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>> HAVRDA: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO THE JUNE MEETING OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING. I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL?
[Approval of Minutes ]
THE FIRST ITEM IS -- ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? OKAY.APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 21ST, 2024 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND.
>> HAVRDA: GOOD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
[Consent ]
ANY AGAINST? MINUTES ARE APPROVED. AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE THREE ITEMS CONCERNING ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. DOES ANYONE WANT TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE STATE AGENCY? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA SAY AYE? CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 5. MARIA.[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
>> ITEM NUMBER 5 IS AN UPDATE ON OUR SA-CORE PROGRAM.
THIS IS OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM THAT IS MADE UP OF A TEAM WITH MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND A CIVILIAN CLINICIAN.
AND WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THIS COMMITTEE ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGIC GUIDE THAT OUR METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WORKING ON. SO JESSE HIGGINS FROM METRO HEALTH IS HERE TO MAKE THAT
PRESENTATION. JESSE? >> GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON, SORRY. THANK YOU, MARIA AND THANK YOU, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TODAY TO UPDATE YOU ON SA-CORE AND THE PROGRESS OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGIC GUIDE.
BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS ARE TRULY A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN ADDITION TO METRO HEALTH, SAPD AND SAFD HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE IMPACT OF SA-CORE, WE COULD NOT DO WITHOUT OUR PARTNERS OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL AND SHCS. I'LL ALSO BE GIVING YOU AN UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGIC GUIDE.
THE LAST TIME WE PRESENTED TO YOU ON SA-CORE WAS IN APRIL OF LAST YEAR WHEN WE GAVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE ONE-YEAR PILOT. IN THIS PRESENTATION TODAY WE'LL LOOK AT THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH OVERVIEW, THE BACKGROUND OF THE TEAM WITH THE REVIEW OF THE ONE-YEAR PILOT, THE CURRENT STATE AND NEXT CITIZENS AND FINISH WITH AN UPDATE ON THE STRATEGIC GUIDE.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE NEED IN OUR CITY. THIS SLIDE SHOWS SAPD'S MENTAL HEALTH CALLS FROM 2019 TO 2023. YOU CAN SEE THAT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC WE'VE HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AND AS WE CONTINUE TO DESTIGMATIZE MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AND OFFER A RESPONSE LIKE SA-CORE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGH CALL VOLUME. THE TOTAL SO FAR FOR 2024 THROUGH APRIL WAS '10 THOUSAND 567 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS WHICH MEANS WE'RE ON TRACK FOR A SIMILAR NUMBER OF CALLS THIS YEAR. AS WE WORK TOWARDS STABILIZING 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THE STRATEGIC APPROACH TO THE INTERSECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT WHERE SA-CORE TEAMS SHOULD BE EXPANDED AT THE LOOKED AT A MAP OF CALLS THAT SHOWS UNIQUE ADDRESSES THAT HAD TWO OR MORE SAPD 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS. THIS IS THE MAP FOR 2023 AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NEED IS FAIRLY WELL SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. BEFORE UPDATING YOU ON SA-CORE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SHOW YOU THE WORK OF SAPD'S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT WHICH IS EVERYTHING IN BLUE ON THIS SLIDE. AND SAFD'S MOBILE INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE OR MIH PARAMEDICS, WHICH IS EVERYTHING IN RED.
BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE A HISTORY OF WORKING IN THE MENTAL HEALTH ARENA INDEPENDENTLY WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH PARTNERS LIKE STRAC AND CHCS. ON THIS SLIDE WE'LL LOOK AT THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT AND THEN MIH AND THEN WHERE THEY WERE WORKING TOGETHER. STARTING ON THE LEFT IN BLUE, SAPD'S MENTAL HEALTH COUNT HAS ONE SERGEANT, THREE DETECTIVES AND 24 OFFICERS. TO GET INDIVIDUALS IN A CRISIS TO THE RIGHT CARE AT THE RIGHT TIME SAPD PARTICIPANTS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION AND GET NAVIGATED TO HOSPITALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CAPACITY.
