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UH, WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE JUNE MEETING OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
MAD MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL RULE COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAKI RODRIGUEZ.
PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER VRAN HERE.
HERE, MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
IN ADDITION TO THE, THE APPROVAL OF LAST MINUTE MEETINGS, MINUTES, THERE'S A COUPLE ITEMS FOR BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS MEMBERS.
JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I'M GONNA REMOVE THE ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW WHY I SAID THAT.
YOU HAVE SEVEN MINUTES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND THEN THREE MINUTES FOR FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
[Approval of Minutes ]
FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR OUR MAY 16TH MEETING.A MOTION? DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
SECOND WITH A MOTION TO SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED? MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
WE'LL, NOW BEGIN WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
DID WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? NONE.
UM, WITH NO PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
THE SECOND ITEM BRIEFING ON THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND STRATEGIC PLAN.CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR, UM, RECENT AWARD.
UM, I WAS AT A CONFERENCE WITH A BUNCH OF MEDICAL DIRECTORS, SO TO GET AN AWARD FROM THEM, AND IT ACTUALLY SET MD ON THE THING.
SO, UM, IT WAS AN HONOR, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND JUMP INTO THIS.
I HOPE YOU CAN ALL SEE IT VERY WELL.
UH, THANK CHIEF MULLINS, UH, CHIEF O'NEIL AND CHIEF NORRIS FOR BEING HERE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND JUMP INTO IT.
SO, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE DISTINCTIONS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HOLDS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
TWO MAJOR ACCREDITATIONS THAT WE HOLD.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE CONGRESSION, UH, THE COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION.
AND SO IT DOES INVOLVE THE ORGANIZATION, BOTH INTERNAL, EXTERNAL.
WE UTILIZE, UH, INFORMATION ON BASING ANY DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE.
WE LOOK AT A, A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO IMPROVE.
SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS ONE SLIDE, MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
THE NUMBERS KIND OF CHANGE AS FAR AS PERCENTAGES OF WHO'S ACCREDITED, WHO'S NOT.
SOME DEPARTMENTS FALL OUT BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.
BUT AT THIS CURRENT TIME, UH, WE ARE A CLASS ONE.
AND SO 1%, UNDER 1% OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE NATION HOLD THIS CLASSIFICATION.
IT LOOKS AT FIRE SUPPRESSION, COMMUNICATIONS, FIRE PREVENTION, WATER SYSTEMS. IT IS SOLELY LOOKING AT OUR FIRE SUPPRESSION EFFORTS.
THE ACCREDITATION, THE BEAUTY OF IT IS IT LOOKS AT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM.
UH, AND SO 13% OF THE POPULATION IS SERVED BY ACCREDITED AGENCY.
THERE ARE 308 ACCREDITED AGENCIES.
THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS, ONLY 116 HOLD BOTH DISTINCTIONS.
WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST METRO, UH, CITY THAT HOLDS BOTH DISTINCTIONS.
SO, WHEN I WENT TO METRO CHIEFS TWO WEEKS AGO, AGAIN, WE ARE THE ENVY OF OTHER FIRE CHIEFS IN THE COUNTRY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN GETTING THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE ACCREDITATION, THE C F A I, WHICH BASICALLY VERIFIES A LEVEL OF SERVICE PROVIDED EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
IT VERIFIES, IT LOOKS AT ALL ASPECTS OF OUR DEPARTMENT HOLISTICALLY.
IT'S SENT AROUND THREE DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS.
AND THE FIRST ONE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IS STRATEGIC PLAN, THE Q M E RISK ASSESSMENT, AND THE STANDARDS OF COVER, AND THEN A SELF-ASSESSMENT MANUAL.
SO RIGHT NOW, SO WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAND YOU OUT ONE OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT, BUT AGAIN, WHEN WE STARTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2017, THINKING ABOUT ACCREDITATION, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T GOING ON IN, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE GONNA REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT AND HOW OUR MISSION AND VISION STILL KIND OF MATCH EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN IS GONNA BE FOR FIVE YEARS.
IT'S GONNA REPLACE THE 2018 PLAN.
UH, WE HAVE HAD A, UH, CONSULTANT COME IN AND FACILITATE THE INTERNAL, EXTERNAL, UH, STAKEHOLDER PROCESSES.
WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH, ONE DAY MARIA CAME TO VISIT AND GOT TO SIT IN AND KIND OF SEE WHAT THE INTERACTION IS WITH THE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
SO THE EXTERNAL COMPONENT WAS WE SENT OUT INVITATIONS TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THEY SAT DOWN IN OUR TRAINING ACADEMY WITH A FACILITATION OF, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, AGAIN, THE HIGHEST CONCERN FOR THEM WAS, UH, WAS E M S, RIGHT? BE RIGHT BEHIND FIRE.
SO WE IDENTIFIED THE COMMUNITY'S EXPECTATIONS.
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WE LOOKED AT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH, AND THEN AS THIS CHART SHOWS WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIZED VIEW OF THE PROGRAMS ARE.UM, UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU LOOK AT 51, UH, 52, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE LOWER NUMBERS.
BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES THE MOST.
UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON FIRE PREVENTION, THE BUILT UP EFFORTS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR PUBLIC, OUR SENIORS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE DYING IN FIRE.
SO AS IMPORTANT AS 95 AND 94 TO THOSE PEOPLE, WE STILL NEED TO GET OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND EXPRESS TO THEM THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
SO WE, UH, GATHERED ABOUT 40, UH, INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
UNIFORM, CIVILIAN, ALL RANKED SOME NEW, SOME HAD NEVER BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UH, SOME HAD BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS BEFORE AND PROMOTED.
SO THIS WAS ALSO A FACILITATION THAT, UH, TOOK SEVERAL DAYS.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, MARIA HAD A CHANCE TO SIT IN FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND LOOK AT THAT.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT DEVELOPING A MISSION AND A VISION, A VISION FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT FIVE YEARS AGO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, DEVELOPING A, A MISSION OR VISION VALUES, VISION VALUE STATEMENT, YOU DON'T WANT TO TURN AROUND FIVE YEARS AND CHANGE IT.
SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT, AND IT'S A STRONG MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT, AND, UM, THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP DECIDED IS, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ARE NOT GONNA CHANGE IT.
SO THAT IS A STRENGTH TO OUR STRATEGY.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT THING.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING? WHO CAN DETERMINE WHAT THAT IS AT THAT TIME? BUT WE ARE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY FROM ALL HAZARDS.
BEAR IN MIND WHEN WE SAY ALL HAZARDS, WE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED COVID WHEN WE WROTE THIS PLAN.
WE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED CIVIL RIGHTS.
WE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED, UH, SOME OF THE GLOBAL WARMING EFFECTS OF STORMS THAT WE HAD HAD, AND, UM, ALMOST TO TAKE OVER THE GOVERNMENT.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE WANT TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND WE WANNA BE PROFESSIONAL.
SO OUR MISSION HAS NOT CHANGED, ALTHOUGH THE, UH, RESPONSES THAT WE ARE GOING ON A LOT MORE CHALLENGING.
SO WE LOOK AT SERVICE PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE.
WE LOOK AT BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE DO.
WE ARE A FAMILY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
SO WE BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND RESPECT.
SO THE GOALS, THE GOALS THAT WE LISTED, UH, AGAIN, TO, THEY'RE PROBABLY A LOT OF THE SAME GOALS.
AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE IN A, IN A PROGRESSIVE FIRE SERVICE.
SO WE WANT TO ENHANCE INTERNAL COMMUNICATION.
WE WANT TO OPTIMIZE AND FORMALIZE TRAINING PROGRAMS. ANYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING TO THE COMMUNITY OR FOR OURSELVES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES.
MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH BOND SELECTION PROCESSES, TRYING TO BUILD STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT, CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF HIGHLY MOTIVATED, EXCEPTIONALLY TRAINED PERSONNEL THAT'S UNIFORM AND CIVILIAN.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, TO, UH, RECRUIT, UH, TO TRAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GO THROUGH OUR SYSTEM AND OUR CIVILIANS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE EXCEPTIONALLY TRAINED.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR WELLNESS OF OUR MEMBERS.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF THAT RECENTLY WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAND DOWNS, UH, LOOKING AT OTHER, UM, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR MEMBERS FROM THE CRADLE, BASICALLY TO THE GRAVE TILL THEY RETIRE, UH, STATE OF ART TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, CREATE A, UH, GOOD SAM APPLICATION THAT WHEN WE STARTED THIS, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN FIVE YEARS AGO OR IN 18, WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY WAS GOING TO TAKE US AS FAR AS BEING MORE EFFICIENT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND ALSO, HOW DO WE DELIVER PERTINENT INFORMATION, UH, TRANSPARENT INFORMATION TO, TO OUR COMMUNITIES, MAKING SURE AGAIN, THAT THEY'RE SAFE, THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THAT WE EDUCATE THEM CONSTANTLY.
SO THESE ARE OUR GOALS, BASICALLY, IN A NUTSHELL, THE COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT STANDARDS COVER.
AGAIN, THIS LOOKS AT EVERY SINGLE SQUARE INCH OF SAN ANTONIO AS FAR AS THE AREAS WE PROTECT AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ALSO PROTECT AS FAR AS HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT WE RUN INTO.
SO YOU WILL LOOK, AND, AND MOST OF YOU, I'M NOT SURE IF, WAS ON COUNCIL IN 2018 WHEN WE BROUGHT AROUND THIS BIG BOOK, AND WE WILL BRING ONE AROUND AND VISIT WITH YOU.
BUT, UM, THE PLANNING ZONES IN THE CITY, THERE ARE EVERY PLANNING ZONE THAT WE RESPOND TO IS NUMBERED.
IT LOOKS AT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT ZONE.
IT LOOKS AT THE PRO, THE PROGRAMS WE OFFER.
IT LOOKS AT THE SAFETY AND PREVENTION, UH, PROGRAMS. A LOT OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE REDUNDANT IN EACH, UM, IN EACH PLANNING ZONE, BUT IT ALSO LOOKS AT THE COMMUNITY RISK.
SOME AREAS HAVE MORE FREEWAY, SOME AREAS HAVE FLOODPLAINS, SOME AREAS HAVE MORE INDUSTRIAL AREA.
UH, AND THEN WE LOOK AT OUR RISK
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TO RESPONSE BY THE SERVICE TYPE, THE COMMUNITY LOSS AND SAVE VALUES, AND THEN THE RISK ASSESSMENT AND METHODOLOGY ON HOW WE DO THINGS.SO THIS IS ALL ENCOMPASSED IN THE PLANNING ZONES.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY BIG BOOK, BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU CARVE THROUGH IT, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE RESPONSES WERE FOR EACH ONE OF YOUR PLANNING ZONES.
YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE DYNAMICS ARE AS FAR AS SCHOOLS, UH, FACTORIES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE TYPES OF CALLS AND THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WE GO ON FOR EVERY PLANNING DISTRICT IS GOING TO SHOW YOU A POPULATION FOR THAT AREA.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
UH, I WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO DOING THIS.
THIS BOOK WEIGHS WHAT, HOW MANY POUNDS? EIGHT, 10.
AND SO THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS IS COMPLETELY AMAZING.
SO ANY ZONE IN THE CITY, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT.
SO, STANDARDS OF COVER, WE LOOK, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE DOCUMENT.
WHAT ARE THE HISTORICAL COMMUNITY FACTORS? CONSISTENT, UH, PROVISION OF SERVICE LEVELS, UH, CONSIDERATIONS TO OUR DEPLOYMENT MODEL WHERE THE CRITICAL TASK, BASELINE PERFORMANCES, BENCHMARK STATEMENTS, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION.
AND AGAIN, WE ALWAYS WANT TO GET BETTER.
UH, WE WANT TO GET BETTER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR MEMBERS SAFE.
FIRST OF ALL, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING BETTER AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO HOME AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COME BACK TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.
AND THEN WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT STANDARDS OF COVER, I WAS COMING IN THIS MORNING ON MY WAY IN, THERE WAS A, UH, REPORTED FIRE AT A, UM, WASH TUB.
DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO BURN, BUT I HAPPENED TO DRIVE BY.
WE HAD A, A COMMERCIAL RESPONSE.
SO FOUR ENGINES, TWO LADDERS, A COMMAND VEHICLE.
22 TO 26 PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THAT.
SO ON OUR FIRE CALLS, WE HAVE A MULTITUDE OF, UH, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN A VERY FAST, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY FAST SUCCESSION.
SO AGAIN, THOSE RESOURCES RESPONDED.
SOON AS WE CANCELED, I HEARD THE PLATFORM GO TO THE AIRPORT, AND THE OTHER, UH, ONE OF THE MEDIC UNITS GO ON A HEART ATTACK.
BUT THE THING IS, ANYWHERE IN THE CITY, IF YOU HAVE A HOUSE FIRE, YOU'RE GONNA GET THREE ENGINES, A LADDER, A COMMAND VEHICLE, AND 15 TO 18 PERSONNEL.
EVERY SINGLE FIRE, EVERY HIGH-RISE FIRE.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT RESPOND.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT A CARDIAC ARREST, YOU'RE GONNA GET CLOSEST ENGINE OR LADDER, TWO MEDIC UNITS, SEVEN TO EIGHT PERSONNEL FOR A CARDIAC ARREST.
REMEMBER, WE'RE BRINGING A INTENSIVE CARE UNIT INTO YOUR LIVING ROOM.
