Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-31 PUBLIC SAFETYCITY OF SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT MINUTES March 31, 2014 CALL TO ORDER: Santa Ana Police Department 60 Civic Center Drive, Police Community Room Santa Ana, California 5:30 PM ATTENDANCE: Council Committee members: David Benavides Michele Martinez Roman Reyna STAFF PRESENT: David Cavazos, CMO Carlos Rojas, PD Anthony Espinosa, OCFA Laura Rossini, CAO Ruben Ibarra, PD Karen Haluza, Planning & Building Eileen F. Greene, Recording Secretary PUBLIC SIGN -INS: Apolonio Cortes Paul Guzman Ismael Becemil Samuel Romero Sarai Arpero Joanne Luevano PUBLIC COMMENTS Apolonia Cortez, here on behalf of SACRED as a follow -up to the Strategic Plan that has been approved by the City. Thanks the City Council for all the effort they have made. Paul Guzman, resident of Santa Ana, is concerned about unemployment. Mr. Guzman feels there is discrimination against the youth in Santa Ana; he says 40% are unemployed, highest rating in the County, next to Anaheim. Correlation between unemployment and the youth - civil services, school disturbances, all the way down the line, one affects the other. Ismael Becemil — resident living at 450 E. 4t" Street, Spectrum Condos for the past 20 years. He belongs to the safety group, the Wellness Corridor. He is concerned about problems at Lacy /3`d Street /French Street after midnight, especially Thurs- Sundays. Young people on the streets intoxicated with drugs and alcohol. SAPD needs to control this situation. He asks that the City control sales of alcohol. Samuel Romero — security guards need to report problems to the police immediately. Mr. Romero says he brought this problem to the City Council a year and a half ago, but the problem continues. Mr. Romero would like all security guards looked at, not just those working inside the bars and restaurants, in order to keep things under control. Sarai Arpero — she is part of SABHC and LHA working four years on safety issues and has had different meetings with the City on how to improve relationship with police. She asked community members what things they felt were important, and police conduct stood out. After looking at solutions, Ms. Arpero says believes in the Restorative Justice program. Joanne Luevano, high school senior talks about immigration. She believes the Police Department is working with ICE — taking funding away from libraries and things that can help youth. She tells how her father was deported and how hard that has been for her. She wants her message to get through that Santa Ana does not need the ICE contract to make money. AGENDAITEMS 1. Approval of Minutes of 1 -28 -14 Meeting Motion: Approve the Minutes of 1 -28 -14 meeting. MOTION: Martinez SECOND: Benavides VOTE: AYES: Benavides, Martinez ABSTAIN: Reyna NOES: None (0) Motion carries. 2. OCFA Standards of Coverage (Presentation explaining mechanisms to improve fire service response strategies) Acting Division Chief Anthony Espinosa, OCFA, has a power point presentation and begins with the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) Program and how it teaches members of the community to take care of themselves. Chief Espinosa talks about standards of coverage and explains OCFA response times once a 911 call has been placed whether it is for a fire, medical aid or other emergency. He explains that OCFA is committed to meeting the basic national standard of response time. Chief Espinosa explains that the OCFA has ten stations spread out in Santa Ana which encompasses 21 square miles. He addresses the question about removing any of these stations. He explains that OCFA is a regional response team; however, they will not be removing any fire stations that are in Santa Ana at this time. 3. Restorative Justice (Introduce and Define Restorative Justice and how it will affect the youth of Santa Ana) Rafael Solorzano, Santa Ana Boys and Men of Color working group member, has a power point presentation regarding the subject of Restorative Justice. He explains that there is a State -wide initiative being moved by the California Endowment which is also part of the alignment of Boys and Men of Color. Recently the President announced this idea of restorative justice at a national level. It is at the forefront of what government leaders want to do for young people of color in reference to better outcomes, including graduation in the school system and less contact with the criminal justice system. Mr. Solorzano begins his power point presentation by introducing current local, state and national work of the Santa Ana Boys and Men of Color. Mr. Solorzano goes on to introduce Restorative Justice by defining it and giving a brief background. He explains what methods are used with Restorative Community Conferencing (RCC) and how it would work in the city of Santa Ana. Mr. Solorzano concludes the discussion by making a recommendation to create a task force that researches and develops a restorative justice pilot program that would work for the city of Santa Ana. 4. Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (Discussion of Ballot Initiatives and Options) Karen Haluza, Acting Executive Director, Planning & Building, has a Power Point presentation entitled Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Discussion. The presentation provides background information on the medical marijuana dispensary issue as it relates to a ballot initiative that qualifies to go on the ballot this November. Topics covered in the presentation are a brief history of Medical Marijuana Legislation, current City regulation and enforcement efforts, pending State legislation (SB 1262), local initiative process, summary of qualified ballot initiative, and the next steps planned to deal with the influx of these dispensaries. At this time, the City's position is that medical marijuana dispensaries operating as a storefront use is prohibited; it is allowed through health care facilities. Ms. Haluza concludes the presentation by giving calendar dates coming up in order to having a competing initiative on the ballot if that is something the City Council elects to do. The elections will be held on November 4, 2014. 5. Homelessness (Overview of Public Safety Efforts Related to the Homeless Population) Ruben lbarra, Commander, SAPD, gives a brief overview of the Police Department's efforts dealing with the homeless issue. There are presently 1,400 homeless people in Santa Ana; 400- 600 of those are living in the Civic Center area. A major concern in the Civic Center is public safety. City and Courthouse employees do not want to go outside to sit and enjoy their lunch because of the stench, and they are wary of being assaulted. This problem is not just in the Civic Center, it is throughout the city. As a result of AB 109, more prisoners have been released into homelessness. The Police Department is looking at taking a two -prong approach: enforcement and compassion. In 2012, there were 2398 calls for service; in 2013, 1808. The H.E.A.R.T. Program identifies those people who want to be helped, and to date 83 people have been rescued. There are over 500 clients in the H.E.A.R.T. program; 254 are active. Commander Ibarra concludes his overview by stating the importance of partnering together with other agencies to address this issue. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS Chairman Benavides says we need to identify and assess what programs are already out there as it applies to the item on Restorative Justice. He also mentions it would be helpful for the Committee to see some case studies that have been done with the cities of Oakland and Long Beach and the outcome reached. Regarding partnering with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, questioned if they are already providing the same efforts as the concept of restorative justice. Chairman Benavides would like to review a sample contract of what this type of partnership would be and to see what costs or administrative fees are involved. Committee Member Martinez speaks about the Medical Marijuana item. She is concerned about the marketing of these dispensaries showing Santa Ana as the city to come to for marijuana. Committee Member Martinez would like the City to have a counter measure in order to protect our business community. She mentions that the cities of Oakland and Los Angeles have designated medical districts, and says she would be supportive of such in order to be able to monitor and control the dispensaries from a law enforcement and code enforcement perspective. Committee Member Martinez requests more research and an analysis of the medical districts so the City has more options and choices regarding this matter. Chairman Benavides says the City has three options regarding the Medical Marijuana initiative that will be on the ballot in November: 1) have a competing measure to allow for X- mimber of dispensaries; 2) stay silent and let the ballot go forward; and 3) have a competing measure to reinforce the City's position that we do not allow medical marijuana dispensaries other than through health care agencies. Comrittee Member Martinez states that we need to work with our housing authority as a long term solution to the homelessness issue. Affordable housing is key. She mentions the City possibly using Receivership as an option with absentee or slum landlords who do not attend to their properties as possible sites that the City may take over. Committee Member Reyna speaks about other service providers who can also help with the homeless issue, whether it is through grants or their case managers working directly with the homeless offering the different resources that they have available. Chairman Benavides agrees with Cormnittee Member Martinez to use Receivership as a possible tool to address the homelessness issue. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ➢ Community Oriented Policing ➢ Vendor Trucks ➢ Memorials ➢ Myrtle /Townsend, the area around KidWorks ADJOURNMENT — 7:50 P.M. CARLOSROJAS Acting Chief of Police