WHEN [INDISCERNIBLE] THEY HAVE A PROTOCOL TO SUPPORT PATROL WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH UNIT OFFICERS. IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY DETENTION WITH A WEAPON, OFFICERS SEIZE THE WEAPON AND THE PERSON MUST GET AN ORDER FROM THE JUDGE TO RELEASE IT. AND THE MULTI-AGENCY PARTNERSHIP FOR MOBILIZATION, OR MAPS PROGRAM, IS A TEAM IN WHICH MENTAL HEALTH UNIT OFFICERS
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AND CHC CLINICIANS CONNECTS PERSONS OF CONCERN TO SERVICES.IF YOU GO TO THE RIGHT OF THE SLIDE, YOU SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF PROGRAMS FOR SAFD'S MIH PARAMEDICS. THEY HAVE FOUR LIEUTENANTS, FOUR PARAMEDICS, 184 TRAINED ALTERNATES. MIH WORKS WITH EMS 911 HIGH VOLUME UTILIZERS IN THEIR HBU PROGRAM. THEY PROVIDE HOSPICE SERVICES TO CONTRACTED PATIENTS. THEY WORK DIRECTLY WITH MOLINA FOR MANAGED CARE PATIENTS. POLYOVERDOSE PROGRAM CONNECTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE OVERDOSED ON ANY SUBSTANCE TO FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. MIH PARAMEDICS STAFF THE ACUTE CARE STATION AT HAVEN FOR HOPE WHICH ADDRESSES PHYSICAL HEALTH CONCERNS ON-SITE AND PROVIDES TRANSFER TO HOSPITALS. THE OPIOID PREVENTION RESPONSE CONNECTS PEOPLE WHO OVERDOSED ON OPIOIDS TO FOLLOW-UP SERVICES AND THEY HAVE A DEDICATED NAVIGATOR WHO ASSISTS WITH COMPLEX PATIENTS AND HIGH CALL VOLUME UTILIZERS. IN THE CITY YOU SEE THE CITY'S MULTIPLE DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH. IN BEHAVIORAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT ASSESSMENT GROUPS THE FUSION CITY BRINGS TOGETHER KEY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS. SAPD AND SAFD TEACH CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING TO THEIR CADETS, IN SERVICE, DISPATCH AND ALONG WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OTHER AGENCIES. THE PROGRAM FOR INTENSIVE CARE COORDINATION DETAILS OFFICERS, MEDICS AND CLINICIANS TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH EMERGENCY ATTENTION TO SERVICES AND ON THE IMPACT TEAM OFFICERS AND MEDICS COLLABORATE TO WORK WITH MIH HIGH VOLUME UTILIZERS. THE SA-CORE PROGRAM WHICH OF COURSE WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY AND WE'RE ALL VERY ACTIVE IN SOUTH TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE AND THE COMMITTEES THAT WORK CONTINUALLY TO IMPROVE CRISIS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CITY HAS A RICH HISTORY AND INVESTMENT IN THIS INTERSECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY. DIVING INTO SA CO, IN 2021 THE MEADOWS MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE CONDUCTED AN ANALYSIS OF THE SAN ANTONIO FIRST RESPONSE SYSTEM. THE KEY FINDING WAS THAT THERE WAS AN EXISTING SYSTEM OF COLLABORATION BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY. YOU SAW THAT ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO DEVELOP AN EXPANSION OF POLICING AND COMMUNITY APPROACHES TO MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO GIVE MORE RESPONSE OPTIONS TO SUPPORT SAPD AND TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
AS THE WORK GROUP DEVELOPED THIS NEW PROGRAM, THESE OBJECTIVES WERE IDENTIFIED.
THE SA-CORE TEAM RESPONDS TO 911 MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS CALLS TO ASSIST PERSONS HEALTH CRISIS USING THE- LEAST RESTRICTIVE APPROACH WITH A CLINICAL TEAM AT THE FOREFRONT, REDUCES UNNECESSARY ARRESTS BY ROUTING PEOPLE TO CORRECT LEVELS OF CARE AND INCREASES ACCESS TO OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
IN APRIL OF 2022, WE BEGAN THE SA-CORE PILOT PROGRAM. THROUGHOUT THIS FIRST YEAR THE TEAM OPERATED AN SAPD CENTRAL SUBSTATION WHERE THERE WERE THE HIGHEST VOLUME OF MENTAL HEALTH RELATED 911 CALLS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 7:00 TO 11:00 P.M., WHICH IS 16 HOURS A DAY.
FOR THE ONE-YEAR PILOT, EXISTING RESOURCES FROM THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE USED. THE CITY HOLDS A CONTRACT WITH STRAC FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEAM AND THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH CHCS.