WE ARE CONSTANTLY ASKED, HOW COME THERE'S TWO FIRE TRUCKS ON THE FREEWAY? WELL, WE SEND FIRE TRUCKS TO ACTUALLY DO, PERFORM THE RESCUES, PUT THE FIRES OUT, BUT ALSO PROTECT OUR MEMBERS WHILE THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF THE CUSTOMER WHO MAY BE IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT.
SO AGAIN, MULTITUDE OF FUNCTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
THIS IS A STANDARD OF COVER THAT WE MAINTAIN EVERY SINGLE TIME THESE TYPES OF CALLS GO OUT.
SO THE NEXT THING THAT WE DO, AGAIN, LABOR INTENSIVE, IS THE, UH, FIRE EMERGENCY SERVICE, SELF-ASSESSMENT MANUAL.
SO THIS EVALUATES EVERY DIVISION IN OUR ORGANIZATION.
IT HAS 90 CORE COMPETENCIES THAT IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETING THOSE, YOU CAN'T EVEN APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION.
AND THEN THERE'S 250 CRITERION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT BASICALLY 11 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES FROM THE GOVERNANCE TO ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY, FROM OUR ASSESSMENT TO OUR PLANNING, OUR GOALS, OBJECTIVES, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, CATEGORY FIVE LOOKS AT OUR OPERATIONS, OUR PROGRAMS, PREVENTION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, FIRE ADMINIS, FIRE INVESTIGATION, DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS SLASH EOC, FIRE SUPPRESSION, E M S, TECHNICAL RESCUE, HAZMAT, ARF, AND INTEGRATED MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE.
UM, MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE WAS NOT PROBABLY LISTED ON THE CATEGORIES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD PROGRAMS, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO REPORT ON.
OTHER CATEGORIES, PHYSICAL RESOURCES, HUMAN RESOURCES, TRAINING, COMPETENCIES, ASSIST RESOURCES AS SUCH AS OUR WATER ADMIN STAFF, IT, EXTERNAL, EXTERNAL SYSTEMS, MEANING RELATIONSHIPS.
WHAT PARTNERSHIPS HAVE WE CREATED? UH, THE FOLKS BACK HERE FROM METRO, DO WE HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM PRIOR TO COVID? YES, WE DID.
HAVE WE WORKED WITH OTHER PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THIS REGION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE? SO WE LOOK AT THOSE AND THEN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY.
SO FOR EACH CRITERION, UM, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO TO MEET IT? AN EVALUATION THAT PROVES WHAT THE DESCRIPTION IS, AND THEN A PLAN, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE FUTURE TO MEET THAT CRITERION? SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A TON OF WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
SO, SO FAR WE HAVE DONE THE COMPLIANCE REPORT.
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WE'RE COMPLETING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH YOU'LL BE EXTREMELY PROUD OF.I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE.
WE HAVE REGISTERED FOR RE-ACCREDITATION.
SO WE'RE UPDATING OUR COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT AND OUR STANDARD OF COVER DOCUMENT WE'RE PERFORMING.
WE WILL PERFORM A SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS ON OURSELF TO BECOME A CANDIDATE AGENCY.
AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, WE'LL HAVE A SITE VISIT FROM MEMBERS, UH, THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT FROM THE ACCREDITATION, UH, AND COME OUT AND RIDE WITH US, SIT IN OUR CUBICLES, SIT IN OUR OFFICES, ASK QUESTIONS ON THAT SITE VISIT.
OUR COMMISSION HEARING WILL BE IN MARCH IN ORLANDO, WHERE WE WILL GO AND, UH, BECOME ACCREDITED AGAIN.
I REMEMBER SITTING IN MY FIRST ACCREDITATION WATCHING THE CITY OF TORONTO GO THROUGH.
THEY WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
WE WERE SUCCESSFUL THE FIRST TIME.
AND WE WILL BE AGAIN, UM, SPIT OUT A LOT OF STUFF.
I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
I'M CURIOUS, WHEN WERE WE FIRST ACCREDITED, DID YOU SAY? UH, 2018.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE, WE'RE RE-UPPING RE-ACCREDITATION? YES, MA'AM.
UM, THANK YOU, OF COURSE, FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, BEFORE I GET TO MY QUESTIONS, I JUST, I WANNA THANK YOU, CHIEF, YOUR TEAM.
UM, EVERY FIRE AND E M S RESPONDER WE HAVE IN OUR CITY, THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO DAILY, UM, HELP KEEP US SAFE.
UH, AND ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF HAVE TO CALL 9 1 1 AND SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S, UH, YOUR, YOUR FOLKS ON THE, UM, ON THE RECEIVING END OF THAT, UH, THAT RESPONSE.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
DOES THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, OR EVEN THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS, DOES IT, DOES IT LOOK AT FIRE EX UH, STATION EXPANSION? UH, BASICALLY THE, UH, I S O IS GOING TO BE THE, UM, RATING AGENCY THAT'S GONNA LOOK AND SEE WHERE OUR FIRE STATIONS ARE, HOW MANY WE NEED, UH, WHERE OUR HYDRANTS ARE LOCATED, LOOKING AT THE WATER SYSTEM, UH, OUT OF A SCORE OF A HUNDRED, OUR LAST I S O, WE WERE, UH, CLOSE TO 95%.
WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THAT AGAIN, UM, SIMULTANEOUS WHILE WE GO THROUGH THE, UH, ACCREDITATION PORTION.
THE ACCREDITATION THOUGH, IT LOOKS AT WHERE, WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH OUR RESOURCES, HOW WE ARE RESPONDING, WHAT OUR STANDARDS OF COVER ARE, MAKING SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RISK IS FOR EVERY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO CAN YOU USE THAT DATA, UM, TO, I GUESS YOU CAN USE IT TO LOOK AT FIRE, UH, STATION EXPANSION OR PERSONNEL NEEDS? RIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY WE, WE COME, WHEN WE COME WITH REQUESTS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE VALIDATION OF BOTH OF THESE DISTINCTIONS IN FAR AS MAKING ANY DECISIONS THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA RECOMMEND.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK WITH SLIDE EIGHT AND NINE, YOU TALK ABOUT EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
I'M ASSUMING INTERNAL ARE, ARE ACTUAL FIREFIGHTERS ADMINISTRATION.
UM, WHO IS, WHO IS EXTERNAL? OKAY.
SO EXTERNAL, AGAIN, WE HAVE EVERYONE FROM, UH, PROCUREMENT TO BUDGET, HR, SOME OF OUR CIVILIAN FOLKS.
WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE INVITED IN THAT HAD NOT BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS BEFORE.
UH, WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAVE PROMOTED UP THROUGH THE RANKS AND HAVE BEEN PART OF IT.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE SORELY MISS THOSE, UH, INTERNAL MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT HERE ANYMORE, THAT RETIRED WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE EXTERNAL PIECES.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN, IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU A BREAKOUT OF, OF THE PERCENTAGE OF WHERE THEY'RE FROM IN THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE, FROM THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS, UH, FROM PUBLIC SAFETY AS FAR AS THOSE EXTERNAL FOLKS THAT WE BRING IN TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND THEN, UH, I THINK IT'S SLIDE 14.
UH, YOU TALK ABOUT PLANNING, ZONING, ANALYSIS.
WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A, OF A SPECIFIC, IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU CORRECTLY, THERE'S A SORT OF A, IS THERE A PLAN FOR THESE KIND OF ZONES SPECIFIC TO EACH ZONE? IF YOU LOOK AT EACH PLANNING ZONE, AND AGAIN, THAT IS SO HARD FOR ME TO SEE, BUT IT IS GOING TO BASICALLY GIVE YOU THE, THE POPULATIONS OF THAT AREA.
IT'S GONNA TELL YOU WHERE YOUR SCHOOLS ARE.
IT'S GONNA TELL YOU IF YOU HAVE REFINERIES, HOSPITALS, MAJOR THOROUGHFARES, UH, FLOODING AREAS.
SO IT IS GIVING YOU BASICALLY, UH, INFORMATION ON EACH AND EVERY PLANTING ZONE IN THAT CITY, IN, IN, IN THE CITY.
SO REMEMBER, OUR FIRE APPARATUS ARE STRATEGICALLY PLACED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
EVERY ONE OF THESE PLANNING ZONE HAS AN ENGINE COMPANY OR A LADDER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PLANNING ZONE.
THERE'S A FIRE STATION THAT IS IN CLOSE, UH, PROXIMITY THAT'S STRATEGICALLY LOCATED, THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT GO ON IN EACH PLANNING ZONE.
SOME PLANNING ZONES ARE BEDROOM COMMUNITIES.
SO AGAIN, EVERYBODY GOES AWAY TO WORK DURING THE DAY.
THEY COME TO TOWN TO WRECK AND GET SICK, AND THEN THEY GO BACK HOME TO A COMMUNITY THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN QUIET ALL DAY.
THEN THEY COME HOME TO THAT COMMUNITY AND THEN WE START RUNNING CALLS.
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A REALLY GOOD DESCRIPTION OF EACH ZONE.AND SO WHEN WE GET THE BOOK DONE, WE'LL SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND WE CAN REVIEW EACH ONE OF YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS, UH, PLANNING ZONES.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THIS EXERCISE, OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA BE ACCREDITED AND WE WILL BE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A PRETTY GOOD EXERCISE TO LEARN, UM, PERIODICALLY WHERE MAYBE WE HAVE SOME, SOME DEFICITS.
RIGHT? UM, SO EVEN THE PLANNING ZONE ANALYSIS, GOING BACK TO THE FIRE, FIRE STATION EXPANSION, AND THEN PERSONNEL NEEDS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEE MORE PLAINLY, HEY, WE HAVE A, A GAP HERE, A HOLE THERE.
SO AGAIN, WHEN WE DID THIS IN, UM, FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, BUILDINGS THAT WEREN'T AROUND WHEN WE DID THIS.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN.
WHEN WE COME TO YOU GUYS WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE ALWAYS HAVE HEAT MAPS.
SO WE SHOW YOU WHERE THE CONCENTRATION OF CALLS ARE.
SO, AND IF YOU REMEMBER IN YOUR DISTRICT OUT THERE, WE HAD A BUSY, BUSY HEAT MAP IN THE AIR STATION, 45 MM-HMM.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING A PLATFORM IN THAT AREA.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO USE THE DATA AVAILABLE TO US TO SHOW WHERE THE RUNS ARE, WHAT THE DENSITIES ARE, AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT WHAT RESOURCES IF WE NEED TO ADD TO THOSE AREAS.
AND I RECALL, UM, THAT PARTICULAR AREA, IT'S, IT WAS WHEN I FIRST WAS ELECTED, IT WAS THE BUSIEST IN THE CITY, NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE.
WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, BECAUSE PROBABLY A LOT OF THIS PROCESS AND OF COURSE JUST THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY, YOU'RE SPREADING IT OUT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE EVENLY.
UM, SO THAT'S A DIRECT RESULT, AS I'M SURE OF THIS PROCESS.
SO, UM, YOU MENTIONED TOO, JUST, UH, NO MORE QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, THE, YOU CONTINUE TO ADAPT, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THE MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH UNIT, THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER, UM, RESULT OF PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO ADAPT AND GROW, WE ALL KNOW OUR CITY IS GROWING, UM, AT A RIDICULOUS SPEED.
SO KEEPING UP WITH THAT HAS BEEN, UM, PROBABLY DIFFICULT FOR YOU.
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, IS THE MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE UNIT, I THINK IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
AND GOING BACK TO ONE OF YOUR ORIGINAL COMMENTS ABOUT HAZARDS, IT'S YOUR, UM, KIND OF YOUR DECREE OR YOUR, WHAT IS IT CALLED, UM, YOUR MISSION, SORRY.
THE S A D SS A F D MISSION WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT HAZARDS.
UM, YOU, WE, YOU'RE RIGHT, RIGHT, WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT A PANDEMIC.
WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT, UM, CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST, JUST THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
I THINK ANOTHER ONE WE NEED TO REALLY START SERIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT IS THE PROLIFERATION OF, UH, FENTANYL.
UM, HOW THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN INCREASING AT ALSO AT RIDICULOUS SPEEDS AND HOW WE CAN, AS A CITY, UH, SUPPORT, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM THAT.
UM, AND I THINK Y'ALL ARE VERY INTEGRAL.
COULD BE VERY INTEGRAL TO THAT.
AND SO, AGAIN, WHEN WE SAY ALL HAZARDS, IT IS FENTANYL.
IT IS, IT IS ACTIVE SHOOTERS, IT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
I WAS JUST WITH MIRA MONTE LAST WEEK WHEN WE GOT THE AWARD.
HE DID A PRESENTATION ON FENTANYL.
AND SO AGAIN, WE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE FENTANYL RESPONSE AS FAR AS WHAT WE DO.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE HAZARDS.
IF WE LISTED THE HAZARDS, WE'D RUN OUT OF PAGES.
AND THEN THERE'D BE SOMETHING THAT WE MISSED AND SOMETHING THAT WE JUST NOT, DID NOT PLAN ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILWOMAN GERRAN? YEAH.
I'M JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK, UH, ON THE DISCUSSION WITH THE, THE FENTANYL AND THE OVERDOSES.
UM, DO WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE TO SEE IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE RESOURCES IT IS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY? IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY TALK THERE? BECAUSE THIS, THIS IS, I FEEL LIKE IT WILL EVENTUALLY GROW OUR BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING SO OFTEN AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT KEEPING GOOD TRACK OF IT.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING COMING FEDERALLY THAT Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE HEARD THAT IS GOING TO HELP WITH THAT? YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN YOU PLAN A STRATEGY, IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO PLAN A STRATEGY.
