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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcc min 1988/10/27 CHUtA VISI'A OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA, WILL HOLD A COUNCIL CONFERENCE (Adjourned Regular Meeting) ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1988 ON THE GENERAL TOPIC OF DRUG ENFORCEMENT AND ABUSE IN THE CITY. THE MEETING WILL BEGIN AT 4:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL, 276 FOURTH AVENUE, CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA. ~ City Clerk Dated: October 14, 1988 276 FOURTH AVENUE/CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA 92010/(619) 691-5041 MINUTES OF AN ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA bursday, October 27, 1988 Council Conference Room :12 p.m. City Hall OLL CALL PRESENT: Mayor Cox, Councilman Nader {arrived at 4:20 p.m.), Councilman Malcolm and Councilwoman McCandliss ABSENT: Councilman Moore ALSO PRESENT: Assistant City Manager Asmus, City Attorney Harron, Deputy City Attorney Fritsch REPORT ON EXTENT OF DRUG PROBLEM IN CHULA VISTA {Director of Public Safety) RESOLUTION 13826 APPROVING THE DRUG FREE BILL OF RIGHTS layor Cox announced the purpose of this meeting is to look at the ~rug problem in this city, the programs now in force and other :hings being done. lirector of Public Safety Winters referred to everyone's interest n what is being done about this drug abuse program. People will .peak today on the extent of the problem, the prevention ictivities and questions will be answered by those working on this ,roblem. Lon D'Ulisse, Drug Enforcement Agency representative, spoke of the ~rug problem on a national perspective and gave statistics of the ~ifferent drugs being consumed annually, which statistics continue ~o grow. 12 to 15% pure heroin is available in this County ~ecause of proximity to the source {Mexico) and the overdose rate :rom this drug has risen 800% from 1980 to the present. San Diego sounty is known to be the methamphetamine capital of the nation ind is also a source to other countries as well. The number of aboratories has decreased, attributed to the closing of two :hemical companies and the recent regulation of chemicals used in :he process of amphetamines. The job of the Enforcement Agent was -elated to be a defensive on a football team, incapable of winning Jut trying to keep the game from getting out of control. The only 'good news" offered is the obvious growing intolerance of this >roblem in our country and the fact that the educational programs >ffered now in the schools are beginning to show some effects. IINUTES 2 OctoDer zz, ~ ~ergeant Arnie Botts, Crime Suppression Unit (CSU), Chula Vista 'olice Department, reported that during FY 1987-88 the CSU has lade 532 arrests averaging 2.2 arrests per officer each day, mphetamine is the drug of choice in the South Bay and Crack is !ow moving into the area. The CSU is also responsible for the 'ice laws and response to citizen complaints, all of which are nvestigated. Since the unit must pay informants and purchase larcotics, it could be more effective with more funds to be used ~s "flash-cash", needed to attract the bigger dealers. Through ;earch warrants between the CSU and the Narcotics Unit over the last year money seized averaged $41,879 per month. Anything of ,alue is taken, which has a tremendous impact on the drug dealer ~ho uses the valuables to pay their attorneys to keep them out of Tail. After the assets are sold by the federal government, a ~ercentage of this money comes back to the City of Chula Vista to ~e used to further continue the work of the department but the :urn around time to get the money back into the City's Unit is /ery slow. All of the department's work is done with 4 people and ) more positions received in the current budget will be on board loon to divide the unit; to be more successful the narcotic >roblems will be singled out. To answer Councilwoman McCandliss' luestion: dope is sold in bars, barbershops, used car lots or any ~usiness; you do need to know somebody to get in; informants are )otten through arrests and a "deal they can't refuse"; and information received through an arrest often turns the focus on a :ertain person where additional attention is given. ]ouncilman Malcolm addressed the number of people needed to fill a :omplete department and Sgt. Botts reported 7 people is a good ~tarting point, four of which will be trained to work only with ~arcotics. The unit must be trained to move quickly as the ~ealers are "gone" very quickly. Councilman Nader questioned the >resence of "gangs" in the South Bay and it was confirmed they :ertainly affect the narcotics problem. It is proposed that two >f the new people in the unit will be working with the gang activity problem to gather information for a more complete file. ~lso questioned was how a citizen could contact someone to give information relating to a drug problem without giving their name ~nd address. Sgt. Botts offered they should ask that the information be related to the CSU since every lead is followed ~egardless of the source whether a name is given or not. The CSU ~umber is 691-5285; the secretary's office is 691-5151. ~ouncilman Nader suggested that information be given to citizens >y staff, such as, "how to turn in a drug dealer". Answering a ]uestion relative to further financing for the CSU, Sgt. Botts neported it would be ideal to double the money for informants and ~arcotics buys to total $10,000; another $20,000 is needed for the "flash-cash", reported that very little of this money is gotten >ack, sometimes because of the lag in time between the search varrant and the termination of the court process. Councilman ~lader suggested Council lobby legislators for a quicker turn-around from the federal government on forfeited assets. !INUTES - 3 - October Z/, I~ ames Fitzpatrick, a Deputy District Attorney for the South Bay, · eported that 95% of all drug related cases coming through his !ffice pervade all crimes. Mr. Fitzpatrick also presented the Prosecutor's Perspective" for staff to read which contains rticles where sheriffs and probation officers have tested and !ound the use of drugs to the same percentage. Mr. Fitzpatrick · eported the "incredible" number of arrests made for Section 1.5.50, being under the influence of a controlled substance which ~emands a ninety day mandatory jail sentence or a trial; that the aws on the books are sufficient to cover the problems at hand but ~he lack of available jails cannot be overlooked. He urged all ~resent to use their influence on the Board of Supervisors to zorrect this lack. Sharon Snyder, Sweetwater High School District representative, · eported on student "use" in the South Bay and the results of a survey conducted by the District which was given to students and so their parents. Results show that 45% of the 7th grade ~tudents' drug of choice was alcohol; 65% of the 9th grade, and 75% of the llth grade because it was one of the more available ~rugs. Other drugs used to lesser percentages were marijuana, ~mphetamine and cocaine; and one alarming statistic was that of the "poly-users" which included the use of inhalants, that 250 ~inth-graders get "drunk" every day, the drugs are obtained from 'friends"; they are used at home or at school to: "get away from 3roblems" or "the adult thing to do." Parents, it was obvious by the survey, are not knowledgeable of abuse or use or what to do ~ith the problem, and it was disturbing to receive only 16% of the surveys returned by the parents. It was thought they would prefer lot to address the issue, since the "police or the government will take care of that." It was obvious the demand should be ~liminated and the schools educate the children to reduce the demand for the next generation. It is possible to raise a ]eneration of young people to make "pro-health" choices. 3avid Reiten, South Bay Drug Abuse Services, reported on the treatment centers within the City of Chula Vista. The Southwood and the Vista Hill Hospitals provide short-term, long-term and nental health programs and financing is received primarily through third-party insurance coverage. Two alcohol program facilities are available in the City, one of which has 24 beds and the other, a non-residential alcohol recovery program, are both publicly funded by various levels of government. Mr. Reiten explained that not all people who get involved with drugs are "nasty" people who burglarize, etc. and that many do this for excitement, experimentation and, when their problem is treated as a disease, the patient accepts the needed help. Dr. Emerald Randolph, Chula Vista School District, reported on the attempt to reduce the demand by education. Research proves that families and members play a critical role in a child's decision to use alcohol, drugs or to smoke; that scare tactics do not work; hence, the City's program begins at kindergarden grade level. The program has been in place for about five years and includes curriculum from K to grade 6, involves the police officers and a sixth grade joint presentation with substance abuse information to parents, students, and staff. INUTES - 4 - October Z/, 1~8~ r. Jeffrey Schaeffer, Sweetwater High School District, reported is District's programs adding that, rather than the panacea for 11 drug problems, education is just one of the components. Dr. chaeffer encouraged all of the extracurricular programs, the Just Say No" program and any form of sports where children are nvolved in a healthy involved activity which is out in the open. hula Vista Police Officer Tom Leonard reported his involvment in his area during FY1984-1985, working as a Juvenile Investigator, hen he was asked by teachers to speak to the students about rugs. Since then, other Juvenile Investigators became aware, ecame involved and also gave presentations and teacher awareness lasses over the last four years and, to date, 33 officers have oluntarily involved themselves in this "win/win" program. The eople who receive the information are winners with up-to-date nformation; the officers are winners by their involvement by ~eeting that segment of the population who really care. om Leonard, Chairman of the Substance Abuse Task Force, reported .he original purpose of the Task Force was to be an advisory .ommittee to apply for grant dollars but is now involved in Forums uch as this to make City leaders aware of the drug problem in ,reater San Diego which is also the largest international .roblem. He reported that drugs do work; they do make people feel Iood and citizens must deal with that reality. Drugs should never ,e legalized as has been done with alcohol, the biggest drug .roblem. Education is a wonderful thing at the lower level - !efore the person becomes involved; that the first time a person gnorantly uses drugs, he will be called back time again because ,f the pleasant experience in which problems can be released. :hairman Leonard stated children must be taught to revere the human machine in which they live" and recommended Council: (1) ~onsider revision of the Municipal Code to not allow consumption .f alcohol in City parks; (2) appoint a Councilmember to follow she recommendations of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Task orce (ADAPT) Subcommittee now in place, which has done much work ~o educate the parents in the City to deal with "alcohol and other !rugs" la term