HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 Aug 31 Minutes
MEMBERS: Gerry Sablan Anthony Millican Ternot MacRenato Peter Mabrey Marla Kingkade Henrietta Harb Jose de la Garza Patty Chavez Norma Cazares Gustavo Bidart Martin Barros
MINUTES
A REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
CHULA VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY ROOM
315 FOURTH AVENUE August 31, 2016
CHULA VISTA, CA 91910 3:00 PM
CALL TO ORDER: 3:05 PM
ROLL CALL:
Present: Ray Aragon, Martin Barros, Norma Cazares, Patty Chavez, Jose de la Garza,
Henrietta Harb, Marla Kingkade, Anthony Millican and Gerry Sablan
Not Present: Gustavo Bidart, Ternot MacRenato and Peter Mabrey
City staff present: Bejarano, Kennedy, Sallee, Turner, Alegre, Trujillo, Peak, Leonard,
Kelley, Wood and Miller
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
No public comments.
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. Approval of May 11, 2016 Minutes made by CAC member Aragon and seconded by
de la Garza.
2. Welcome and Introduction of new CAC Member Marla Kingkade - Chief Bejarano
welcomed newest CAC member Marla Kingkade and everyone introduced themselves.
CAC member Kingkade is a Chula Vista resident and works as PERT Director.
3. Drone Presentation – Lieutenant Peak introduced members of the Unmanned
Aerial System (UAS), which included Sergeant Chris Kelley, Officer Samson Leonard, IT
Manager Eric Wood and City Attorney Carol Trujillo. Starting in January 2016, the
committee reached out to law enforcement and federal agencies that have drones.
CVPD would collaborate with CV Fire and the committee feels strongly this would be a
beneficial tool. The drones would be used in the search of missing person (juvenile
and elderly), finding active shooters and finding smoldering fires.
Officer Samson, who has experience with the military and helicopters, emphasized the
importance of using such a tool. Police personnel and the public would be kept safe.
Secondary is cost savings and quick turnaround times.
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A short video was shown which addressed surveillance and privacy questions. Video showed
83’ to the highest ceiling of 400’ that is the law. Video showed detail but not facial expression –
would show the heat source. Have met with ACLU regarding transparency and listening to any
community concerns.
Discussion on active shooters showed drone’s ability to see around the corners, keeping
officers safe while identifying the suspects and the victims. Drones can show a heat source as
long as the temperature is different from body heat. People can be located due to projected
heat source homes can be seen from the path of fire.
Cost would be low; lithium batteries are used and will be used 20 to 30 minutes before battery
life is done. Where helicopters are grounded during bad weather a drone can fly giving a
reduction in risk to personnel and is less restrictive.
No noise level and quicker response time would also be beneficial.
SDG&E has promised to donate two drones, which could be in place to use in 2017 once
training and other necessary steps are completed.
PD would not use the drone for routine surveillance of the public. Use of the drone would be
mission driven. Weaponization is prohibited. Would only be in air for approximately 20 to 30
minutes.
Any pictures would be treated as evidence and stored on secure videos, which would be
encrypted. Logging and auditing procedures would be followed.
Officer Leonard gave four examples of just this year where drones would have helped in a rape,
the search of two missing elderly people and an active shooter.
Chief Bejarano reinforced the value of using drones, which will save lives and will be highly
effective.
Questions:
Is CVPD charged if a helicopter from another agency is used? No, but it will be used first in its
primary jurisdiction, and there are fuel and weather limitations.
If two drones are obtained, how will they be deployed and how many officers will be trained?
The drones would work in tandem, one would go up until the battery was finished, and then
the other would be deployed. SWAT would be responsible for them because they would be the
ones called to the incident. Six to eight officers per shift would be trained.
Can people be detected under heavy brush? Yes, it focuses on heat source and can even detect
bees in beehive.
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How much does a drone cost? Ranges from $500 to $50,000.
Are other agencies in San Diego County using drones? No yet.
What happens if using a drone a separate crime is seen? Infractions would not be addressed,
serious crimes would be addressed.
Does the DEA use drones to find marijuana grown in dense areas? The DEA does use drones but
for what use it is unknown.
If a drone falls into the backyard of an uncooperative citizen, and they refuse to turn it over,
what happens? By law, police can retrieve evidence once a warrant is obtained.
Can the public tell the difference between a hobbyists drone versus law enforcement? Drones
for CVPD would be specifically marked identifying law enforcement. Pilots of drones would be
able to tell their drone from a hobbyist. One cannot tell if a drone belongs to a hobbyist or law
enforcement if flown at 400’.
Can one use a drone to be a suicide bomber? Yes, Captain Kennedy reminded members to call
the PD if members of the public sees a drone being used suspiciously.