AND I THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING WITH EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS.
BUT AGAIN, FOR US TO PLAN STRATEGICALLY ON THE GOVERNMENT HELPING US, WE REALLY CAN'T DO THAT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE INTERNALLY.
WE NEED TO EXPAND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE REGION.
LIKE WE HAVE DONE WITH SO MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS LOOKING AT MENTAL HEALTH, LOOKING AT OUR T TOUR PROGRAM.
BUT AS FAR AS A SITTING DOWN AS A STRATEGY TO GO OUT AND, AND SEEK GRANTS, NO.
AND, UM, MONEY, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE AS WE GO LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IS TO SEE HOW WE ARE GOING TO, UH, WHETHER IT'S GRANTS, WHETHER IT'S, UH, ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE STATE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS IT CONTINUES TO BECOME A PROBLEM HERE IN, IN BEXAR COUNTY.
UH, THE OTHER, UM, THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IN TERMS OF STRATEGIC PLAN IS THE, THE WEATHER AND THE
[00:25:01]
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THIS, THE HEAT AND THEN THE COLD.UM, HOW IS THAT COMING ALONG IN TERMS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN? AND I KNOW IN, AND I'M KNOCKING ON WOOD, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T HAD A SEVERE FLOOD IN A WHILE, BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, UH, FIRE IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TO CALL OUT FOR NO, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT PROBABLY UHHUH.
SO I, HOW ARE WE PLANNING FOR THAT? BECAUSE WE'VE HAD DRY DAYS AND WE LOOK, WE LOOK AT THAT, BUT THEN IT COULD CHANGE OVER A WEEKEND.
SO, UH, STRATEGICALLY, ARE WE, ARE WE FINANCIALLY GOOD? DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET TO INCREASE MORE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THERE FOR THE CLIMATE? THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN SEVERE WEATHER? UM, AGAIN, AT METRO CHIEFS TWO WEEKS AGO, WE DID A SESSION ON, UM, CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND WE HAD CHIEFS FROM PHOENIX, WE HAD CHIEFS FROM BACK EAST.
WE HAD CHIEFS FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
EVERYONE'S DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, EVERYONE'S DEALING WITH, UH, WEATHER SYSTEMS THAT WE COULD HAVE NEVER PREDICTED.
UH, AND SO, AND THEN THE URBAN INTERFACE IS FIRES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, CANADA RIGHT NOW HAS HAD THE BIGGEST WILDFIRE THEY'VE EVER HAD, AND IT'S BEEN BURNING FOR WEEKS.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PLANTING DOCUMENTS.
WE KNOW WHERE OUR LOW RIVER CROSSINGS ARE.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK OVER THE YEARS WITH THE CITY'S HELP AS FAR AS, UH, BRIDGES, ROADS, CROSSINGS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
YES, TODAY WE'RE PREPARED TO FIGHT ANY TYPE OF FIRE OR FLOOD.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ALL HAZARDS, AGAIN, WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND THE TRAINING OF OUR MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO GO FROM A, AN URBAN DOWNTOWN STATION TO GO OUT AND FIGHT A FIRE ON THE FRINGES OF THE CITY.
THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF VEGETATION.
WE HAVE TO BE TRAINED AS MEMBERS, EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THOSE FIRE TRUCKS THAT IF IT DOES FLOOD, WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT ON THOSE TRUCKS AND WE CAN GO ON THE WATER AND SAVE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, AND I JUST APPRECIATE IT AND I'M SURE THE ACCREDITATION IS GONNA GO WELL.
I JUST THINK THAT AS WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND OUR BUDGETARY NEEDS, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE OUTSIDE FORCES THAT WE DON'T, THAT WE NEED HELP, WE'LL NEED HELP FEDERALLY AND STATEWIDE TO, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEM.
AND I'M MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR THEM.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND, AND YOUR INNOVATION.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT, UH, TOP OF MIND AS WE, AS WE, IN ADDITION TO GETTING NEW FIRE STATIONS.
'CAUSE I'M GETTING A NEW FIRE STATION, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE WORK FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS ALSO.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN MIRAN AND COUNCILMAN EZ.
I'VE BEEN DOING MORE READING ABOUT THE USE OF AUGMENTED REALITY, UM, IN HELMETS, AS YOU SAID, AUGMENTED RE I DID.
UM, SO LIKE THE AUGMENTED REALITY, SO WERE LIKE POP-UP DISPLAYS AND HELMETS, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THROUGH FIRES OR SET BEACONS IN A, IN A SMOKY ROOM SO THAT THEY CAN GET IN AND OUT AND KNOW WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO RUN TO.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO US ABOUT AND OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I, I MEAN, WE ARE ONE OF THE FINEST EQUIPPED FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE WORLD.
SO PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS COMING TO US WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT HEADS UP DISPLAYS AND FACE SHIELDS, UH, LASER LINES AS FAR AS ALLOWING US TO GO IN FURTHER THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY THAT, THAT WE HAVE ON BOARD OUR RE OUR OUR RIDGE RIGHT NOW, UH, AGAIN, GOING TO A NEW RADIO SYSTEM, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A NEW S C B A SYSTEM DOWN THE ROAD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE.
WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY SMART IN WHAT WE DECIDE TO USE.
UH, AGAIN, THE, THE GOOD THING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY GOOD UNTIL IT DOESN'T WORK, AND THEN YOU GOTTA GO BACK TO BASICS.
SO YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR FIREFIGHTERS SAFER ON THE, UH, FIRE GROUND.
THERE'S ALSO SIMULATORS THAT I SAW A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHERE YOU PUT THIS DISPLAY ON AND IT PUTS YOU IN A FIRE AND YOU'RE STANDING RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU.
SO AGAIN, TO ALLOW YOU TO TRAIN DIFFERENTLY, TO SIMULATE TRAINING SITUATIONS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE, ARE WE USING THAT KIND OF, UH, WE ARE NOT, WE SAW SOME THE, UH, COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT, MAYBE WE COULD TEST IT, LOOK AT AND FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT FOR US RIGHT NOW.
BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT SUCH AS THAT.
SO THE OTHER THING IS, IS I, I UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE NOW HAVING THE OFFERING THESE, UH, FIRE SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAMS, UM, WHERE YOU'RE GONNA GET A BACHELOR'S IN FIRE SCIENCE, I THINK.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, Y'ALL ARE EXPLORING OR, UM, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE? WELL, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY UNIVERSITIES ARE DOING THAT, BUT A LOT, A LOT OF COLLEGES.
BUT THERE, THERE AGAIN, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PROBABLY LOOK AT TO HELP, UH, HIRE PEOPLE.
AGAIN, WITH OUR SYSTEM, THOUGH, EVEN
[00:30:01]
IF YOU GET A BACHELOR'S IN FIRE SCIENCE OR WHATEVER, YOU STILL GOTTA GO THROUGH OUR TESTING PROCESS AND YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE TO COMPETE AGAINST EVERYBODY ELSE.BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AS FAR AS CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR OUR, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS HERE THAT WANNA BECOME FIREFIGHTERS.
AND THEN, UM, MY FAMILY OWNS JUST 10 ACRES, UH, OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND IT'S MOSTLY, LIKE MOST PEOPLE, IT'S JUNIPER, ASH, AND CEDAR.
UM, AND, UH, A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO, TREES CAUGHT FIRE OUT THERE AND WE HAD TO GET E S D NUMBER EIGHT TO COME OUT AND PUT OUT THE FIRE.
BUT IT WAS REALLY SCARY FOR EVERYBODY AND EVEN FOR THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE TELLING US THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE DRY CONDITIONS, THE, WAS IT THE, YOU GUYS KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS, THE IGNITION POINT FOR CEDAR IS, YOU KNOW, NOT VERY HIGH.
AND THAT, THAT CAN SPREAD DRAMATICALLY.
AND SO I'M THINKING NOW, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS BIG HEAT DOME THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AND THESE DRY CONDITIONS AND ALL, YOU KNOW, THE, I I CAN SEE A POSSIBILITY FOR US TO HAVE A FOREST FIRE, RIGHT.
IN A PLACE LIKE HARDBERGER PARK OR, YOU KNOW, IN ANY OF THESE, YOU KNOW, UH, LEGACY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE TREES ARE REALLY, REALLY BIG.
AND EVEN TOUCHING HOUSES RIGHT.
AND TOUCHING EACH OTHER IS, UM, I KNOW YOU'RE PREPARED FOR EVERYTHING, RIGHT? BUT IS THIS NOW SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO THINK OF MORE AND MORE, UH, CONSIDERING THESE DRY CONDITIONS OF THE NEW NORMAL? UM, COUNCILMAN, IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR YEARS.
YEARS BEFORE YOU WERE ON COUNCIL, UM, WE HAD A PLAN TO, UM, EVACUATE THE DOMINION.
WE HAD A FIRE BETWEEN EVERYBODY BEHIND ME OUT, THEY WERE PROBABLY ON AMBULANCES OR WHATEVER, BUT WE HAD A FIRE COME UP ON CAMP BULLIS THAT WAS COMING UP THAT RIDGE, THE BACK OF, OF, OF, UH, THE DOMINION.
WE USED MULTIPLE AIRCRAFT, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT WERE ON FIRE.
SO AGAIN, UH, OUR, OUR BIGGEST THREAT RIGHT NOW TO ANY FIRES ARE PEOPLE THROWING OUT CIGARETTES ON THE FREEWAY.
SO IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON CLEANING BRUSH BEHIND THEIR PROPERTIES, UH, GETTING RID OF ALL THE STUFF THAT'S UNDERNEATH YOUR TREES, YOUR ROOF LINES, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW, IS TO EDUCATE.
UM, WE COULD HAVE A FIRE LIKE THAT ANYTIME WE ARE SUPPORTED BY OTHER AGENCIES WITHIN THE CITY, UH, IF WE NEED TO CALL ON THEM, INCLUDING THE ESDS AND THE STATE.
BUT AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT COULD COME TO BEAR IN AN URBAN INTERFACE FIRE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PLAN ON, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PREVENT, IF POSSIBLE.
SO LASTLY, UH, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, NEW BUILDING MATERIALS, RIGHT? SO NEW PLASTICS THAT BURN HOTTER AND FASTER AND PRODUCE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TOXIC SMOKE AND THICKER SMOKE.
THAT'S THE NEW REALITY, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU'RE SEEING LIKE THIS LIGHT WOOD MANUFACTURED WOOD MATERIALS, AND NOW I'M SEEING ENTIRE BIG BUILDINGS THAT USED TO BE FRAMED WITH METAL ARE NOW BEING FRAMED WITH LUMBER AND RIGHT.
UM, AND I IMAGINE THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFERENT CHALLENGE THAT YOU GUYS ARE PREPARED FOR AND THAT YOU'RE RESPONDING TO APPROPRIATELY.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT AS FAR AS NEW MATERIALS GO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THEY GOT CHARGING STATIONS IN THEIR GARAGE.
RIGHT? AND NOW WE'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE TESLA BATTERY PACKS THAT, YOU KNOW, POWER YOUR HOME AND ALL THAT.
HOW, HOW ARE YOU RESPONDING TO THESE NEW IGNITION SOURCES, IF YOU WILL? RIGHT.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH PUTTING OUT A FIRE WITH A BIG BATTERY IN THE GARAGE.
SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS BEING A FIREFIGHTER, BEING A FIRE CHIEF, BEING A FIRE PREVENTION PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GONNA BUILD THINGS THAT MAKE IT REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO PUT OUT.
WHERE THERE'S CHANGES IN CONSTRUCTION, WHICH AGAIN, THERE ARE FIRE CODES AVAILABLE, BUT AGAIN, THE ORNAMENTAL BRICKS THAT PEOPLE PUT INSIDE THEIR HOUSES, YOU GO FULL CEILING, THEY FALL DOWN AND HITCH IN THE HEAD AGAIN, NOBODY THINKS ABOUT A LOT OF THOSE DYNAMICS WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER.
WE DID HAVE A COUPLE LONG MEETINGS WITH UNDERWRITER LABORATORIES AT METRO CHIEFS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
TWO TALK ABOUT, UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRES.
UM, NEW YORK CITY IS EXPERIENCING ONE E-BIKE FIRE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING WHEN YOU THINK OF AN ELECTRIC BIKE AND A CONDO AND A HIGH-RISE.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TRAINS OF THOUGHT TO PUT THESE FIRES OUT.
AGAIN, IF WE GET ONE IN A FIRE, IN A PARKING GARAGE HERE IS PROBABLY GONNA BURN UNCONTROLLABLY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PROTECT THE EXPOSURES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER UP THERE AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT AFTERWARDS.
BUT AGAIN, UH, EXTINGUISHING THESE FIRES, CUTTING THEM OPEN WHEN YOU EXTRICATE.
THOSE ARE ALL CHALLENGES THAT THE FIRE SERVES IS STILL TRYING TO GET THEIR ARMS AROUND CHIEF.
YOU NEVER FAILED TO, TO, UH, IMPRESS.
THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR THE ANSWERS.
[00:35:01]
CHAIR.UM, AS ALWAYS, LOVE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M GONNA TOUCH ON, I THINK I'M GONNA GO BACK TO WHERE, UH, COUNCILMAN VEO HDA WAS AT THE PLANNING ZONE, UH, DOCUMENT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THAT AND LOOKING THROUGH IT.
AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO REVIEW DATA AND TO MAYBE THINK OF NEW QUESTIONS TO ASK, UM, TO ASSESS EACH PLANNING ZONE.
