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Home My WebLink About09-City Administrator C"T'Y OF SAN BERreRDINO - REQUEST AR COUNCIL ACTION Jli..m: Wt: FRED A. WILSON, Assist-ant. to the Subject: City Administrator CITY ADMINISTRATOR Date: 7/19/90 Authorize addition of one police officer in the downtown area for a period of one year. Synopsis of Previous Council action: 7/9/90 -- Ways and Means Committee approved the addition of one police officer for the purpose of enhancing security in the downtown area. Recommended motion: - That the addition of one police officer in the downtown area for a one-year period be approved, that funding in the amount of $52,000.00 be appropriated from the Parking and Business Improvement Fund, and that the Director of Personnel prepare an amendment updating Resolution No. 6433. ~-"'" Contact person: FRED A. WILSON Phone: 5122 Supporting data attached: YES Ward: 1 Amount: ~ :0":'._._- Source: (Acct. No.) /1';7- /:)<>" - J,' YC'J ..\- (Acct, DescriPtion) /-u/:/~/ 4",,/;4.--./1',;.' Finance: A".....~.,,/ %i<'-1'o. , ,.,,~.... FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: .uncil Notes: 75-0262 Agenda Item No. Cf CITY OF SAN BERtaRDINO - REQUEST AR COUNCIL ACTION e - . 75-0264 STAFF REPORT The Ways and Means Committee on 7/9/90 recommended the addition of one police officer for a one year period for the purpose of enhancing security in the downtown area. The funding source for this position was the Parking and Business Improvement Fund which had an unappropriated fund balance of approximately $52,000 on July 1, 1990. The concept of enhancing security in the downtown area was initially proposed by the Mayor in November 1989 as a means of cleaning up the appearance of the area. Initial discussions with the Police Department relative to the level of police services necessary to adequately address security in the downtown resulted in a proposal recommending 3 additional police officers and additional security personnel at a cost ranging from $165,000 - $215,000 per year. The funding sources recommended to implement this package involved a combination of a~ea tax increases and an expansion of the District. Due to conflicts with the city-wide street lighting and sweeping assessment district in terms of both timing of the tax increase and providing similar services, the proposal was tabled at the JUly 16, 1990 Council meeting. The Ways and Means Committee concurrently considered the issue of enhancing security downtown. The review by the Committee was requested by the Mayor in order to further refine the proposal. The direction of the Committee from the outset was to explore this concept using available financial resources. The $52,000 unappropriated fund balance in the Parking and Business Improvement Fund was identified as the only available funding source which could be used for this enhancement program. Two alternatives relative to the use of these funds were presented to the Committee for discussion purposes. The first option was implementing two security patrols in a program similar to the Arden/Guthrie project using non-safety personnel at a cost of approximately $52,000/yr. The second option involved the establishment of a police officer motorized walking beat. Although the cost of establishing a police officer beat was approximately $60,000/yr., the Police Department indicated that the additional costs (approximately $8,000) could be absorbed in their budget. After some consideration, the Ways and Means Committee recommended that the police patrol be implemented utilizing the existing $52,000 fund balance from the Parking and Business Improvement Fund with the understanding that the additional costs would be absorbed in the Police Department Budget for Fiscal Year 1990/91. - - . . o The proposed motorized walking beat will encompass the following area: From 4th street north to 6th street, and from "E" street west to 1-215 (including the stater Brothers Complex) utilizing 40 hours of high visibility foot patrol. As part of the beat, the officer will also patrol the other key areas in the Parking and Business Improvement District (as noted on the attached map). Since funding is only available to pay for this program for a one year period, the area tax rate increases and expansion to the District which was initially proposed will have to be implemented next year if this program is to be continued. Main street will be developing a educate downtown business owners the need to consider long term program is to be ongoing. marketing program to help on the program as well as funding sources if this . WILSON, Assistant to the City Administrator FAWjsh Attachment .,. --- 'Avr';" I..... . ,. ,. ~ t"\.... . I':. .~. ~'''.' . . a~.... . e." .,,, . , --. ::., - ~. i 1.. 'ST I. I' ..., >:1 It - \ OAV'\~' · _ .: : . . \ ., I PIIIIIIS I~ I \ .... ;" ~ ! C:.., ~__.,J._ I HA"III'~ I ST ~ BlIIlCfU;li AV .