IT ALSO PERFORMS DATA ANALYTICS. THE TEAM CONSISTS OF A MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN WHO IS ABLE TO ASSESS THE PERSON IN CRISIS.
THE MIH PARAMEDIC WHO CHECKS VITALS AND PROVIDES MEDICATION AND HEALTH AND THE MENTAL HEALTH OFFICER WHO SECURES THE SCENE AND IS ABLE TO DEESCALATE AND ASSIST WITH EMERGENCY DETENTIONS. NOT ONLY DO INDIVIDUALS AT SA-CORE RESPONDS TO RECEIVE THIS EXCELLENT RESPONSE, THEY ALL HAVE FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS WHO WORK AFTER THE INITIAL RESPONSE TO ENGAGE PEOPLE INTO SERVICES AND CONTINUE TO MEET NEEDS. THIS EFFORT IS TRULY A PARTNERSHIP AND I'M THANKFUL FOR EACH AGENCY'S DEDICATION TO THE TEAM. IN THIS ONE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM FROM APRIL '22 TO MARCH 2023, THE TEAM WAS DISPATCHED TO 1,465 CALLS.
35% WERE RESOLVED ON SCENE BECAUSE THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO DEHE IS ESCALATE THE CRISIS AND REFER TO THE FOLLOW-UP CLINICIAN. 28 WERE EMERGENCY DETAINED BY THE POLICE OFFICER TO A HOSPITAL BECAUSE THEY WERE IN IMMEDIATE HARM TO SELF OR OTHERS. OR WERE SO DECOMPENSATED THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO SAFELY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. 13 WERE TRANSPORTED BY THE TEAM EITHER TO A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL THAT THEY ASKED TO GO TO, TO AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC OR TO TAKE CARE OF A SOCIAL NEED OR MAYBE BY EMS TO A HOSPITAL TO TAKE CARE OF A PHYSICAL NEED. LESS THAN ONE% WERE ARRESTED ONLY .4% AND 12% FELL INTO ANOTHER CATEGORY WHERE THE TEAM WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE INDIVIDUAL OR THE TEAM ASSISTED OTHER UNITS. AND 12% WERE CANCELED IN
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ROUTE WHEN ANOTHER UNIT ADDRESSED THE CALL FIRST. AFTER THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE BY THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM, FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS WORKED TO ENGAGE PEOPLE INTO SERVICES. THEY CALL, EMAIL OR VISIT PEOPLE IN-PERSON OR AT THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN. AFTER ENGAGING THE INDIVIDUALS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS, THE FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS CONNECT PEOPLE TO CHCS SERVICES, OTHER OUTPATIENT SERVICES AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.WHEN PEOPLE DECLINE SERVICES, OR UNABLE TO BE LOCATED OR CONTACTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OR MOVE AWAY OR GET INCARCERATED, THE CLINICIAN WILL DISCHARGE THEM FROM THEIR CASELOAD. FROM THE START OF THE PROGRAM IN APRIL 2022 UNTIL DECEMBER 2022 THE SA-CORE FOLLOW-UP TEAM SAW 740 UNIQUE CLIENTS.
OF THESE 740 CLIENTS, 15% WERE ALREADY CONNECTED WITH CHCS SERVICE IS.
56% STARTED THE SERVICES AND 29 REFUSED SERVICES. WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM WITH THE COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE TEAM AND THE THOROUGH FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS, THESE INDIVIDUALS COULD EASILY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE SYSTEM.
LAST YEAR AFTER WE PRESENTED TO YOU ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE ONE-YEAR PILOT COUNCIL APPROVED TWO ADDITIONAL TEAMS IN THE MIDYEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
THEN IN THE FY24 BUDGET COUNCIL APPROVED FOR THREE TEAMS TO GO FROM DAILY 16 HOUR COVERAGE TO 24 HOUR COVERAGE. SO JANUARY OF THIS YEAR THE TWO TEAMS LAUNCHED AND BEGAN CITYWIDE COVERAGE AND ON MONDAY THE TEAMS WILL MOVE TO 24 HOUR COVERAGE. YOU SKIPPING TO CURRENT SKATE, THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU THE THREE TEAMS RESPONSES FROM JANUARY 1ST TO MAY 31ST OF THIS YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF THE RESPONSES SO FAR. TEAM ONE COVERS THE CENTRAL SUBSTATION, EAST SUBSTATION AND THE NEW DOWNTOWN SUBSTATION. THIS TEAM HAS 457 RESPONSES IN THIS TIME PERIOD. TEAM 2 COVERS THE CREW AND NORTH SUBSTATIONS AND THIS TEAM HAS 363 RESPONSES. TEAM 3 COVERS WEST AND SOUTH SUBSTATIONS AS AND THIS TEAM HAS 404 RESPONSES. HERE'S A DEEPER -- OOP, SKIP.
