(DISCUSSION) Committee reports, other reports
Comm Hale suggested setting up some form of fee for service payments to providers. He thanked everyone for their comments.
· President’s comments
Comm Queen said he appreciated everyone coming out to the meeting. He said he hoped that by the next time the commission comes out to the community, it will have come together and is able to show city hall what it is capable of. He thanked Leamond McGriff for his work. He also noted that Chief Siffermann is really trying to get dialog going in the dept to improve the work (initiating a series of brown bag lunch sessions), and thanked the Chief and Asst Chief for coming out to important community meetings like the one on community policing held Oct. 25 in the Western Addition.
· Program committee
Comm Rodriguez reviewed that they discussed the data collection process that had been
used, and the problems encountered by it. They also spoke about ongoing safety issues for POs. the issue of district based planning was briefly reviewed and seems to be progressing. Allen Nance, Asst. CPO, summarized his work in reviewing the status of Log Cabin Ranch (fully covered in his written report). Much needs to be done, but they have begun identifying and initiating actions that can immediately address some things.
Chief Siffermann commended A. Nance for the hard work and long hours he has spent in this task, and said it has renewed an energy that has not been there a while now.
Finance committee
Comm Fetiçō summarized various points discussed: contracts with CBOs are in various stages of completion. Personal services contracts no longer need to be reviewed by the Mayor’s Budget office. A question of whether we can return to a volunteer chaplaincy program. The ongoing exploration of merging two counselor classes for LCRS and JH. The workman comp. Costs, as well as OT are being reduced. They will be searching for a better evaluation tool to assess efficacy of funding services.
Comm Queen thanked Comm Fetiçō for his close review of the Dept’s finances, which has never been done to this degree of seriousness.
Comm Hale didn’t know what the “hang up” was in efforts to merge the two classes. He also questioned the topic of changing the chaplaincy program.
Comm Stiglich commented that the Finance Committee is having “penny” conversations, really looking at every penny in the Budget, where it’s going and if that’s the best use of it, and in this respect, the question of the monies going to the chaplaincy program was raised. It is not being targeted, to the exemption of any other line item. Everything is being analyzed.
(public comments)
Alfredo Bojorquez, commented in regards to data gathering –as discussed in the Programs Committee meeting—that nobody is against collecting relevant data. It is a question of who does the gathering and how many times does this seem to be done repeatedly, the same surveys, by different providers.
In regards to the chaplaincy program, he did agree that it needs to be re examined, because his church, St. Peters, has long provided spiritual services to the JH population.
Liz Jackson-Simpson asked if the Commission would like a report from the chaplaincy group? Chief Siffermann said he has already had that in his notes to do for the next committee meeting.
Mike Brown said there needs to be a transition house for youth coming out of LCRS and back into the community. There has not been one for many years.
Director of the family resource ctr was alarmed by the talk of arming POs. She strongly opposed this.
She also is very disappointed there isn’t enough language appropriate services for non-native English speakers in the city. This is a responsibility of government. She emphasized the need for developing a close relationship and trust between the community and the dept.
Comm Stiglich commented that this topic (arming POs) was only one aspect of a larger discussion about PO safety. It is not enough to just say if you were a “good guy” vs. a “butt-hole” you wouldn’t have a problem. There is a valid concern about the safety of those POs who are seen as law enforcement, but it did begin a larger inspection of how the Dept relates to the community and how maybe that could be improved.
Greg Gordon, PO, spoke in favor of arming some POs. There is a need at times.
Rich Perino, Pres. DPOA, said POs are not social workers, community workers, but peace officers, with obligations as such. This places them in a different light, and opens them up to different potential dangerous scenarios that the former do not face.
L. McGriff, spoke in opposition to arming POs. He said they need to learn different skills to de-escalate situations.
Henry Medina, IFR, said that he’s never felt fear for his safety while working in the community. He is also opposed to arming POs.
|