Where does the ACLU stand? Many concerns are common concerns that can be positively
discussed. Once CVPD policy is in place it will be shared with the ACLU. Use will be mission
specific and will follow proper procedures. Carol Trujillo discussed being compliant with the
Fourth Amendment and the cost of insurance. If an officer needs a search warrant without a
drone, a search warrant also will be needed with a drone.
Norma Cazares suggested holding a community forum. Chief Bejarano has one scheduled for
late September or early October.
4. HOT “Homeless Outreach Team” Coordinator – Captain Kennedy showed a presentation
that was also given to City Council regarding the homeless issues and impacts on the
community. The council approved the HOT team, which is comprised of one civilian supervisor,
one sergeant and two officers. PERT works with the officers and clients with mental illness.
Resources offered include housing and funding. Community partners include South Bay
Community Services, the parks personnel; code enforcement, faith based services to mention
just a few. Just in its infancy, 139 clients have been helped off the street.
The decriminalization of crimes have increased the homeless issues. A slide presentation
showed the areas of impact and the criminal behavior and drug use. One individual, “Roger”,
benefitted from this community collaborative and is off the streets after living 20 years in
Lauderbauch Park.
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Community awareness, collaborative partnerships, consistent proactive enforcement,
supportive housing is the goal to see change.
Questions:
Is there any conversation for funding the chronic homeless or homeless families? Yes, however
there is conversation regarding city responsibility versus community responsibility.
Has calls for service regarding homeless issues increased? Yes.
Do police differentiate calls for services as chronic single or family calls? Yes, and in the case of
the chronic homeless, the issue the majority of the time is due to drug or alcohol dependency
and mental illness. There are very few homeless families. The police contacts are three fold
now that the HOT team has been established. The first contact is through a sworn officer, the
HOT team evaluates the needed help and the client must accept the help.
How does the HOT team establish residency for a homeless individual? By establishing a rapport
with the individuals and working with the community partnerships. The City has vouchers that
work with local property owners to place cooperative individuals in housing or hotels.
5. Grand Jury Reports (Jail & Citizen Review Boards) – Chief Bejarano informed members
every five to seven years the grand jury conducts an audit on the city jail. Having a jail allows
officers to save in transportation costs and increase officers in the field.
Jail: Captain Sallee discussed the grand jury report (page 6) starting with 16-33 (cost/benefit
analysis on the need for a Type I jail if Chula Vista cancels the contract with the Marshal’s
service. Type 1 is longer prison facility – longer-term education versus Type 2 - not keeping
long term. The Marshal’s service screens out the severe behavioral problems or medical and
mental inmates and Chula Vista houses the inmates who are compliant.
16-34 – providing psychiatric care and counseling to inmates. Marshals will not place inmates
requiring psychiatric care in CVPD facility. The chaplaincy program offers counseling.
16-35 – Allow inmates access to the Chula Vista Library Resources – Periodicals with
appropriate language and exploring educational (ESL) or obtaining a GED has been discussed
with the manager.
16-36 – Develop a strategic plan for the Inmate Welfare Funds (IWF) - City reserves funds to
provide materials or staff to manage the programs.
16-37 – Add one civilian to the IWF oversight committee. Civilian members should have set
terms of service – one civilian member was added.
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16-38 – Provide educational opportunities to inmates, possibly supported with IWF funds –
police department coordinating with the Sweetwater Union High School District and the Chula
Vista Public Library to provide educational programs to inmates.
16-32 – Pursue renegotiation of current Marshal’s contract – City Manager agrees to operate
jail with private security company to transport, which allows officers to respond to calls for
service. Chula Vista is the lowest staffed agency in the county. Takes three hours to transport
prisoner to prison facility.
Questions:
How many beds does CVPD Jail have? 48 beds but usually will have 35 to 37 female inmates.
These inmates can be housed anywhere from several weeks to one year and as soon as
sentenced transferred to federal detention facility.
Citizen Review Board: CAC member Norma Cazares, who was involved in the 2001 community
forum, read both the grand jury reports and CVPD responses and believes a community
advisory committee is all that is needed but was disappointed that CVPD did not reach out to
the members earlier in order to be able to provide information to the grand jury report. Chief
Bejarano acknowledged the suggestion and noted the turnaround time was short for the City’s
response, which required attorney review and Council Approval. An emergency meeting with
CAC members is possible should a timing issue rise in the future.
IN CLOSING:
SANDAG report released on crime statistics. Three safest cities in the county is Carlsbad,
Coronado and Chula Vista. Regarding property crimes, CVPD comes in second lowest. In
violent crimes, CVPD comes in third lowest.
Captain Kennedy thanked those who participated in the Evening with Heroes. Approximately
$155,000 was raised.
Chief Bejarano wished the members a safe Labor Day holiday and the meeting concluded at 4:45
pm. Members will be contacted in the future to the next date to meet.
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