THERE WE GO. HERE'S A DEEPER DIVE INTO EACH TEAM'S RESPONSES.
AS YOU RECALL FROM THE EARLIER SIDE, THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO FIRST OF ALL RESPOND TO 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS TO ASSIST PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS USING THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE APPROACH.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ACROSS ALL THREE TEAMS THE MAJORITY OF CALLS ARE RESOLVED ON SCENE, TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL BY EMERGENCY DETENTION OR TRANSPORTED TO ADDRESS ANOTHER NEED. SECOND OF ALL, WE WANT TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY ARRESTS BY ROUTING PEOPLE TO THE CORRECT LEVEL OF CARE. YOU CAN SEE [INDISCERNIBLE] OUT OF A TOTAL OF 1,244 WERE ARRESTED BY THE SA-CORE TEAM.
AND LASTLY, INCREASED ACCESS TO OUTPATIENT SERVICES THROUGH FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING ENGAGED BY FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS. THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU THAT ENGAGEMENT OF THE CHCS FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS DURING THIS TIME OF JANUARY THROUGH APRIL.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WITH THE FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS OUTCOME BECAUSE STRAC, CHCS AND THE TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING TO IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION SO WE HAVE MORE DATA FOR YOU ON THIS YEAR. STARTING WITH THE TEAL ON THE LEFT, SIX PERCENT HAVE BEEN CONNECTED BACK TO THEIR ESTABLISHED PSYCHIATRIC PROVIDER. THIS COULD BE A CHCS PROVIDER OR OUTSIDE PROVIDER. FIVE PERCENT HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO A NEW PROVIDER LIKE A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR OR A PSYCHIATRIST IN THE COMMUNITY.
ONE PERCENT HAD A SOCIAL NEED MET THAT'S IMPROVING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
18% HAVE BEEN NEWLY CONNECTED TO CHCS SERVICES. 31% ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS. NINE PERCENT HAVE DECLINED SERVICES.
FIVE PERCENT HAVE AN INVALID CONTACT INFORMATION. 24% CANNOT BE FOUND AND ONE PERCENT LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY. AND AS OF APRIL 30TH, LESS THAN ONE PERCENT ARE INCARCERATE AND ARE STILL BEING FOLLOWED IN JAIL.
THAT'S ONLY FOUR PEOPLE. THIS TEAM CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO GET PEOPLE INTO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT COULD BE LIFE CHANGING AND LIFE SAVING. OUR NEXT STEPS AGAIN WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
MONDAY WE'LL BE READY TO EXPAND OVERNIGHT COVERAGE. THIS WILL GIVE OUR CITY 24 HOUR COVERAGE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND MENTAL HEALTH SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY BROADLY. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE SYNERGY AND PASSION AND NOW IS THE TIME TO INTENTIONALLY EXAMINE THIS AREA AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. WE'VE ENGAGED A CONSULTANT WHO HAS COMPLETED REPORTS LIKE THIS FOR THE CITY, KATHLEEN DILLARD GONZÁLEZ, TO HELP US CREATE AND EXECUTE THE STRATEGIC GUIDE.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGIC GUIDE IS TO ESTABLISH THE ISSUE AREAS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY,
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PROVIDE A DEFINED VISION AND PURPOSE TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.IDENTIFY EXAMPLES OF SIMILAR WORK IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND ALIGN STRATEGIC GOALS ACROSS METRO HEALTH, SAPD AND SAFD. HOW CAN WE USE OUR EXISTING COLLABORATION AND SYNERGY TO MOVE FORWARD? THE CONTINUED LACK OF SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH [INDISCERNIBLE] THROUGH A HEALTH CARE RESPONSE AS WITH OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS HAS SHIFTED THE PUBLIC ROLES RELATED TO THE POLICE, FIRE AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. HOWEVER, THESE ENTITIES ARE NOT COMPLETELY EQUIPPED TO TACKLE THE FULL BREADTH OF THE RESPONSE.