AND IT STRIKES ME AS BEING, UM, LARGELY QUANTITATIVE DATA RATHER THAN A QUALITATIVE.
UH, IS THERE ANY, WOULD YOU, SO BASIC NUMBERS BASED VERSUS, UM, LIKE DESCRIPTORS, I GUESS IS WHAT I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE QUANTITATIVE? IT'S LARGELY NUMBERS.
SO IF, IF, IF I WAS GONNA GIVE YOU NUMBERS OF EVERY TYPE OF CALL IN D TWO, THOSE NUMBERS ARE GONNA COME FROM HERE.
SO IT'S THE SAME NUMBERS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
UH, WHAT TYPE, WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE CALL IN YOUR DISTRICT? IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE SICK PERSON.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE DIFFICULTY BREATHING.
UH, IT MAY BE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS 'CAUSE YOU GOT FREEWAYS RUNNING THROUGH.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN EACH PLANNING ZONE IS GOING TO BE, THOSE NUMBERS ARE GONNA BE IN TOTAL WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR DISTRICT NUMBERS AND THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE RESPOND ON FOR SURE.
SO I'M IMAGINING, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS, NUMBERS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FACILITIES, CALL TIMES, TYPES OF CALLS, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WHAT I'D BE INTERESTED IN LATER OR WHAT I, SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE THINGS LIKE, UH, FACILITY CONDITION, OR WOULD IT HAVE STAFFING LEVELS PER ZONE? SO WHEN YOU SAY FACILITY CONDITIONS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FIRE STATIONS OR BUILDINGS? FIRE STATIONS.
SO NO, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAVE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, IF YOU NEED INFORMATION ON ANY OF YOUR FIRE STATIONS AND YOU FRANKLY HAVE THE BEST, UH, FACILITIES IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW, UM, SO, UH, WE COULD GET YOU THAT INFORMATION, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT GONNA BE INCLUDED IN SOMETHING SUCH AS THIS.
AND I THINK WHAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING IS IF LATER ON, UM, WE CAN USE THIS, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PART OF THIS ANALYSIS, RIGHT? BUT IN THE FUTURE, WE KNOW WHERE ALL THE ZONES ARE AND WE KNOW WHAT INFORMATION WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
WE CAN MAYBE DO ALMOST STEP BY STEP, BUT ADD THINGS LIKE QUALITY OF FACILITIES AND I, I LIKE HOW YOU MENTIONED OTHER FACILITY FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT, NOT NECESSARILY THE FIRE STATIONS THAT MIGHT BE INFORMA, UH, INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE.
UM, AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE FIRE STATIONS THEMSELVES, I'M THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF OUR, OF OUR, UM, FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL.
PERHAPS AT SOME POINT, AND I THINK THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS, BUT IT MIGHT BE A CONVERSATION THAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR US TO HAVE IS, UM, SOME SORT OF, UH, INDEXING OF MENTAL HEALTH.
SO AT EACH FIRE STATION, HOW WOULD WE, HOW WOULD FIREFIGHTERS RATE THEIR OWN MENTAL HEALTH AND SORT OF RANK THEM AMONGST EACH OTHER AND SEE WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE TO ADDRESS.
UM, AND ON A VERY HYPER-LOCAL LEVEL AT EACH FIRE STATION, THE MENTAL HEALTH OF, UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
AND THEN ALSO MAYBE, UH, AN ANALYSIS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE USEFUL IN HELPING US IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHICH ZONES MIGHT WE TEST NEW TECHNOLOGY IN? LIKE WHICH ZONES WOULD BE THE BEST FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE LISTED, UH, BETWEEN YOU AND COUNCILMAN PALAIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY ALL OF THAT AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN USE THIS DOCUMENT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO RE TO RECEIVING IT AND TO GOING OVER IT WITH YOU.
BUT I THINK IT'S A OPPORTUNITY FOR US AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE LET US ALL BEYOND IT AGAIN, UM,
SO WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE ASSESSMENTS AND YOU SEE HEALTH AND SAFETY, YOU SEE FACILITIES, PHYSICAL RESOURCES, UM, YOU SEE ALL OUR PROGRAMS, UM, YOU SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S LISTED THERE.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WRITE PAPERS ON.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DESCRIBE WHAT IS OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM LIKE, WHAT IS IT DOING RIGHT NOW, UH, AND THEN WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO IN THE FUTURE? SO THOSE ARE ALL CRITERION THAT WE ARE ALREADY GOING TO, UM, PRODUCE.
AND I GUESS AS A PART OF THE, UM, THE ANA THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, 40 STAKEHOLDERS INTERNALLY SOUNDS KIND OF SMALL.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHY 40 INTERNAL STAKEHOLDER HOLDERS WAS THE NUMBER OF
MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THESE, UM, MEETINGS WERE BELOW THE RANK OF DIVISION CHIEFS.
AND AGAIN, FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE NEW FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE INVITED FROM THE, FROM THE LOCAL 6 24, A BUNCH OF MEMBERS, BUT AGAIN, 40 WAS A REALLY GOOD NUMBER FOR US TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVES OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT.
[00:40:01]
HAVE QUESTIONS THERE, BUT I, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.UM, I, I DO WANT TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT AS SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ACCREDITATIONS AND THE DISTINCTIONS.
I THINK THAT'S SUPER EXCITING.
AND TO BE THE SECOND LARGEST, UH, CITY, UH, TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE ACCREDITATIONS, I THINK IS REALLY EXCITING.
UM, AND SPEAKS TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I, LAST YEAR IN RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, I GOT TO VISIT ALMOST ALL THE FIRE STATIONS IN DISTRICT TWO.
I LEFT, I HAD TO LEAVE ONE OFF, BUT I GOT TO VISIT IT LATER.
UM, AND DISCUSS WHICH ONE, WHICH ONE DID YOU LEAVE OFF? I FORGET.
I THINK IT WAS, IT MIGHT'VE BEEN THREE.
IT WAS EITHER, IT WAS EITHER THREE OR IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ONE.
IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ONE, BUT IT, I THINK IT WAS THREE.
UM, AND WE DISCUSSED THE CONDITION OF THE FIRE STATIONS AND I GOT TO TALK TO THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO WERE THERE AND I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE NEW FIRE STATION ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, UH, 24 THAT OUR D TWO AND D 10 COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT FROM.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS, HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOU AS THE FIRE CHIEF? HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE CURRENT CONDITION OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, UM, AT LARGE AND DO YOU GET FIRE, UH, FEEDBACK OFTEN FROM FIREFIGHTERS THEMSELVES? AND I SAY THAT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STAYING, THEY'RE WORKING 24 HOUR SHIFTS EVERY THREE DAYS, RIGHT? YES SIR.
THAT'S A LONG TIME TO BE THERE.
AND SO TO BE LIVING THERE AND I THINK THAT, WELL, 24 HOURS MM-HMM.
YOU'RE ONLY, YOU COME IN AT NINE IN THE MORNING, YOU LEAVE AT NINE THE NEXT MORNING.
AND IT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY GREAT IF YOU'RE IN THE BRAND NEW FIRE STATION AND I WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE IN ONE OF THE OLDEST THAT MAYBE NOT, HASN'T RECEIVED THE TYPE OF LOVE AND ATTENTION THAT A NEW FIRE STATION WOULD HAVE.
CHIEF, LET ME, LET ME ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, COUNCILMAN, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WHEN WE DID THE 2022 BOND PROGRAM WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE CONDITION OF THE FIRE STATIONS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT WE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND THE BOND PROGRAM, WE ARE REPLACING A TOTAL OF FIVE FIRE STATIONS, UH, OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, INCLUDING THE BOND PROGRAM, THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
WITH THAT SAID, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A NEED TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL THE FIRE STATIONS, ALL OF OUR FIRE FACILITIES, AND WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
SO WE GONNA BE BRINGING THAT TO COUNCIL, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY IN SEPTEMBER TO AWARD THAT CONTRACT.
AND HAPPY TO BRING THAT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF THE FIRE STATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AND THEN WHEN THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF OUR FIRE STATIONS, UM, UH, NEED TO BE REPLACED AND WE INCLUDED THEM IN, IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW THE CONDITIONS OF ALL OF OUR FIRE STATIONS.
SO WE'RE THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY.
AND, AND IF I COULD ADD ONE MORE THING, WE WANNA MAKE SURE, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE FIRE STATIONS THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, THAT THEY'RE SAFE.
UM, YEARS AGO IT WAS LIKE MAYBE LIVING IN A DIESEL GARAGE.
IF YOU'RE A FIREFIGHTER, THE TRUCK WILL GO OUT, BLOW EXHAUST AND YOU'RE LIVING QUARTERS WHERE YOU EAT.
WE'VE GONE IN AND SEALED ALL THOSE FIRE STATIONS UP.
WE PUT EXHAUST FANS IN VENTILATION SYSTEMS AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FIRE STATIONS ARE ALL SAFE.
AND GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, IF YOU ASK ME WHICH ONES WOULD I REPLACE OR MY ORDER, THEY'RE THE ORDER PRIORITY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
RIGHT, RIGHT THIS MINUTE WITH THE BOND.
CAN, UH, COUNCILMAN MCKAY RODRIGUEZ, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND, I'M SORRY, THIRD ITEM BRIEFING ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS.
I HAVE A COUGH NOT COVID RELATED, SO YOU ARE SAFE.
UM, BUT WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU ANYWAY, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT.
UM, MY NAME IS ERICA HELLER STEVENSON.
I'M WITH METRO HEALTH, THE SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN HEALTH DISTRICT.
I'M THE PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATOR FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND MY PURVIEW DOES INCLUDE OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM.
I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING TODAY ABOUT THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT.
SO I'LL BE SPEAKING A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEY ARE REPRESENTED IN THE ROOM IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AFTERWARD.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE SOME THINGS.
UH, NEAR THE END, WE'LL BE TALKING ALSO ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UH, SOME OF YOU HEAR IT AS THE C C D V, SO THAT IS THE SAME THING.
WHAT WE FOCUS ON IS A SPAN OF WAYS TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OBVIOUSLY IS INVOLVED IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION.
METRO HEALTH PROVIDES CRISIS SUPPORT AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PROVIDES DIRECT SUPPORT SERVICES AS WELL, AND ESPECIALLY
[00:45:01]
FUNDS, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THE SAME THING.SO THEY HAVE A ROLE OF AMPLIFYING THE SERVICES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDES HOUSING SERVICES WITH ONSITE SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND METRO HEALTH, UH, PARTICIPATE IN AND SUPPORT THE C C D V.
OUR COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH LOOKS AT TOUCHING PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT PLACES IN THEIR LIVES AND DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ASSIST PEOPLE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, ONE-ON-ONE KINDS OF SITUATIONS.
WE INCREASE THE CAPACITY FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
WE IMPROVE THE INTERVENTION AND SERVICES SYSTEM ITSELF.
WE IMPLEMENT PREVENTION STRATEGIES TO TRY TO KEEP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR YEARS TO SHIFT FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT DRIVEN TO A VICTIM CENTERED PUBLIC HEALTH FOCUS IN SAN ANTONIO.
I'M GONNA PROVIDE A, AN UPDATE ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, THEY DID GIVE ME THIS INFORMATION.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THIS UP MYSELF, SO YOU CAN RELY ON THIS AND I'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, YOU'RE SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR PROBABLY BEING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WITH WHAT THEIR KIND OF PUBLIC FACING SERVICES ARE.
THEY HAVE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS, WHICH ARE BASED AT EACH POLICE SUBSTATION AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, WHICH IS A CENTRALIZED INVESTIGATIVE UNIT.
AND THESE TWO TEAMS DIVIDE, UH, CASES AND, UH, INVESTIGATORY DUTIES DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY'RE FELONY OR MISDEMEANORS.
THERE IS ALSO A VOLUNTEER COURT CALLED THE FAMILY ASSISTANCE CRISIS TEAM, OR FACT VOLUNTEERS.
AND THESE FOLKS HELP PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO VICTIMS, UH, GETTING THEM TO RESOURCES, PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IN THE MOMENT, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THESE ARE REALLY THE KIND OF, UM, EXTERNAL FACING TYPES OF SERVICES.
OBVIOUSLY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE MOST VICTIM CENTERED WAY POSSIBLE AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE.
TEXAS REQUIRES 12 HOURS OF TRAINING IN A POLICE OR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY ON FAMILY VIOLENCE WHILE SAN ANTONIO PROVIDES 24 HOURS OF TRAINING.
SO THAT'S DOUBLE THE AMOUNT REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND ALSO PROVIDES ONGOING ANNUAL AND TRAINING EVERY FOUR YEARS FOR, UM, RECERTIFICATION ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT IN SEXUAL ASSAULT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND FAMILY VIOLENCE.
AND SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING THIS YEAR IS MAKING A SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT.
AND THAT IS TO IMPLEMENT THE EVIDENCE-BASED RISK ASSESSMENT CALLED THE DANGEROUS ASSESSMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND YOU'LL HEAR PEOPLE CALL IT THE DALE.
THIS TOOL HAS BEEN PROVEN BY RESEARCH TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN IDENTIFYING VICTIMS WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IT'S VERY RELIABLE IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF STANDING IT UP NOW AND SHOULD BE, UH, MOVING ALONG.
UH, AS WE ENTER THE FALL AND HAVING THAT ROLLED OUT ACROSS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL PRESENT A FEW STATISTICS TO YOU JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE THINGS ARE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT STATISTICS, I'M GONNA REPORT THEM ON A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS BECAUSE THAT IS HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA IS REPORTED TO THE F B I.