which is more preferable since it calls alcohol ~xactly what it is) and (3) to consider sending letters to both ~chool Districts commending them and encouraging them to work side .y side in this effort. ~r. Randolph reported that the $1500 grant given to the Task Force ly the City Council will be used to present a Joint Conference for ~igh school student body leaders and for elementary student ouncil presidents which is now in the planning stages but will be ~ompleted before the end of the year. i 17 year member of Alcoholics Anonymous suggested that this forum s putting the "cart was before the horse". After reporting his !ducation and experience as a world speaker for Alcoholics ~nonymous, he quoted the following statements from the Society: l) "people take drugs to relieve suffering" - so it has to become just say no" to the suffering; (2) "alcohol simply serves as an ~scape from personal enslavement to the false ideals of a ~aterialistic society" and, to recover from alcoholism, "the !lcoholic first must face materialism as a disease of our society INUTES 5 October z/, I~ n order to recover from alcoholism and remain free of the social lls that has caused him to become an alcoholic"; and (3) "very ew of us ever know how much we have to know in order to know how ittle we know." The gentleman then stated that in 1945 society eased God out" ("ego") and, by virtue of winning WW II, our ation assumed the right to become the judge and jury of the ntire world; he offered that children today are committing uicide because everyone searches and is dependent upon each other or the romance and security in their life and children are ependent on adults for that romance and security until 17 years ld. Also offered was that no child ever chose to grow up in an nstitution; that they do not "b t uy he drugs they need" but that lhey "buy the power they need." Ir. Castro, Chula Vista resident, expressed his personal thanks to she Council for presentation for this forum reporting he would not ~ant anyone else to experience that which his family endured at :he hands of drug-induced people; agreed with the gentleman from ,A in that "we are basically an ego-centric society" and that the 'ounger children who are involved in drugs do so to get approval if their peers. Society also gives approval to drugs by the ~dvertisement of beer on television, Mr. Castro endorsed the >rogram in Rahway, New Jersey, where children are taken on field :rips to hospitals and prisons to visualize for themselves what ~appens to the people who have taken drugs. ~teve Chappell, Vista Hill Hospitals, commented that alcohol is :he "gateway" drug for all other drugs. Also, Mr. Chappell stated :hat the children and adults that are seen at his facility are =rom all economic levels; most of whom are "just like your leighbor" rather than criminals as seen by the law enforcement ~ector represented at this forum. ~ancy Servades, South Bay Community Services, reported that :hildren who come from homes in which drugs are used are being ~ddressed by her Agency recognizing the problems caused when not >roperly fed nor dressed and must come to school every day. ]arol Jenkins, President of Clearview Council PTA, reported that the PTA units from eight different Schools, have cast a "Just Say ~o" musical presentation which will be ready in January and 3ffered at no charge to all elementary schools. layor Cox stated the challenge now is to involve more people in this war against drugs, and offered the gratitude of Council to the many sworn Police Officers who have used thier own time to ~ducate and involve themselves in this effort; the more officers that are involved, the more students and citizens can be sontacted. IINUTES 6 October 2/, i~ IS (Cox/McCandliss) to accept the recommendations of the Task :orce and to refer to staff to bring back a report on the :oilowing concerns: the appropriation of additional financial resources of $30,000 for the Crime Suppression Unit; the use of the City's public information resources to provide information to citizens; the evaluation of The City of Paramount's program (the City works jointly with the elementary schools) which has reduced the influence of "Gangs"; the possibility of involving the employer in parent education in the work place; Council has made its views on the need for jails in San Diego County; staff is directed to come back to Council when the opportunity is presented when Council action could make a difference; staff was directed to come back to Council wherever Council could contribute support for long sentences for drug users; to place close attention to the physical and social environment which provide stresses on all people and to direct staff to work closely with the schools and institutions to identify ways to reduce stress and to teach more wholesome values; to lobby Federal Legislators that the war on drugs be made the Government's highest priority, and to ask Congress what they might do to streamline the process for a quicker turn-around on "cash-back" from drug seizures; - to direct staff to make regular reports to Council on what staff and/or Council should be doing to promote education in relation to specific ideas that anyone may have to contribute, and that every Department Head be made aware that this is of the highest priority. ~otion passed, all voting aye. (Councilman Malcolm out; Souncilman Moore absent) ~ESOLUTION OFFERED BY COUNCILWOMAN McCANDLISS read by title, the reading of the text waived, passed and approved unanimously. (Councilman Malcolm out; Councilman Moore absent) At 6:48 p.m., Council adjourned to the Regular Meeting of November l, 1988 at 4:00 p.m. 3e'an ,Fortune, CMC ]F~PUTY CITY CLERK (Clerk 16)