THERE IS INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE CITY RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY DUE TO THE PUBLIC'S WILLINGNESS TO CALL 911 IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
THE AREAS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE STRATEGIC GUIDE RELATED TO DEPARTMENTAL ROLES BASED ON THE PARTNER FEEDBACK INCLUDES: DEFINING THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY, INCLUDING LIMITATIONS ON THIS ROLE AND THE RULES FOR ENGAGING IN MENTAL HEALTH WORK. DEFINING THE ROLE AND LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT FOR EACH DEPARTMENT INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, INCLUDING HOW THEY ENGAGE EACH OTHER IN THE WORK. DETERMINING THE GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE ROLES AND ALIGNING STAFFING, FUNDING, TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS BASED ON THESE DETERMINED ROLES. SINCE MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS REQUIRE INTERVENTION AND ONGOING TREATMENT, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS ARE ILL EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF ONGOING LONG-TERM CARE.
THE INTERRELATED NATURE OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND OTHER DISORDERS COUPLED WITH INDIVIDUAL'S NEEDS EX-SASS CERTIFY BATES THE NEED FOR A COMPLEX RESPONSE.
THE APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS REQUIRE INTEGRATED PLANNING PRACTICES THAT SHIFT THINKING FROM EXISTING OPTIONS TO NEW WAYS FOR PROVIDING HOLISTIC CARE.
ONCE WE ESTABLISH ROLES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY WE LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL CLARITY FOR INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSES THAT CAN ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING. WHO IS THE APPROPRIATE PARTY TO RESPOND TO 911 CALLS AND PEOPLE INVOLVED IN AN INITIAL CRISIS RESPONSE? WHAT ARE SYSTEMIC OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THE SHORTAGE AND TREATMENT CAPACITY ACROSS THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
HOW CAN WE REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE AS THE PRIMARY POINT OF ENTRY INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM OF CARE? THE CURRENT COMMUNITY SYSTEM OPERATING IN SAN ANTONIO IS BASED ON CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATIONS.
SOME ARE MANAGED BY STRAC THROUGH A NUMBER OF FUNDING MCNIXS.
THERE IS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR THESE TEAMS AND PROGRAMS AND THE EFFICIENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED IN THEM. IN SEEKING TO STRENGTHEN THIS WORK, THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE ADDRESSED: INCREASE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CITY AND COUNTY COLLABORATIONS TO IMPROVE ALIGNMENT ACROSS THEIR RESPONSES. EXPANSION OF EXISTING WORK TO ADD CAPACITY TO THEIR RESPONSE AND COLLABORATIVE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM CAPACITY AND FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SOURCES.
CURRENTLY OUR CONSULTANT HAS GATHERED FEEDBACK FROM 16 PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND NEXT STEPS WILL BE TO IDENTIFY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE STRATEGIC GUIDE FROM INTERVIEW FEEDBACK AND INITIATIVES IN OTHER COMMUNITIES TO FIND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXISTING WORK AND OF COURSE EXPAND ARUM STREAM PREVENTION WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY. I ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, STRAC AND CHCS ARE HERE TODAY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY -- IT FEELS GOOD TODAY FOR ME BECAUSE WE STARTED THIS, WHAT, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE FIRST FUNDED THE SA-CORE TEAM. WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH ARPA DOLLARS.
I FELT LIKE WE WERE ABLE TO FUND IT FOR LIKE SEVEN MINUTES A DANISHLY, BUT HERE WE ARE -- ADDITIONALLY, BUT HERE WE ARE JULY 1ST THIS IS SEEING THAT SEED COME TO FRUITION. ESPECIALLY WITH THE 24 HOURS A DAY.
I THINK A LOT OF THOSE HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR IT FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO TO KNOW NOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY A TEAM AVAILABLE TO PROCEED TO A MENTAL HEALTH CALL FEELS GOOD ABOUT THE WORK WE DID SO MANY YEARS AGO. AND WHEN I MEAN WE I DON'T JUST MEAN THE COUNCIL.
