDRETE GAVITO. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I AGREE WITH THAT I ALSO THINK THERE IS A WHOLE NUMBER OF FACTORS.
RIGHT? YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE POLICE PRESENCE, THE OVERALL FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM RESIDENTS IS THAT THEY FEEL SAFE.
WHEN WE'RE SEEING PARK POLICE OR OTHER POLICE OFFICERS DRIVING UP AND DOWN OR STREET, I AGREE WITH YOU, CHIEF, THERE'S A WHOLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND IT DOES HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER FOR US TO TRULY GET CRIMINALS OFF OF OUR STREETS. BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S OTHER NUANCES, TOO. I MEAN, WE'RE ALL HEARING GUNSHOTS.
GUNSHOTS MAKE NONE OF US FEEL SAFE. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAKING UP, YEAH, WHEN WE WAKE UP TO GUNSHOTS, THEN NONE OF US ARE FEELING SAFE. THAT ALSO JUST PLAYS A ROLE IN, YOU KNOW, MORE GUNS, EQUALS MORE GUNSHOTS. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. YOU WANT TO DO ANOTHER ROUND?
OKAY. OKAY. >> THIS GOES BACK TO THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION THAT WAS SHARED AND HEARING WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT A MUCH LARGER CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, I THINK THAT REQUIRES -- THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR P P PURVIEW. I THINK MUNICIPAL COURTS GET THE SAME SORT OF -- THEY GET THIS -- I SAID THAT BECAUSE HEARING YOU MENTION, YOU KNOW, MORE GUNS, MORE GUNS, MORE GUNS, THE SAME FOLK WHO DON'T FEEL SAFE ARE SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE WE NEED MORE GUNS IN TEXAS.
WE NEED -- EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO A FIREARM AND X, Y, Z THING. SO THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME SORT OF CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL. THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME SORT OF THING THAT HAPPENS. THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS AND BETTER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND THE DA'S OFFICE AND DECISION THAT'S ARE BEING MADE NEED TO BE MADE IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING -- I'M TRYING NOT TO SAY TOO MUCH. RIGHT? WE'RE ALL FRUSTRATED ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, AND SO I THINK AS MUCH AS WE CAN DO TO BUILD BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE WHO ARE CREATING A LESS
[01:25:04]
COHESIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE BETTER.I DON'T KNOW THAT THE RELATIONSHIP RIGHT NOW IS ALWAYS THE BEST.
IT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN COMMUNICATE OURSELVES TO PROSPERITY, BUT WE CAN DO A LITTLE
BIT BETTER. >> NOBODY'S DISAGREEING WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YEAH, THERE'S A BUNCH OF THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE US MORE SAFE. BUT ONE THING THAT WE CAN TANGIBLY AFFECT DIRECTLY AND RELATIVELY QUICKLY IS FUNDING MORE OFFICERS AND GETTING
THEM ON THE STREET QUICKER. >> I STILL HAVE --
>> NO. YOU WERE QUIET. YOU DIDN'T TURN THE RED
LIGHT ON, BUT YOU WERE QUIET. >> I RECOGNIZE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER WHITE. >> WE CAN DO THIS AND GET IT DONE IN THE BUDGET AND THE NEXT BUDGET. I DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER. THE DATA IS REALLY, REALLY CLEAR.
MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET DETERS CRIME. WE'VE SEEN IT IN THE UTSA STUDY. OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS STANDING UP THERE SAYING IT'S GOING TO DETER PROPERTY CRIME.
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER STUDY TO SHOW US THAT. >> NO ONE SAYS THIS IS
GOING TO BE ANOTHER STUDY. >> LET'S GET THE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, AND I HOPE THAT YOU AND I GET TO HAVE THIS
SPIRITED DISCUSSION IN THE FALL. >> I APPRECIATE THAT YOU REPRESENT A COMMUNITY THAT FEELS THAT WAY. I FEEL LIKE YOU WERE DOING YOUR JOB. THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT FEEL SAFER JUST BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER. I REPRESENT MANY OF
THOSE COMMUNITIES. >> THAT MAY BE TRUE. >> THAT'S ONE POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE. RIGHT? SECOND, I LOST MY TRAIN
OF THOUGHT BECAUSE YOU JUST INTERRUPTED ME. >> NOW --
>> THANK THANK YOU. WE'RE NOT DISAGREEING IN SOME WAYS. I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT ABOUT THE UTSA STUDY.
IT'S NOT AN EXPERIMENT THAT TESTS POLICE IN ISOLATION.
THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS HAPPENING. SO MANY OTHER INVESTMENTS HAPPENING THAT THE RESULTED CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO ONE THING. THAT MUCH IS CLEAR. THERE ARE TOO MANY
VARIABLES IN THE STUDY TO -- >> NO.
NO. THAT'S WRONG. >> WE'RE DONE HERE.
CUT THEIR MICS OF. NO MORE. YES, SIR.
>> SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CATEGORIES UP HERE, IF YOU LOOK AT LARCENY, THEFT DEFENSES, IT'S THE HIGHEST. OVER 10,000 OFFENSES IN A THREE-MONTH PERIOD. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT PEOPLE NECESSARILY BREAKING INTO OR JUST STEALING STUFF OP YOUR PORCH.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SHOPLIFT AS WELL.
EVERY STORE IN SAN ANTONIO, IF THEY GO IN THERE AND STOP LIFT, CALL THE POLICE, TAKE A REPORT. THOSE NUMBERS ADD UP LIKE THAT. TAKE ALL THE -- DROP THAT NUMBER DOWN, AND
YOU'VE GOT LESS PROPERTY CRIME. >> I'M GOING TO MAKE A COUPLE QUICK POINTS, TOO. SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SHOPLIFTING. I WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET GROCERY-TYPE STORE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IN MY DISTRICT THAT IS FOOD DESERT.
THEY LASTED A YEAR BECAUSE OF SHOPLIFTING. THEY LEFT AFTER A YEAR.
THAT HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON A COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER HAD
ACCESS TO THIS STORE. >> YOU'VE GOT CHAIN STORES CLOSING IN PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY. >> IT WAS A CHAIN STORE.
>> IT'S A BIG DEAL. IT'S A PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU STOP THAT BESIDES PUTTING EVERYTHING IN
THE STORE UNDER LOG LOCK AND KEY. >> YEAH.
SO THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO -- I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE CONVERSATION WHERE I STARTED IT AND BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT ALL THESE PLANS AND PROGRAMS AND THE POLITICAL ARGUMENT WE'RE HAVING HERE TODAY ALL LEADS DOWN TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE OFFICERS ON THE STREET DOING THAT WORK. THEY ARE EXECUTING ALL OF THESE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO I THANK YOU FOR THEIR WORK. IT'S DANGEROUS WORK. THEY ARE SAN ANTONIANS JUST LIKE US.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE PAY THAT RESPECT NO MATTER HOW WE FEEL ABOUT
IT. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.