- ... '" ~ IGll Iil Ii I I~T !!: Ii I BERKE'L.EY I ~ I i ~ g i E III r- !!l --- OO.~RT _ ;"[it ~ =IEL.O :..V \'" II!: .. III ~ lIlIa.Jj ,. ....... :;a IN c: Ie i ~NTAll J VIEW; Y';; ..~ '" '0... " ",_" ........ A J ..... -,,, .. . ilERRA .wy I ( PARltING AIm IIJSINESS IMPROVI!MI!'B.l DISl'RICT . ...-,....":.J . \ ~, . i- . T ~ ~ ~l~ 9 1ST ~ I "CAC!. I 1!l"OO t I ARR H .. Ar .1 AV. 8 VIBW r-- ~, I~I~ SIERRA :I: ~ CITY OF SAN 5ERNARDINO - ~EMORANDUM From Wayne Harp ///J;J// Assistant Chi~/"(?{ June 26, 1990 To Marshall Wiect Proposal .\ .: C' r'. - . - ..,. \ ~ 0 Fe. Julian, City Administrat'O\< ~. .'-' .. for Enhanced Securi ty i n \~'We JObwntowri' A~~~~' Date Approved Date - . At the Council Ways and Means Committee meeting on June 25, 1990, I agreed to develop a proposal, using the existing $50,000, to enhance security in the downtown area. My analysis of the proble. reveals that there are two possible approaches. These are the use of unifor'lllld private security and/or the use' of on-duty police officers. After evaluating these two options and discussion with Chief Robbins, we have come to the conclusion that, frOl a police perspective, the best alternative is the use of on-duty police personnel. I realize that using frivate security would provide more patrol hours than using police personne. My estimate is that at $15 an hour we could obtain approxillately 3,300 hours of rrivate patrol time. This capares to approxillately 1,840 hours avai able annually fraa one polic. officer. However, a police officer would be able and willing to function more effectively in dealing with the problems of downtown San Bernardino. Specifically, as has been noted in earlier reports, downtown San Bernardino presents a rather complex cultural and socioeconOllic mix. Included in this mix are shoppers, the elderly, IIIrchants, parolees, probationers, prostitutes, and criminals looking for easy prey. Private security would provide a "police presence" but would probably provide little more. A unifomed pollee officer working a combined vehicular/walkin~ beat would be able to provide not only the aforementioned "police presence but would be able to take enforcement action as he/she observes police problems. This person would deal more effectivelY with the "street people" who are occasionally disruptive. This police officer would also be able to t.-porarily detain those he reasonably suspects of criminal activity, prepare field interrogation cards, and conduct warrant checks. These three activities would serve to deter would-be criminals frOll frequenting the Central City area. They would also provide a valuable source of intelligence for police operations and would result in the service of many s~arch warrants. I make this recommendation knowing full well that we onll have $50,000 to spend on a one-time basis. My suggestion is that the Police De~artment's table of organization be temporarily increased by one to a total of 245. This increase would last for one year and would be so presented to the downtown merchants. It would need to be made clear to them that at the expiration of funding, absent any additional funding, the program would cease. It would also need to be made clear that tillS additional pollee officer would auglllnt, not sUp'plement, our current commitment to the area. At the end of tile one year trial period," the prograll would need to be evaluated and if a sufficient level of support exists for it, either continue or expand it. If no support existed, then the program would be terminated. J, - - . . o \ Marshall Julian Page 2 June 26, 1990 As far as costs associated with the program, the 550iOOO would not fully fund a police officer for one year. However, I fee that the shortfall would be lIininl and eas11y absorbed in the police budget. Currently the cost for a police officer at the "A" step for six montfis and the "B" step for six months, including fringe benefits, is 546,598 per year. Thus 550,000 would pay for a pol AlB. The cost of a vehicle would probably drive the expense of the pr~ram over the S5O,000 lIark. Additionally, figuring the salary at pol AlB probably underesti..tes the actual cost as a police officer at the "E" step (at a cost of $56,388) would probably be provided. Nevertheless, as noted earlier, I feel that these costs can be absorbed by the Police Departllent and that this progrlll as described above should proceed. This proposal differs from our earl ier ones in one important way. It no lonver contains the recOllllllendation that the police officer be assigned a pollce dog (K-9). After further consultation with our K-9 trainer, I have come to tfie conclusion that San Bernardino is si~ly too hot in the sUlmer months for us to successfully use a dog on foot patrol. Therefore, at this time, I am no longer recommending the use of a K-9 as part of this program. cgr