I MEAN THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING IN PUSHING FOR IT AS WELL AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND FUNDING FOR IT. ON SLIDE 10 I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. THIS REALLY SHOWS TO ME THAT -- HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT THAT WE JUST SAID, WE INDUSTRIAL A LONG WAY TO GO, RIGHT? LOOKING AT THIS SLIDE CONTINUE THIS KIND OF TELLS ME THIS WAS THE -- ULTIMATELY THE ORIGINAL GOAL, RIGHT, WAS TO REDUCE ARRESTS AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE STATS OR WE HAVE SOME COMPARISON OF NORMALLY HOW MANY ARRESTS WOULD HAPPEN IN A TIME FRAME, BUT TO SEE THAT OUT OF 1465 WE ARRESTED SIX
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TIMES, IT SEEMS SIGNIFICANT TO ME. LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS LESS THAN ONE PERCENT. NOW, EMERGENCY DETENTIONS ARE A DIFFERENT THING, BUT ACTUAL ARRESTS BEING REDUCED TO SIX IS MEANINGFUL. I THINK TO ME AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE REPRESENT.CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EMERGENCY DETENTION?
IS THAT A MEDICAL BED OR IS THAT -- >> SO AN EMERGENCY DETENTION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS ONLY ABLE TO BE CONDUCTED BY AN OFFICER OF THE LAW, AND SO IT IS WHEN AN OFFICER HAS DETERMINED THAT YOU'RE EITHER A DAY CARETORY YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE OR YOU'RE SO DECOMPENSATED THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. SO AT THAT POINT THE OFFICER IS GOING TO DETAIN YOU, IS GOING TO TAKE YOU TO A MEDICAL FACILITY. NOW, IN BEXAR COUNTY, SAN ANTONIO, WE USE A PROCESS CALLED LAW ENFORCEMENT NAVIGATION WHERE THE OFFICER CALLS AND FINDS OUT FROM MED COM AT STRAC THAT SHOWS WHERE THE CLOSEST, MOST APPROPRIATE FACILITY IS. SO LOOKING AT AGE, LOOKING AT IF THEY HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION, IF THEY HAVE INJURY.
AND SO THEY THEY COULD GO TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL OR MIGHT GO TO AN ER FOR CLEARANCE FIRST. SO SO WE HOPE THAT IN A BEHAVIORAL SETTING PEOPLE AREN'T INJURED. AND IT'S A 48 HOUR HOLD AT A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL THAT
ONLY A DOCTOR CAN LIFT. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING WE'RE -- ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GOALS ALSO WAS TO REDUCE POTENTIALLY UNNECESSARY CALLS FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO. ITEM -- SLIDE 11, THIS IS ALSO TELLING TO ME THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED OUR ORIGINAL GOAL, RIGHT? 15% ALREADY CONNECTED TO CHCS, BUT 58% STARTED. THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT TO ME. PEOPLE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE EVER BEEN IN TREATMENT. SO AGAIN, WELL DONE. THE JULY 1ST WHEN THE THREE TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE 24 HOURS, IS THAT GOING TO BE DIVIDED GEOGRAPHICALLY?
>> YES. IT WILL BE -- I'LL GET US THERE.
IT WILL BE THIS MAP. YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN, BLUE AND RED.
WE LOOKED AT HOW TO BEST DIVIDE THE CITY BASED ON POLICE SUBSTATIONS, WHICH IS ALSO HOW 911 CALLS ARE DISPATCHED OR TAKEN AND DISPATCHED.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE CENTRAL, DOWNTOWN AND EAST IS TEAM 1.
TEAM 2 IS PRUE AND NORTH. AND WEST AND SOUTH IS TEAM 3.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. THE INCREASED ACCESS TO OUTPATIENT SERVICES, AND EVEN THE MEDICAL DETENTIONS, ARE WE FINDING THAT WE'RE STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH ACCESS TO THOSE OFFENSES OR CAPACITY REALLY FOR THE PROVIDERS?
>> ABSOLUTELY. SO INCREASED NEED AND INCREASED -- I DON'T KNOW, THIS IS A FRONT DOOR. IT'S GOING TO OF COURSE HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH ACCESS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH PARTNERS, CHCS HAS A REALLY KEY SEAT AT THIS TABLE AND IS REALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS, BUT HIRING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, RECRUITING, ALL OF THAT STUFF IS PART OF THE ISSUE AS WELL. BUT YES, WE -- IT'S STILL AN
ISSUE. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE MORE ISSUES. ON SLIDE 4 MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PURPLE. I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE DISTINGUISHING.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN DO THIS AGAIN BUT WITH DIFFERENT COLORS SO I CAN SEE WHICH ONE ARE THE LESSER AMOUNT OF CALLS AND THE MORE EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF CALLS.
