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CC - Item 5C - Public Safety Commission Final Report 2023 PowerPoint PresentationPUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION 2022/2023 YEAR END REPORT 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 2 On April 12, 2022, the City Council adopted ordinance No.1010 creating the Public Safety Commission to facilitate a citizen -based, community effort to organize, promote, advocate, and participate in public safety efforts concerning matters relating to public safety, understanding police and fire operations, crime prevention, emergency preparedness, and any other issues which may be assigned by the City Council. BACKGROUND 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 3 FOCUS AREA & RECOMMENDATIONS During the past year, the Public Safety Commission has reviewed program information and performance data and received numerous presentations regarding public safety programs and services in Rosemead. As a result of these intensive efforts, the Commission focused on several key areas to help identify areas for improvement, in addition to enhancing the public’s knowledge about public safety. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 4 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS The Commission reviewed information, identified topics of concern, and provided recommendations on the following: Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Awareness & Narcan Administration Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on February 23, 2023. It was requested that LASD plan and execute a drug awareness outreach at local schools which LASD has scheduled. Additional drug awareness information is being provided to community members during regularly scheduled crime prevention programs like Neighborhood Watch or Community Area Watch. Sidewalk CPR Workshops Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on February 23, 2023. The Public Safety Department will coordinate quarterly sidewalk CPR training with LACoFD. Sidewalk CPR workshops are scheduled on a modified quarterly basis for CY 2023 and sessions were held on March 29th and June 21st. Another CPR training is scheduled for August 4th, and will continue a rolling cycle of meetings in perpetuity. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 5 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS Crime Prevention Programs Recommendation(s): In consultation with the Public Safety Department staff and LASD, the City is recommending the following programmatic changes: •The City should be subdivided into seven (7) reporting districts that coincide with LASD reporting districts. An SAO deputy will be assigned to each district as its community policing liaison. •Community Area Watch meetings will be held twice a year in each reporting district. •The meetings should be tailored to provide crime trends citywide and then specifically to each reporting district. •For Business Watch, it is recommended that the Rosemead Special Assignment Team contact business owners and pass out information about how to participate in the Business Watch program. •Business Watch meetings should be held in-person once a month to support the unique needs of the City’s business community. •All crime prevention meetings should be attended by the Rosemead Chief of Police or their designee in their absence. •Neighborhood Watch meetings will continue as requested by new and/or established groups. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 6 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS Public Outreach The City uses a variety of methods to communicate with the Rosemead community. These include the City website, social media, press releases, and our new weekly e-digest called Rosemead This Week. The City is in the process of creating its first-ever Communications Plan and has completed a survey of the Rosemead community to identify opportunities to expand our outreach. This survey was provided in multiple languages and was designed to find out how and where Rosemead residents consume information so we can meet them where they are at. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on February 23, 2023, and recommended conducting a citywide Public Information Perception Survey to identify opportunities for broader engagement with the Rosemead community. Anti-Camping Ordinance & Jurisdiction Per its mandate, the Commission also reviewed current City and LASD practices and case law related to homeless encampments. To fully explore additional enforcement, per the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Martin v. Boise, for the City to enforce or prosecute its anti-camping laws, a shelter bed must first be offered. If the individual accepts shelter, then no enforcement is warranted, and placement in a shelter can help remove individuals experiencing homelessness from City streets. If an individual refuses shelter and continues to camp, then enforcement can commence, and the individual can be removed by law enforcement. Recommendation: At the April 27, 2023, Commission meeting, the Commission recommended tabling this item pending further updates to recent case law that is further shaping public policy related to anti-camping enforcement. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 7 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS Public Safety Vehicle Street Access, Curb Markings, and Permit Parking The Commission reviewed information regarding public safety vehicle access and whether current parking standards and curb markings in the City are sufficient to provide access to public safety vehicles. The Public Safety Department consulted with both LACoFD and LASD, and determined in most instances there is sufficient ingress and egress on City streets for vehicles. Additionally, the Commission also requested more information about more red curb stripping on City streets. The Public Works Department oversees curb stripping in the City. In consultation with the Public Works Department, it was determined that any requests for additional curb stripping be submitted to the Traffic Commission, which is the advisory board charged with providing recommendations to the City Council on this topic. The Commission inquired whether recreational vehicles can be parked on City streets. Staff has reviewed the City’s municipal code and section 17.112.070 expressly requires that recreational vehicles be properly stored on side or rear yards and screened from view of the street. Finally, the Commission inquired as to whether a permit parking program would help enhance public safety by clearly identifying which vehicles belong in the permitted parking area and which vehicles are not permitted. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on March 26, 2023, and tabled this item. Broken Windows Theory First proposed by the late criminologist James Q. Wilson in 1982, the broken windows theory of criminal justice holds that seemingly minor instances of social and physical disorder in urban spaces can contribute to an atmosphere of lawlessness that encourages more serious crimes. The question before the Commission is whether this is true for the City and what steps need to be undertaken to prevent the “broken window” from occurring. LASD does not believe that the City is in a “broken windows” cycle as low-level offenses like graffiti and other forms of vandalism are quickly addressed by law enforcement and City staff. The increase in property and other crimes is largely attributed to the state’s efforts at criminal justice reform and the revolving door of justice being championed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on February 23, 2023, and recommended that LASD and the City continue to monitor quality-of-life crimes and address them in a timely manner. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 8 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS Public Safety Staffing & Budget The Commission reviewed crime trends, calls for service, and response time data to address concerns related to response times and visibility of LASD patrol deputies. Based on this analysis, call volume and response times are negatively impacted during the AM and PM patrol shifts, with the PM patrol shift demonstrating the most resource constraints. The data was also supported by operational analysis provided by LASD that PM patrol deputies are typically moving from call to call with little to no time to conduct proactive policing activities, thereby impacting response times and the ability to conduct proactive patrols for enhanced visibility. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on April 27, 2023, and May 25, 2023, and recommended that the City reinstitute the Community Service Officer (“CSO”) patrol support program and add two additional 56-hour patrol units. HOST Team The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) is responsible for addressing homeless encampments with 10 or more people in Los Angeles County. HOST will engage with individuals in these encampments to assist with connecting them with services in the County’s continuum of care. After a required notification period, HOST will assist with enforcement related to encampment clean-up efforts. Currently, there are no encampments in Rosemead that meet the 10 or more threshold. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on February 23, 2023, and recommended that the Public Safety Department continue to monitor homeless encampments in Rosemead and engage with the HOST Team on an as-needed basis. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 9 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS Flock ALPR Cameras Over the years, the City has acquired and implemented several automated license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras at strategic intersections throughout the City. The ALPRs cameras provide law enforcement the tools to search vehicles by type, make, color, plate, and more. They provide law enforcement with real-time monitoring and alerts if a suspect vehicle has entered the City. The City currently has 25 ALPR cameras at major intersections throughout the City. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on February 23, 2023. The Public Safety Department acquired three in-unit ALPR City patrol and SAO vehicles to serve as a force multiplier for the fixed camera system. The vehicles will be available in the coming months. Overnight Crime Suppression Patrol Pilot Program In response to a series of commercial burglaries along major commercial corridors in Rosemead, the City Manager authorized the creation of an Overnight Crime Suppression Patrol Pilot Program. During the first several weeks of the program, Code Enforcement staff identified a break-in in progress and several individuals who have been involved in vandalism during the overnight hours. Since patrols began, according to initial reports by LASD, commercial burglaries have declined in the City over this period. It should also be noted that the Special Assignment Team has adjusted its schedule to conduct overnight burglary suppression activities in support of the City’s crime prevention goals. Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on April 27, 2023, and supported the implementation of the program. The Public Safety Department has hired three (3) part-time Community Service Officers to supplement the work of our full-time Code Enforcement team to continue overnight crime suppression patrols and will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the program. 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 10 FOCUS AREAS & RECOMMENDATIONS MET Team At the February 23, 2023, meeting, the Commission received a presentation from the County’s Mental Health Evaluation Team (MET). After the presentation, the Commission requested information regarding the cost of the MET team as well as demographic information about the populations served. These included the number of MET-related calls from Temple Station and Rosemead in particular, as well as the number of calls related to housed versus unhoused individuals. 2019 – 550 calls 2020 – 506 calls 2021 – 384 calls 2022 – 422 calls Recommendation: The Commission reviewed this item on March 26, 2023, and no action was taken. The MET team is available as a resource to Rosemead residents on an as-needed basis. COMMISSION COMMENTARY The members of the Public Safety Commission would like to extend their appreciation to the Rosemead City C ouncil for the opportunity to serve the community and participate in this important discussion regarding the future of the City we all cherish. We hope that you find these recommendations to be helpful in your policy deliberations moving forward. The Commission firmly believes that if its recommendations are implemented, the City of Rosemead’s public safety services and programs will be enhanced for the foreseeable future. While the circumstances that created this situation were beyond the control of the City C ouncil, the solution to tackling this complex challenge is well within its grasp . 7/25/2023 Public Safety Commission Final Report 11