SO WE WON'T BE ALIGNING THAT WITH FISCAL YEARS HERE.
ON THIS SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THE 9 1 1 CALLS FOR SERVICE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AGAIN, BY CALENDAR YEAR.
THESE ARE NUMBERS OF CALLS FROM 2019 TO 2022 AND THEN ALMOST A HALF A YEAR OF DATA FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
UH, SO OBVIOUSLY THE LAST BAR IS NOT FILLED OUT YET, BUT YOU SEE THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE O IN THE, UH, EARLY PART OF THE GRAPH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN MONITORING AND THEN A SUBSEQUENT DECLINE.
FAMILY VIOLENCE CALLS ENCOMPASS THINGS THAT ARE RELATED BETWEEN INTIMATE PARTNERS, PEOPLE WITHIN A ROMANTIC HISTORY OR ACTIVE RELATIONSHIP, UH, ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS CHILDREN IN A FAMILY SITUATION.
ELDERLY AND WELFARE CHECKS FOR REPORTS FILED.
AGAIN, THIS IS A SMALLER SUBSET OF 9 1 1 CALLS.
SO 9 1 1 CALLS COULD BE ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN A LARGE VOLUME.
NOT ALL OF THEM RESULT IN A REPORT THAT'S FILED.
SO THIS IS A SMALLER SET OF DATA YOU'RE GONNA SEE FROM MOST IN THE TOP ROW TO LEASED IN THE BOTTOM ROW, HOW REPORTS WERE FILED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAMILY VIOLENCE FROM 2019 TO 2023.
IT LINES UP WITH THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WHERE WE HAVE FULL YEARS UNTIL 2023, WHERE WE HAVE A PARTIAL YEAR, AND YOU'LL SEE A SIMILAR TREND WHERE THERE WERE INCREASES UP TO 2021 BIT OF A PEAK AND THEN SOMEWHAT OF A DECLINE.
[00:50:02]
MOVING INTO METRO HEALTH, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES FOR FOLKS.SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE TRANSITIONED SOME SERVICES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND AUGMENTED THEM.
SO WE NOW HAVE TWO PIECES OF ONE PROGRAM.
WE PROVIDE IMMEDIATE CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ORIGINALLY, AND WE ADDED A LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT TEAM TO THIS PROGRAM.
SO WHAT STARTED AS 20 PEOPLE IS NOW 59 PEOPLE.
UM, SO WE HAVE JUST ABOUT TRIPLED THAT CRISIS ADVOCATES FOCUS ON PROVIDING VICTIMS WHO ARE REALLY IN A STATE OF CRISIS, EITHER VERY NEAR OR SOON AFTER THE TIME OF EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE OR ABUSE WITH EMERGENCY SHELTER AND TRANSPORTATION SAFETY PLANNING, MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE RISKS ARE AND HOW TO AVOID THOSE RISKS.
PROVIDING FOR ANY IMMEDIATE PERSONAL CARE NEEDS LIKE, UH, HYGIENE NEEDS OR CLOTHING, UM, TAKING CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND ASSISTING WITH PROTECTIVE ORDERS FOR PATIENT OR SORRY, PATIENTS.
FOR CLIENTS, UH, THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WOULD BENEFIT FROM LONGER TERM SUPPORT, MAYBE BEYOND TWO TO FOUR WEEKS, WE MOVE THEM INTO THE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
THIS IS VOLUNTARY, BUT IF THEY CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE, THEY WILL HAVE ONGOING SUPPORT BY THE SAME PROGRAM, UH, SAME STAFF SO IT DOESN'T CHANGE THEIR ENVIRONMENT OR CHANGE WHAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH.
UH, OUR FOLKS WILL HELP WITH JOB AND HOUSING APPLICATIONS, REFER PEOPLE TO COUNSELING AND LEGAL SERVICES.
WE CO WE COORDINATE OUR FIRST PEER GROUP RECENTLY, UH, THAT WENT THROUGH AN EIGHT WEEK EXPERIENCE TOGETHER AND RECENTLY CONCLUDED.
AND THE WHOLE FOCUS OF THE CASE MANAGEMENT PIECE IS THE LONG-TERM CHANGE THAT HELPS MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF AN ABUSIVE SITUATION PERMANENTLY AND INTO A POSITION OF SELF-RELIANCE AND THE ABILITY TO MANAGE THEIR LIVES WITHOUT SOMEONE CONTROLLING THAT FOR THEM.
WE DO A FEW ADDITIONAL THINGS BESIDES THE DIRECT SERVICES.
WE ORGANIZE AN INTER-AGENCY COLLABORATION CALLED THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HIGH RISK TEAM THAT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE INVITE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, AND PROBATION AND PAROLE TO JOIN US.
WE MEET EVERY TWO WEEKS, UM, MORE FREQUENTLY IF WE NEED TO.
AND WE DISCUSS VERY SPECIFIC CASES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE PARTICIPANTS.
THESE CASES EITHER ARE HIGH RISK FOR THE VICTIM OR REALLY COMPLEX AND NEED THE WORK OF THE MULTIPLE AGENCIES COMING TOGETHER.
WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY INTERESTING SUCCESS WHERE WE'RE FINDING PARTICULAR OFFENDERS, UH, MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE A HISTORY IN BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY JURISDICTIONS.
AND BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER IN THE SAME ROOM TO TALK ABOUT IT HAS HELPED US FIND THE DETAILS WE NEED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
WE ALSO HOST A WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING GROUP CALLED THE DOMESTIC, OR SORRY, DANGER ASSESSMENT GROUP.
AND THAT JUST PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL TOPICS TO PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE.
WE HAVE A TEAM OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS THAT GO OUT AND EXPLAIN WHERE YOU CAN FIND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES, WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A LOVING RELATIONSHIP AND A NON LOVING RELATIONSHIP AND REALLY CHANGING THE NORM AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND, UH, A SAFE HOME.
WE ALSO DO LOTS OF MARKETING AND OTHER MASS MEDIA AND WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE CITY TO DO THAT.
AND OF COURSE, UM, SOMETIMES WE'RE ASSIGNED TO SUPPORT COUNCIL'S, CONSIDERATION REQUESTS AND WORK ON OTHER SYSTEM CHANGES.
A COUPLE OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT U C L S OFTEN, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS A NEWER PROGRAM, BUT YOU'RE GONNA SEE THESE IN THE, UH, BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AND ANNUAL REPORTS.
UH, LAST YEAR FOR OUR FIRST FULL YEAR OF SERVICE, UH, 11,500 PEOPLE RECEIVE SCREENING AND ADVOCACY SERVICES, UH, THAT OUR CITY RESIDENTS.
UM, OUR TARGET FOR THIS YEAR IS 11,000 AND WE'RE OVER 50% OF THAT AT THIS POINT, SO WE'RE ON TARGET FOR THAT.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED EMERGENCY LODGING, UH, TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT OR OTHER GOODS TO ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR NEEDS, 785 WERE SUPPORTED LAST YEAR AND WE'RE, UH, RIGHT ON TARGET THIS YEAR TO REACH A THOUSAND.
WE ALSO ARE DEVELOPING SOME ADDITIONAL DATA COLLECTION METHODS IN THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT ARE GONNA START DEMONSTRATING HOW PEOPLE ARE CHANGING OVER TIME, HOW THEY'RE BECOMING MORE EMPOWERED, MORE INDEPENDENT AND SELF-RELIANT.
AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION FOR YOU.
UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES I MENTIONED EARLIER IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY THAT IS DOING A LOT OF WORK THAT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UH, THEY START WITH THEIR DELEGATE AGENCY WORK,
[00:55:01]
UH, WHERE THEY ARE PROVIDING FUNDING TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE CITY TO ULTIMATELY CARRY FORTH THE EFFORT OF THE CITY ON THEIR BEHALF.THEY FUND FIVE PROGRAMS WHICH FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION FOR ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2022, THEY SERVED OVER 4,000 PEOPLE.
AND IN 2023 THEY ARE ON PACE WITH 2000 PEOPLE.
SO THEY'RE ALREADY LOOKING LIKE, UH, THEY'RE EXCEEDING THEIR BENCHMARKS FROM LAST YEAR.
HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START.
YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH.
THESE ARE SPACES WHERE WELLNESS TEAMS CAN ASSIST FAMILIES WHO ARE FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THEY'LL FIND THEM TEMPORARY HOUSING, UH, HELP THEM NAVIGATE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND ENGAGE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE HOMELESS OUT HOTLINE AND STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM, THAT MIGHT NOT SEEM OBVIOUS WHY.
THERE'S A CONNECTION TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IF A PERSON EXPERIENCES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THEIR HOME, THEY DON'T HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.
AND ULTIMATELY THAT CAN QUALIFY THEM FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
UM, SO THEY WILL FIND ASSISTANCE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AT D H SS, UH, FOR ANY KIND OF PLACEMENT THAT THEY MIGHT NEED, OTHER TYPES OF RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE.
AND OF COURSE, OLDER ADULTS, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, CAN EXPERIENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TOO, RIGHT? TOO, RIGHT? OR MIGHT BE VICTIMS OF OTHER TYPES OF FAMILY VIOLENCE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK DONE BY D H SS ON, UH, SUPPORTING OLDER ADULTS AS WELL.
NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES ALSO DOES A LOT OF WORK, OBVIOUSLY, IN HOUSING AS IS IN THEIR NAME.
AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES CITED BY PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS IS, ONE, THEY NEED LEGAL SERVICE SUPPORT, AND TWO, THEY NEED HOUSING SUPPORT.
THEY NEED A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE AND A PLACE THEY CAN AFFORD.
OFTEN THE PERSON EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT THE PRIMARY EARNER IN THE HOUSEHOLD, OR MAY NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER MANAGING THE HOUSEHOLD FINANCES OR HOW IT'S PAID.
SO HOUSING ACCESS AND LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCESS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT RUNS A HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAM THAT'S A PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THEM.
UH, THEY RECEIVE APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITIZE THEM FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VULNERABLE OR HAVE VERY INTENSE SERVICE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT SURVIVORS FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN RECEIVE TIMELY ASSISTANCE.
THEY ALSO PARTNERED WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND BEXAR COUNTY TO AWARD $31 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR THREE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS, WHICH RESULTED IN ALMOST 300 UNITS, UH, FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND 13 RAPID REHOUSING UNITS.
THESE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO SERVE PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS WITH ONSITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
SO NOT JUST HOUSING, BUT THE ONSITE SERVICES THAT HELP PEOPLE MAKE CHANGES IN THEIR LIVES AND ALTER THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING.
AND THE DEPARTMENT ALSO AWARDED ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR A Y W C A CAMPUS PROJECT, UH, IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND THIS PROJECT IS GONNA PROVIDE 30 UNITS WITH SERVICES, CHILDCARE AND JOB TRAINING FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND CHILDREN, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND ANOTHER NEW PROJECT IS THE CROSS POINT WOMEN'S WELLNESS CAMPUS, WHERE NEARLY THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING HAS BEEN AWARDED, AND THAT'S FALLS IN DISTRICT TWO.
THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE UP TO 40 WOMEN AND THEIR BABIES AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ADDRESS TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH HOMELESSNESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, RECENT INCARCERATION, OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL RESTORATIVE TYPES OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE NOT ONLY WITH THE IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEED, BUT RECOVERING FROM THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAVE HAD.
AND THEN FINALLY, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OR THE C C D V.
THE REASON WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO AN ACTIVITY THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PARTICIPATES IN.
DEPUTY CITY MANAGER MARIA GOMEZ IS THE CO-CHAIR ALONGSIDE JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ FROM THE 150TH DISTRICT COURT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUP IS TO ADDRESS THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION SYSTEM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE GROUP COMES TOGETHER TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO PARTNER, COLLABORATE, SHIFT, AND MAKE CHANGES, UH, IN A WAY THAT ULTIMATELY SERVES THE PUBLIC IN A BETTER WAY.
THE MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS, PROSECUTORS, JUDGES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, MENTAL AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, AND HIGHER EDUCATION.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF PIECES OF INFORMATION FOR YOU AND WE CAN, UH, FOLLOW UP IF NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THIS DOCUMENT TO YOU.
THE GROUP RELEASED A THIRD YEAR
[01:00:01]
PROGRESS REPORT IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FROM THAT REPORT, AS WELL AS THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THE REST OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
SO IN 2022, UM, THE GROUP NOTED THAT THEY COMPLETED THE TRANSFORMATION FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FROM BEING LAW ENFORCEMENT DRIVEN TO VICTIM CENTERED IN THE COUNTY, UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AREA.
THEY CONNECTED TO OVER 1600 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS TO CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES.
THROUGH A NEW PARTNERSHIP THAT SUPPORTS COUNTY RESIDENTS, OVER 500 ORDERS TO ESTABLISH COMPLIANCE WERE FILED RELATED TO THE NEW FIREARM TRANSFER PROCESS UNDER NEW STATE LAW, UH, INCLUDING, UH, LICENSE TO CARRY BEING TRANSFERRED AND 10 FIREARMS BEING TRANSFERRED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
OVER 300 MEDICAL STUDENTS WERE TRAINED ON THE DYNAMICS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AND WHERE TO FIND RESOURCES TO ASSIST PATIENTS WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE.
UH, THE MEMBERS ENGAGED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INTRODUCE EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA ON TEEN DATING, VIOLENCE AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE YOU CAN PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS.
THEY COLLABORATED WITH THE COUNTY TO INITIATE A THREE-YEAR COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT ON THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND HOW IT RESPONDS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND OVER, UH, LATE 2021 THROUGH 2022, HOSTED TWO ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIA, LOCAL AND FREE, UH, FOR PROFESSIONALS, ADVOCATES, AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO, PRIORITIES FOR THE REST OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR FOCUS ON A COORDINATED COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY FOR THE GROUP TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE FIELD INCORPORATING THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WITH IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO HELP INFORM THE WORK OF THE GROUP AND BUILD ALLIANCES AND PARTNERSHIPS, INCREASING CAPACITY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND LEGAL ADVOCATES TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE LEGAL SERVICES.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE IS A STRONG CRY FOR AFFORDABLE LEGAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH MEANS WE NEED MORE ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
UH, THERE'S GONNA BE CONTINUED FOCUS AND PUSH FOR PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TREATMENT SUPPORT AND SERVICES.
THE GROUP IS ENHANCING ITS DATA COLLECTION, REPORTING AND UTILIZATION OF THAT DATA CONTINUING, UH, TO PUSH FOR ADOPTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION CURRICULA IN SCHOOLS, DEVELOPING OUTREACH SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED, IDENTIFY AS L G B T Q, HAVE DISABILITIES OR ARE AN IMMIGRANT SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BEST PRACTICES THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BASED OR DEMONSTRATED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF IMPACT IN IMPROVING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND FOR SS A P D FULLY IMPLEMENTING THE DANGER ASSESSMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THAT WAS A QUICK RUN THROUGH, UM, BUT WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATION, UH, FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ROOM AND CAN TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS AND I'LL HELP WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL.
UM, CHAIRWOMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE WANTED TO BRING THIS UPDATE TO YOU TO, UM, UH, UPDATE YOU ON THE COORDINATION THAT WE'VE DONE INTERNALLY.
A YEAR AGO, WE MADE A PRESENTATION TO THIS COMMITTEE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE THE WORK OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS FROM THE TIME WE GET THAT PHONE CALL, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, METRO HEALTH ASSISTING, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE NAVIGATE THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES, UM, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO WITH OUR PARTNERS.
HUMAN SERVICES HAS, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHO HELP US BE ABLE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN OUR DELIVERY OF WORK, UM, AS WELL AS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING DEPARTMENT AS ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE.
UH, BUT WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
AND AS ERICA MENTIONED, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION COLLABORATIVE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ IS HERE WITH US THIS MORNING, UH, WHO IS, UH, A CO-CHAIR.
I'M THE OTHER CO-CHAIR OF THE, UH, COLLABORATIVE.
AND THIS IS A BIG COMMUNITY EFFORT THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO AGAIN, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE DONE INTERNALLY, UH, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO BE MORE ORGANIZED ON OUR APPROACH.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU, MARIA, AND THANK YOU JUDGE DIAZ FOR, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND, AND BOTH OF YOU FOR THE, THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, JUST A QUICK, UM, COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HIGH RISK
[01:05:02]
TEAM? THANK YOU.I'LL GO BACK TO THE SLIDES THAT YOU HAVE, THE WORDS IT WAS FRONT OF YOU THERE.
UM, CHIEF, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH ME RESPONDING TO THE DALE QUESTION? UM, I'M, I'M HELPING.
SO
NOPE, IT'S FIVE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT SIDE.
IS THIS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF? NO.
UM, THE, OH, THE HIGH RISK TEAM.
THE HIGH RISK TEAM, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HIGH RISK TEAM.
UM, THIS GROUP ORIGINALLY WAS CALLED DART, AND WE CHANGED THE NAME SO IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE THE OTHER DART THAT THE CITY RUNS.
UM, SO YOU MIGHT'VE HEARD THAT A FEW YEARS AGO BEGAN APPROXIMATELY IN 2021 AND WAS STARTED BY METRO HEALTH, BUT TRULY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH S A P D AND COORDINATED THROUGH S A P D SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.
UH, THE IDEA IS IT'S KIND OF A COMBINATION OF A GROUP THAT IDENTIFIES PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK FOR DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY AND, UH, CASE STAFFING, GROUP CASE STAFFING.
THE INTENT IS TO BRING TOGETHER THIS INTER-AGENCY GROUP THAT EXAMINES THE NEED, FIGURES OUT HOW TO CROSS THOSE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THE AGENCIES AND JURISDICTIONS AND OVERCOME THEM.
AND WE HEAR, WE TALK ABOUT JUST A COUPLE OF CASES A WEEK.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE SCHEME OF ALL CASES, IT'S A SMALL NUMBER, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GET STUCK.
UM, SO THEY GET STUCK BECAUSE OF HOW COMPLEX THEY ARE AND HOW THEY CROSS DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS OR BECAUSE OF CERTAIN NUANCES IN THE INVESTIGATIONS, UM, THAT ARE OCCURRING.
UM, OR IT CAN JUST BE THAT SOMETHING HAS ESCALATED QUICKLY AND SOMEBODY WORKING WITH THE VICTIM SAYS, THIS IS GONNA GO BAD REALLY QUICK AND WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
UM, SO THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM I MENTIONED ALL HAVE SOME KIND OF CONNECTION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION.
SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PROBATION, PAROLE, FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, AND METRO HEALTH.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE DATABASES AND LISTEN TO THE INFORMATION THAT IS RELATED TO THESE INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, SO IT'S A SMALL SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE, UM, BUT IT'S BEEN VERY USEFUL IN TERMS OF GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF PLACES THAT ARE DANGEROUS FOR THEM WHEN SOMEBODY'S ABOUT TO BE RELEASED FROM JAIL, UM, RELEASED ON BOND, UM, IF A WARRANT IS GOING TO BE SERVED, WHICH WILL OFTEN ESCALATE ABUSE, UM, OR WHEN YOU JUST CAN'T FIND AN OFFENDER, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE HOPPING JURISDICTIONS.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR THAT.
WE HAVE SOME FOLKS IN THE ROOM WHO CAN COMMENT FURTHER IF YOU WANT TO HEAR SPECIFICS.
IT SOUNDS SOMEWHAT LIKE A, A SAFETY NET.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO CATCH THE ONES THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
UM, AND, UH, COULD ANYBODY IN THE PIPELINE FLAG A CASE TO, TO GO TO THIS TEAM? YES.
SO NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE KIND OF IN THAT YES.
DID ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD BACK THERE? A DETECTIVE USUALLY HAS BETTER THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS THAN I DO.
CAPTAIN BAGLES, THE SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, UH, D V H R T HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL BECAUSE WE KIND OF PUSHED IT OUT TO OUR C R T DETECTIVES AND OUR C R T ADVOCATES.
SOMETIMES WE GET THESE MISDEMEANOR CASES THAT LOOK LIKE A THREATS REPORT THAT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS NO BEARING, DOESN'T LOOK BIG, RIGHT? BUT ONCE YOU START UNPEELING THE ONION, YOU START LOOKING AT CRIMINAL HISTORIES, YOU START LOOKING AT THE CALL LOADS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSE, YOU START REALIZING RED FLAGS ARE POPPING UP.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE WANT TO POP UP.
THOSE, THOSE SMALL APPEAR SMALL ON THE, ON THE FRONT END ON THE OFFENSE, BUT WHEN YOU START PEELING BACK HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY, YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING BAD'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WE WANT TO EXPLORE.
IS THERE ANYTHING WE MISSED? IS THERE ANYTHING IN PROBATION? IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ON ANKLE MONITORS THAT WE CAN LOCK HIM DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT? MAKE SURE NOTIFICATIONS ARE BEING DONE WHEN SOMEBODY'S GONNA BE RELEASED.
UH, AND THAT GIVES US A TIMEFRAME FOR VICTIMS TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A SAFETY PLAN THAT WORKS FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY, FOR THEIR KIDS.
UH, SO IT KIND OF WORKS TOGETHER, UH, KIND OF KIND OF MAKING SURE NOTHING FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND IT'S BEEN WORKING REALLY WELL.
LIKE WE, EVERY DETECTIVE AND AS MULTIPLE DETECTIVES FROM C R T AND SS V HAVE BROUGHT MULTIPLE CASES OVER TO TALK, UH, AS A GROUP.
IT'S A TRUE, UH, M D T MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM.
UH, I THINK YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS SOUNDS, UH, REALLY EXCITING AND IN A WAY, YOU KNOW, PROMISING.
WE, WE ALL DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CASES THAT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, THOUGH.
SO I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS A MORE ROBUST TEAM, UH, HOW WE CAN HELP YOU AND WE CAN TAKE THAT OFFLINE.
BUT THAT'S, UM, IT'S EXCITING TO KNOW THAT THAT'S THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, ON THE SAME SLIDE, YOU TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
IS, CAN ANY BUSINESS, UM, TAP INTO THIS LIKE ANY BUSINESS IN SAN ANTONIO?
[01:10:01]
YES.ON THE SECOND BULLET, THE DANGER ASSESSMENT GROUP THAT IS OPEN TO ANYONE, IT'S COMPLETELY PUBLIC.
UM, WE'RE NOT SHARING INFORMATION THAT HAS TO BE CONFIDENTIAL.
UM, WE, UH, THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ACTUALLY ASKED A DETECTIVE FROM SS A P D TO GIVE US A BRIEFING ON FAMILY VIOLENCE LAW, UH, AND IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER.
WE'VE ALSO GIVEN BRIEFINGS ON HOW YOU ADMINISTER CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES, UH, OR WE'LL HEAR ABOUT ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS, HOW THE SHELTER WORKS.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY INTERESTING AND VALUABLE.
METRO HEALTH PRODUCES THE, UH, SAVE THE DATES AND INFORMATION ON THAT, AND WE CAN SHARE THAT.
YEAH, I'D LIKE THAT INFORMATION TO PUSH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED, UM, DELEGATE AGENCIES.
THE PARTNERSHIP OF COL COLLABORATION WITH NONPROFITS, I THINK IS, IS KEY TO THIS.
IS IT LIMITED TO JUST THE, THE SPECIFIC DELEGATE AGENCIES? 'CAUSE THERE'S A NUMBER OF, OF NONPROFITS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT DO GOOD WORK THAT MAY MAYBE NOT, ARE OFFICIALLY A DELEGATE AGENCY.
SO I'LL START WITH THAT QUESTION.
COUNCILWOMAN ONE, THROUGH OUR CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS, THE CITY HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL, UM, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US WITH, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THROUGH METRO HEALTH AND ALSO WITH, UH, HUMAN SERVICES.
WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY FUND, BUT THEY OPEN THEIR SERVICES TO US SO WE CAN NAVIGATE THE VICTIMS THROUGH THE MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AND FINALLY, THE, UM, THIS MAY BE FOR CHIEF, BUT THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS, MY UNDERSTANDING ARE THEY'RE THE MOST DANGEROUS CALLS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, TO RESPOND TO.
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO UNPREDICTABLE, SO VOLATILE.
T COLE ONLY REQUIRES 12, I BELIEVE.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S ENOUGH? 24 MM-HMM.
OVER THE YEARS AT, IN-SERVICE.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, WHAT DOES THAT BREAK OUT TO? IS THAT ALL IN ONE WEEK? IS IT THROUGHOUT THE, THE, THE TIME YOU'RE IN THE ACADEMY? THE, THE 24 HOURS IS A STRAIGHT BLOCK IN THE ACADEMY.
AND FOR IN-SERVICE, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S BROKEN DOWN AGAIN, OVER, OVER EACH YEAR'S IN SERVICE.
DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NONPROFITS THAT COME TO THE ACADEMY AND IN SERVICE? SURE.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE GROUPS, UM, EXCUSE ME.
WE HAVE GROUPS THAT ARE, UM, NONPROFITS THAT COME IN AND THEY, AND THEY TALK TO THE, TO THE OFFICERS AT, AT, UH, NOT ONLY, UH, TO THE CADETS, BUT ALSO AT, IN SERVICE.
SO IT PROVIDES 'EM A DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT OUTLOOK FROM, FROM, UH, IT PROVIDES 'EM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN JUST THE TRAINING.
DO THE NONPROFITS EVER BRING, UM, VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTFUL? LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN THROUGH IT? I DUNNO.
UM, SO AGAIN, I I, I'LL ASK YOU KIND OF A BLUNT QUESTION, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT 24 HOURS IS ENOUGH? I THINK STARTING OFF IT IS.
AND THEN AS THEY, AS THEY, UH, GET THEIR OWN JOB TRAINING, AND I MEAN, THEY LEARN MORE ABOUT IT ON THE STREET FROM A, FROM A, FROM A, A PRACTICAL POINT OF VIEW ON HOW TO HANDLE THOSE, UH, CALLS.
UM, I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK I'LL TAKE 'EM OFFLINE.
UM, ANYBODY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN FLI? SO, JUST A, A COMMENT, MARIA, ONE OF THE, IT JUMPED OUT AT ME THAT THE TWO TWO MISSING PARTNERS THAT I THINK PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US FOR RECRUITMENT WOULD BE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE FAITH COMMUNITY.
I DIDN'T SEE THEM MENTIONED IN THE LIST, AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHY HAS IT HA HAVE WE EXTENDED THE INVITATION OR HAVE WE JUST FOCUSED ON, UM, THOSE AT THE, TO START WITH? OR IS THERE A PLAN TO INCLUDE THEM? SURE.
SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, JESSICA DOLINA WITH HUMAN SERVICES, IN TERMS OF OUR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, WE HAVE OUR FAITH-BASED LIAISON WHO'S ACTIVELY, UM, ASSISTING US IN, IN THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE.
AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOLS A SECOND.
SO WE DO HAVE, UM, EXCUSE ME, WE DO HAVE WORK GROUPS IN OUR FAITH-BASED, UM, INITIATIVE THAT DO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S A CROSS-CUTTING ISSUE, AND THAT OFTEN VICTIMS COME FOR OTHER SERVICES.
AND SO PART OF WHAT WE DO IS WE ALSO WORK WITH THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS OTHER DELEGATE AGENCY PARTNERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE PARTNER WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF, UM, OF THE SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HOW TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS, UH, SOME ASSISTANCE.
AND, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP, KEEP DOING THAT.
BUT MIKE, I THINK THAT THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS MY QUESTION IS WHY AREN'T WE, UH, YOU KNOW, AFFIRMATIVELY
[01:15:01]
ADDING THEM TO THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION? WE SHOULD HAVE, WE SHOULD HAVE ADDED OUR FAITH-BASED, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, OR A FAITH-BASED LIAISON AND THE WORK THAT SHE DOES UNDER HUMAN SERVICES.SO THAT'S, THAT WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON OUR
I'M, I'M SAYING AS, AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ITSELF, OH, I'M SORRY.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CCC D B COMMISSION? YEAH, YEAH.
UM, WE ARE IN, IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, I'M LOOKING AT JUDGE DIAZ IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, BEING MORE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH OUR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING IN THE WORKS IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOLS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TACKLING THIS YEAR, UH, AS PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO START OUR ENGAGING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MORE ACTIVELY IN THE, IN THE COMMISSION.
WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM, UM, ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGES, UM, AS WELL AS FROM, UM, UH, TEXAS UNIVERSITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THOSE ARE REPRESENTATIVES, O O ON OUR COMMISSION.
SO I'D, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SEE, AND I, I'D BE SURPRISED IF THEY SAID NO, IF REGION 20, RIGHT.
WERE INVITED TO THE COMMISSION TO BE A PARTICIPANT.
I MEAN, THEIR JOB IS TO BRING TOGETHER ALL THE ISDS AND PROVIDE SOME, SOME REALLY VITAL EDUCATION, UM, TO TEACHERS AND FAMILY SPECIALISTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPALS, IT, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE AN IDEAL PLACE FOR THEM TO JOIN AS A PEER.
UM, AND MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT OFFLINE ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
THE, THE OTHER THING TOO IS I'M WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT DO WE AT COSA PROVIDE, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAINING TO THE OUTWARD FACING DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT.
THE PUBLIC FACING DEPARTMENTS, UM, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, RIGHT.
BE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE RED FLAGS SOMETIMES ARE JUST RIGHT IN YOUR FACE.
RIGHT? AND SO, UM, DOES A C S GET TRAINED ON THIS, FOR EXAMPLE? DOES, UM, WELL, DO OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS GET TRAINED? UM, I CAN ANSWER, UM, BRIEFLY ON THAT.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, HAS BEEN TRAINED IN ADMINISTRATION OF, UH, A SHORT VERSION OF AN ASSESSMENT FOR HEALTHCARE SETTINGS CALLED THE DANGER ASSESSMENT FIVE DA FIVE.
AND THAT HELPS IDENTIFY QUICK RED FLAGS.
UM, SO THEY, THEY'RE ABLE TO KINDA LOOK FOR THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S VERY ROUTINE PART OF PROVIDING M S CARE AS WELL, UH, IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A POLICY ON INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, THAT ARE FAIRLY NEW.
AND OUR AREAS, UH, THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING TRAINING FOR STAFF AND MAKING THAT PART OF THE ANNUAL TRAINING, WHICH IS IN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN ACROSS THE CITY, THE WORKPLACE VIOLENCE POLICY DOES HAVE SOME COMPONENTS OF RECOGNIZING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THAT, UH, I DON'T HAVE KNOWLEDGE FURTHER, I DON'T KNOW IF MARIA MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE.
UM, ERICA, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND HOW METRO HEALTH IS, UH, TRAINING DEPARTMENTS? 'CAUSE THAT IS INCLUDED AS PART OF THAT TRAINING.
SO WE HAVE A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AT METRO HEALTH THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY HEALTH.
AND OUR ROLE IS TO TRAIN EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN BEING A TRAUMA INFORMED ORGANIZATION AND WORKFORCE.
AND THAT WILL LEAD TO APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION, UH, AS A LEVEL ONE TRAUMA INFORMED ORGANIZATION, METRO HEALTH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, LIBRARY, AND D H SS OUR PART OF COHORT NUMBER ONE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO THAT DOES INCLUDE TRAINING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN RECOGNIZING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING AND SUFFERING FROM TRAUMA AND HOW TO CHANGE YOUR LENS AND THE WAY YOU APPROACH THINGS TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR NEEDS AND FOR THEIR, THEIR EXPERIENCES.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
AND THEN, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT OUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE GOT ANYBODY FROM FROM MUNICIPAL COURT HERE TODAY, BUT, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY SEE RED FLAGS, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES A KID JUST NOT SHOWING UP TO SCHOOL AS A RED FLAG FOR, FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, RIGHT.
UH, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF BEHAVIOR, RIGHT? THAT COULD GIVE THESE JUDGES IF TRAINED ON WORKPLACE VIOLENCE, UM, SOME INDICATION THAT MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON AT HOME.
ARE THOSE JUDGES AS CONDITIONS OF PROBATION FOR YOU, IF YOU WILL, FOR CLASSY MISDEMEANORS, CAN THEY IMPOSE, HEY, YOU GOTTA GO AND CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, AND IS THERE, IS THERE A WAY TO, TO, TO BEEF UP THE SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED TO DEFENDANTS THAT COME THROUGH MUNICIPAL COURT? AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S PROBABLY AN ANSWER FOR JUDGE ODO, BUT, UM, THAT'S,
[01:20:01]
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, IS, IS, UH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A NATURAL PLACE, RIGHT? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, UM, WORKPLACE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ALSO, YOU CAN DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE BETWEEN IT AND, YOU KNOW, ACCUMULATING TRASH OUT IN THE FRONT YARD, RIGHT.BECAUSE THERE'S CRISIS GOING ON IN THE HOME.
SO, BUT LOOK, JUDGE MONIQUE DIAZ IS COMING UP TO TALK ABOUT IT.
I THOUGHT YOU, HE HIT MY WEAKNESS, WHICH IS THE
THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT QUESTION.
I'M NOT A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, BUT I CAN SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE DISCRETION TO INCLUDE TERMS LIKE THE ONES THAT I THINK YOU'RE MENTIONING YEAH.
UH, ONE OF THE, UH, ORDERS THAT I KNOW WE'VE WORKED WITH SOME MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES ON ARE THE FIREARM REMOVAL ORDERS, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT A MANDATORY THING, BUT, UH, AT THEIR DISCRETION, THEY CAN, IF THEY DETERMINE THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE, THEY CAN ORDER THOSE BE SURRENDERED TO SS A P D OR B C S O.
UM, SO THERE IS SOME DISCRETION.
AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT THE, UH, THE DALE ASSESSMENT THAT, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY, UM, I SAY WE
UH, WE'RE ALSO THROUGH THE C C D V, UH, IN CONVERSATIONS TO TRAIN OUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES AND OUR OTHER JUDGES TO ALSO START UTILIZING THAT SAME ASSESSMENT, UH, TO AGAIN, KIND OF DETERMINE LETHALITY, UH, THREATS, UM, AND POTENTIALLY REFER THOSE CASES TO THINGS LIKE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HIGH RISK, UH, TEAM THAT WE REFERENCED EARLIER.
SO THERE'S SOME DISCRETION, BUT JUDGE, JUDGE OTO WOULD PROBABLY BE A BETTER YEAH.
THEN LASTLY, UH, I'M, I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE DOWNSTREAM, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, RIGHT? WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH REGARDS TO UPSTREAM, IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE WE CAN INTERRUPT THAT CYCLE BETWEEN BEING ABUSED AND THEN BECOMING AN ABUSER YOURSELF, AS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABUSED AS A CHILD, BECOMING AN ABUSER, OR BECOMING A VICTIM.
AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT UP FOR DEBATE, THAT JUST THAT HAPPENS, RIGHT? UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING THERE? THANK YOU.
YOU BROUGHT ME BACK FROM MY WEAKNESS TO MY STRENGTH.
UM, WE DO DO A LOT OF PROGRAMMING ON THE DOWNSTREAM END, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE YOU'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED SOMETHING, RIGHT? BUT PEOPLE NEED SOMETHING EARLIER ON.
AND EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT HEAD START, EARLY, HEAD START T UH, EDUCATION ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, SAFE RELATIONSHIPS IN ADOLESCENTS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THEIR FINANCIAL NEEDS MET, THAT THEY HAVE SAFE HOUSING, THAT THEY HAVE FOOD, THAT THEY ARE EMPLOYED.
ALL OF THESE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS ARE THE ROOT CAUSES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS BREAKING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE IT AGAIN AND PERPETRATE IT.
UM, SO THIS ALL STARTS 20, 30 YEARS AGO IN SOMEBODY'S LIFE, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS THERE.
YEAH, THAT'S, I KNOW WE HAVE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS THERE.
SO WHAT'S THE PLAN?
I'M AT ABOUT 13 AND A HALF MONTHS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE WITH THE CRISIS RESPONSE AND THE LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO AFFECT POLICY AND SYSTEMS SO THAT WE'RE ACTING EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.
IT'S A BIG LIFT, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE TO DO AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT MARIA GOMEZ HAS BEEN EXAMINING SOME THINGS ALONG WITH JUDGE DIAZ.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAS ANY COMMENTS TO SHARE.
SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, COUNCIL MENES, I MENTIONED THIS PAST YEAR, WE, UM, FOCUS ON ORGANIZING ALL OF OUR INTERNAL WORK ON A RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
THAT IS GOING TO ADDRESS THE UPSTREAM THAT YOU ARE MENTIONING.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO THE SAME THING WHEN WE'RE GONNA COORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF HUMAN SERVICES, METRO HEALTH PARKS AND RECREATION MUNICIPAL COURT, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE UPSTREAM PROGRAMMING TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE HOW WE, UM, ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, UM, AT A YOUNGER AGE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON, ON THE WORK THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME OF THAT AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
WHEN WE PRESENT TO YOU IN AUGUST, UH, IN THE METRO HEALTH PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE COORDINATION OF THOSE EFFORTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? UH, COUNCILMAN MHI RODRIGUEZ.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I, I'LL START BY SAYING I'M GLAD TO FO UH, SEE THE FOCUS ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND THE USE OF TOOLS LIKE THE DANGER ASSESSMENT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UH,
[01:25:01]
BECAUSE THEY'RE EVIDENCE BASED IN NATURE.UM, I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, UH, PREVENTION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF ALL THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE NEED AN APPROACH THAT DOESN'T SOLELY, UH, CENTER AROUND LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT RATHER RECOGNIZES THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO VIOLENCE.
UM, WITH THE USE OF THE, THE DALE, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT SERVICES BECOME AVAILABLE ONCE WE IDENTIFY THAT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A, A RISK OF LETHAL VIOLENCE.
UM, THE BIG SHIFT, UM, WHEN INCORPORATING THE DALE IS THE TRIAGE OF VICTIMS AND THE TIMELINESS OF SERVICES.
CURRENTLY, UM, THE WAY WE HANDLE ANY CASES THAT WE RECEIVE FROM S A P D IS WE LOOK AT THE OFFENSES THAT ARE LISTED, UM, FOR THE, THE REPORT THAT'S FILED AND GO BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE DOCUMENTATION AND WHAT THE C R T OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON AND SAY, THIS IS LIKELY TO BE HIGHER RISK.
THAT'S LIKELY TO BE HIGHER RISK.
THE DALE IS A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO SAY, IF A PERSON ANSWERS YES A CERTAIN NUMBER OF TIMES, THAT'S YOUR RED FLAG.
YOU NEED TO HELP THEM IMMEDIATELY, THEY MOVE TO THE TOP OF YOUR LIST.
AND SO PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE THE SAME TYPES OF SERVICES AND SUPPORTS, BUT THIS WILL HELP US MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY.
TRIAGE, UH, S A P D WILL IS INCORPORATING HOW THEY'RE CHANGING THEIR PROTOCOL AROUND IT.
METRO HEALTH IS DOING THE SAME THING.
AND BASICALLY WE JUST SHIFT THOSE FOLKS, JUST LIKE YOU'RE IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM, THEY GO RIGHT TO THE TOP OF THE LIST BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A SEVERE INCIDENT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE THAN OTHER FOLKS ARE.
WE DO GET TO EVERYONE, SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE SOME WILL BE LOST, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE COVERAGE TO DO THAT.
WE JUST CHANGE THE PRIORITIZATION.
AND I THINK I'LL ASK ABOUT A FEW SPECIAL POPULATIONS NOW.
UM, SO SAY THE SURVIVOR OF VIOLENCE IS UNDOCUMENTED OR A RECENT IMMIGRANT, DO WE HAVE RESOURCES SPECIFIC TO THESE POPULATIONS? AND THEN, UM, IS THE DEAL TRANSLATED AND ABLE TO BE DELIVERED IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES? UH, USING OUR RESOURCES? I, I LOOKED UP THE ASSESSMENT AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND SPANISH, BRAZILIAN, PORTUGUESE, AND, UH, FRENCH CANADIAN.
THE DALE HAS NOT BEEN TESTED AS EVIDENCE-BASED IN ANY OTHER LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, WHICH IS A HAZARD, BUT NONE OF THE OTHER TOOLS HAVE EITHER.
UM, SO IT'S STILL THE VERY BEST OPTION TO USE.
THEY HAVE CREATED A SPANISH VERSION THAT HAS BECOME FAIRLY STANDARD ACROSS THE, THE COUNTRY, UH, AND ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING THAT TO US.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'LL USE LANGUAGE TRANSLATION SERVICES THAT ARE ROUTINELY AVAILABLE.
UH, IT JUST ALTERS THAT EVIDENCE BASE FOR THAT TOOL.
AND I, AND I GUESS I'LL GET INTO MORE RESOURCES IN A LITTLE BIT MM-HMM.
AND THAT EXCLUDES, YOU KNOW, AN ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, IT EXCLUDES SAME SEX.
IT EXCLUDES, UH, INSTANCES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE WOMAN IS THE PERPETRATOR MM-HMM.
AND SO I'M WONDERING HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF CHANGES OR WHAT KIND OF, UH, PIVOTS WILL WE MAKE TO MAKE IT MORE, UH, RELEVANT? RIGHT.
UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, THE DALE WAS ONLY TESTED IN INTIMATE PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE MALE FEMALE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE EVIDENCE-BASED LIES.
HOWEVER, IT IS USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN ANY INTIMATE PARTNER RELATIONSHIP, REGARDLESS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, WE WILL USE IT THAT WAY.
UH, WE ARE NOT, WE'RE, WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ALTERING SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES TO FIT THE NEEDS OF MORE PEOPLE, AND IT WON'T BE EVIDENCE-BASED BECAUSE THE EVIDENCE DOESN'T EXIST YET.
UH, AND THAT, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT OUR EXPERTISE, BUT WE ADOPT THINGS TO ACCOMMODATE.
UM, AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT OFF THE BAT, 20% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE ARE MALE.
UM, SO THAT DEMONSTRATES JUST ONE LITTLE PIECE, THAT IT'S NOT TRADITIONALLY WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE RELATIONSHIPS OF ALL TYPES THAT EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE, AND WE SUPPORT EVERYONE AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THEY GET WHAT THEY NEED.
AND YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT I, I JUST WANT TO RESTATE BECAUSE I THINK IT APPLIES TO A LOT OF THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AT THE CITY, AND IT'S THAT WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO ALTERING SYSTEMS
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TO FIT THE NEEDS OF MORE PEOPLE.AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU SAID THAT.
UM, I'M GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING THE SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT ADDRESSING THESE POWER DYNAMICS MUST INCLUDE IS, UM, UH, INCLUDE ACCESS TO LEGAL RESOURCES, NOT JUST, UH, FOR PROTECTIVE ORDERS, BUT FOR LONGER TERM, UH, SAFETY ISSUES, LIKE VISITATION OF CHILDREN AND ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES, UM, WHICH OFTEN BECOME A FACTOR IN POWER DYNAMICS.
UM, AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT LEGAL RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND WHAT TOOLS ARE WE LOOKING AT TO PROVIDE, UM, PROVIDE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT? MM-HMM.
SO THEY HAVE PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AS WELL AS THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER.
UM, BUT MOSTLY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR HELP WITH PROTECTIVE ORDERS, UH, DIVORCE OR SEPARATION, CHILD CUSTODY.
I THINK THAT'S ALL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR.
CAN CAN WE REWIND ON THIS LIVE SPEED? UH, I, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, UH, THE COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS ALSO WORKED WITH THE COUNTY TO EXPAND LEGAL RESOURCES.
IN PARTICULAR, UH, THOSE SITUATIONS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFERENCING, UH, FOR CASES WHERE THERE ARE DIVORCE ISSUES, VISITATION ISSUES, CUSTODY, UH, DISPUTES, AND CASES THAT INVOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THERE IS NOW, UH, A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND, UH, TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, UH, TO PRO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIFICALLY THOSE CASES.
SO THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER THAT, UH, IS AN ARM OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE APPLIES FOR THE, UH, ON BEHALF OF APPLICANTS, THE MAJORITY OF PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
UH, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO, TO HANDLE THE PROTECTIVE ORDER ISSUE.
SO WHEN THEY IDENTIFY THOSE ADDITIONAL DIVORCE OR CUSTODY ISSUES, UH, THAT ARE TIED TO THE SAME CASE, THEY WILL REFER IT TO TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID, AND THEY CAN HELP THEM GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMISSION HELPED TO ESTABLISH, UH, AND IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE NEXT YEAR, FOR THIS YEAR, RATHER, IS EXPANDING THE CAPACITY, UH, OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THOSE IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND I, THIS NEXT QUESTION MIGHT ALSO BE APPROPRIATE FOR YOU AS WELL, AND I GUESS I'M IN THE WRONG FIELD TO HAVE A FAVORITE ATTORNEY,
ARE THERE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH OR, UM, OTHER REQUIRED PROGRAMS FOR PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENCE THAT WOULD FOCUS ON RECIDIVISM PREVENTION? WELL, I WOULD SAY WHAT, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHAT I SEE IN THE COURTS AND I'LL, UH, ALLOW, UH, OTHER FOLKS TO ADD IN IS, UH, THE BIP PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT WE COMMONLY, UH, ORDER THOSE WHO HAVE, UH, COMMITTED VIOLENCE TO, UH, PARTAKE IN.
IT'S THE BATTERS INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS INTENDED TO, UH, FOCUS ON WHAT IT IS THAT MAKES SOMEONE BE A BATTER, TRY TO INTERVENE AND PREVENT, UH, FROM HAPPENING AGAIN BY SHIFTING THEIR WAY OF THINKING, UH, BY, UH, SHOWING THEM WHAT A RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIP IS AND, UH, HOW THEY SHOULD BEHAVE IN THAT TYPE OF A RELATIONSHIP.
IT'S A VERY INTENSIVE COURSE THAT WE COMMONLY ORDER INDIVIDUALS TO, AND THAT WE DO KNOW HAS AN IMPACT ON RECIDIVISM.
SO THAT'S, I CAN SPEAK TO, TO THAT PARTICULAR COURSE.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS THAT ANYONE WANTS TO ADD.
I'LL, I'LL END WITH A, A FEW CLOSING THOUGHTS.
AND ONE IS THAT I IMAGINE THAT THE USE OF THE DALE TOOL AND OTHER CITY, UM, UH, AND OTHER CITYWIDE DISCUSSIONS AND TOOLS WILL PROVIDE US WITH SOME DATA THAT CAN HELP OUR CITY IDENTIFY LARGE SCALE CONDITIONS THAT PREDICT THE RISK OF VIOLENCE.
UM, AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, TALK TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES NOW.
I FEEL THAT WE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND POLICY MAKERS NEED TO BE PREPARED TO IDENTIFY WHAT SPECIFIC CONDITIONS EXIST THAT MUST BE CHANGED AND CHALLENGED IN ORDER TO PREVENT, UH, THIS TYPE OF VIOLENCE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THESE SOLUTIONS LIE IN OUR GOALS FOR EQUITY AND ELIMINATING THOSE POWER DISPARITIES AND OPPORTUNITY DISPARITIES BY GENDER, RACE, UH, AND ALSO AMONG THE L G B T Q I A COMMUNITY.
SO, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR, UH, ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS.
UM, CHAIRWOMAN, IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MENTION THAT THIS COMMITTEE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE AND, UH, AND Y U APPROVED WAS $1 MILLION TO HELP US, UH, PROVIDE MORE LEGAL SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND ALSO TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING ADDED TO THE CONSOLIDATED FUNDING PROCESS.
AND, UH, THAT WILL COME BACK TO YOUR APPROVAL AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS ALLOCATED
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DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.COUNCILMAN IKA RODRIGUEZ, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ERICA, I WANNA THANK YOUR TEAM.
I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO RICK BECAUSE BACK IN THE DAY, HE USED TO WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION, A PARTNERSHIP ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD GO AND SPEAK TO THE POLICE OFFICERS, UM, ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DURING I THINK THE WEEKLY TRAINING.
UH, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE 24 HOURS, HE WAS PART OF ONE OF THOSE AGENCY, AND NOW HE'S ON STAFF WITH US HERE.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO GET THIS DONE.
I WANNA THANK JUDGE DIAZ AND OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOR MARIA VILLA GOMEZ FOR, FOR CHAMPIONING THIS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I DID THE, I WAS A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, UM, WORKING WITH THE POLICE FOR SEVEN YEARS.
AND THE ONE THING I FEEL LIKE THIS PRESENTATION HAS SHOWN IS THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE STATUS OF WOMEN REPORT THAT WAS PUT OUT A FEW YEARS AGO.
'CAUSE EVEN THOUGH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, IMPACTS MEN AND WOMEN, UH, AMONG, UH, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUSES, UM, IT, IT DOES IMPACT WOMEN THE MOST.
AND I THINK WHEN WE THINK, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS BIG PICTURE IS HOW DO WE MAKE SAN ANTONIO WOMEN FEEL SAFE? AND, UM, THE, THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK TO THIS QUESTION, BUT I THINK YOU, YOUR, YOUR START HERE IS VERY GOOD.
THE CALLS OF SERVICE ARE STILL, AND THE REPORTS ARE STILL VERY HIGH NUMBERS, UM, INDICATING THAT WE, WE NEED TO DO MORE.
AND I DO LIKE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES', UM, IDEA ABOUT BRINGING MORE OF THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY IN, BUT I THINK WHEN WE DO, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE, UM, HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT SOME OF THEIR, UH, PATRIARCHAL VIEWS REGARDING WOMEN, BECAUSE IT'S, THAT IS GOING TO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING THESE VIOLENT CRIMES FROM HAPPENING.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW THIS INCORPORATES WITH OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD, BECAUSE WHAT, FROM WHAT I COULD REMEMBER IS IF HE WAS ABUSING HIS WIFE, HE WAS PROBABLY ABUSING THE DOGS TOO, OR THE PETS.
AND IT WA IT DIDN'T, IT JUST DIDN'T START WITH THEIRS.
SO I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE CALLS AND NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT A C S IS LOOKING FOR THOSE AND HAVING A WAY FOR THEM TO CONTACT THE PROPER CHANNELS, ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZING IF THIS IS, UM, SOMEONE MALE OR FEMALE, UH, IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP THAT MAY NOT BE READY TO GO TO THE POLICE, UM, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A CRITICAL INCIDENT TO THERE, UM, FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
THE OTHER THING I, UM, I THINK, UM, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT IS WORKING WITH, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE UPSTREAM ISSUES, IS I THINK WE ARE DOING THAT EFFECTIVELY.
I JUST THINK WHEN, WHEN WE DO THAT, UM, PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ISSUE, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE CHILDREN AND GOING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT WE NEED TO SAY THIS HELPS IN THE UPSTREAM ISSUES BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP IS AND HELPS WITH THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK METRO HEALTH HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE, BUT WHEN WE GET TO THIS POINT THAT, THAT METRO HEALTH IS DOING, AND, AND ERICA, YOUR TEAM IS DOING IT IS, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THE TERM TRIAGE, BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF TRIAGE MM-HMM.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP AND HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE WIDER CONVERSATIONS AT THE COUNCIL.
UM, THE ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF, UM, IS UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEGAL RIGHTS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME IN TERMS OF EVICTION, IN TERMS OF CHILD, UH, SUPPORT, IN TERMS OF, UM, RIGHTS TO THEIR CHILDREN, AND WHEN THEY CAN TELL THEM THAT THEY CAN HAVE A VISIT.
SO I THINK ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS, UM, FINANCIAL SECURITY, UM, I, I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT TOO.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK THESE ARE, THESE ARE GOOD STEPS.
THIS IS JUST A VERY, UM, DIFFICULT ISSUE THAT LEADS TO, TO, UM, TO A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR FAMILIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE CALLS IS THIS ISN'T JUST, UM, ONE INDIVIDUAL, BUT WE NEED TO KIND OF SEE IS THAT THIS IS AN
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ENTIRE FAMILY AND IN SOME CASES A WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT'S IMPACTED BY THAT.TO WHAT EXTENT ARE WE USING, UM, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISING TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT? RIGHT.
I, I, I DRIVE UP AND DOWN I 10 EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND I DON'T SEE ANY BILLBOARDS OR MESSAGING.
I DON'T SEE ANY ON THE VIA BUSES.
UH, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THEY LET US WRAP A BUS OR TWO.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'RE REVISITING THAT.
UH, TYPICALLY WE'VE KIND OF SEASONALLY AND OPPORTUNISTICALLY ADDRESSED THAT OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE A HIGH RISK TIME FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ABUSE IN THE HOME.
BUT THROUGH THE C C D V, WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, A MORE LEGITIMATE AND FOCUSED COMMUNICATION PLAN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME DIFFERENT POINTS OF COMMUNICATION GOING ON THROUGH THE WHOLE YEAR, DIFFERENT AUDIENCES, DIFFERENT POINTS TO BE UNDERSTOOD, UH, AND MAKE SOMETHING MORE EFFECTIVE OUT OF THAT.
IS THERE, IS THERE A PLAN TO INCREASE THAT? UH, YES.
WHAT'S THE PLAN? THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING IT RIGHT NOW, SO I DON'T QUITE HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
UH, THAT ACTUALLY OUR, THAT'S OUR FINAL ITEM FOR, UM, JUNE.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING HERE IN AUGUST.
THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR COMING TODAY.