>> YES. >> HAVRDA: AND AM I READING THIS RIGHT? THERE ARE HOMES THAT THERE ARE 331 PLUS CALLS? IS THAT A UNIQUE ADDRESS OR
IS THAT A NEIGHBORHOOD? >> IT WOULD BE A UNIQUE ADDRESS.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S -- I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE SCALE WOULD BE.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING AS LARGE AS THAT. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
SO WHAT'S THE NEXT LARGEST? I'M HAVING TROUBLE SEEING IT.
EVEN 133 IS -- ALL OF IT IS A LOT. >> WE'LL DEFINITELY DRILL DOWN INTO THAT. IF THERE IS ANY ADDRESSES LIKE THAT THEY WOULD LIKELY BE APARTMENT COMPLEXES WHERE IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON OR ONE FAMILY.
>> HAVRDA: OKAY. >> YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IF YOU PUT YOUR EYE ON WHERE APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S MORE DENSITY THERE.
I WILL ALSO TELL YOU ONE THING ABOUT THIS MAP, WE DID REMOVE ANY HOSPITAL.
SO ANY HOSPITAL ADDRESS WHICH IS COMMON FOR OFFICERS TO COME TO AND THEN LEAVE,
THOSE WERE REMOVED. >> HAVRDA: THE REASON I ASK ALL OF THAT IS TO BE ABLE TO TELL BETTER THE DATA, BUT IF THERE'S A HOME THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CALLS, I'LL LEAVE IT TO US I GUESS TO DISCUSS WHAT SIGNIFICANT MEANS, BUT ARE WE KIND OF DRILLING DOWN AND TALKING WITH THAT FAMILY AND SEEING WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IN THAT HOME AND HOW WE CAN REDUCE THE -- THE ISSUES OF COURSE IN THE HOME FOR THEM, BUT I'M SURE THAT WOULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE AND THEN OF COURSE
REDUCE THE BURDEN ON OUR POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL. >> YES, WE ABSOLUTELY ARE.
[00:25:04]
YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM WHERE THE CITY IS LOOKING AT ALL TYPES OF CALLS, BUT IN THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS CRISIS COLLABORATIVE, BECAUSE STRAC HOLDS ALL OF EMERGENCY DETENTION DATA AND THEY HOLD IT BY PERSON'S NAME, NOT JUST BY ADDRESS. SO IF YOU WERE EMERGENCY DETAINED AT SCHOOL BY SISAD POLICE AND BEXAR COUNTY AT YOUR MOM'S HOUSE AND AT YOUR DAD'S HOUSE IN SAPD'S JURISDICTION, WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF EMERGENCY DETENTIONS, AND WE HAVE THE PIC TEAM, WHICH IS ALREADY AN OFFICER, MEDIC AND CLINICIAN THAT DOES ONGOING ENGAGEMENT IN SERVICES AND WE'VE ALSO JUST STARTED LOOKING AT PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 AS WELL TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITHTHOSE HIGH UTILIZERS. LAUGH >> HAVRDA: AND LASTLY, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL GOALS IS WHEN YOU CALL 911 YOU GET ASKED FIRE, POLICE, EMS. WE WANTED THAT FOURTH OPTION, A FOURTH OPTION OF MENTAL HEALTH.
I THINK THE LAST TIME I ASKED WE WEREN'T DOING THAT QUITE YET.
CAN YOU TELL ME AND GIVE ME ANY UPDATE ON THAT? >> YES.
THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC GUIDE.
I THINK IT'S, AGAIN, JUST RIGHT HERE AS DEFINING THAT INTERSECTION, WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING AND HOPEFULLY, AND I BELIEVE TRUST 911 AND SO THEY'RE WILLING AND ABLE AND WANT TO CALL 911. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO FLESH THAT OUT, BUT IT'S HARD -- IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO HOW WE OPERATIONALIZE THAT. WHO GETS THE FOURTH OPTION OF MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AND WHAT RESPONSE DO THEY GET AFTER THAT? IT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO, IT'S ANOTHER ISSUE OF PROVIDING ANOTHER FRONT DOOR INTO SERVICES, BUT THEN REALLY NEEDING TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER PEOPLE WALK THROUGH THAT DOOR. >> HAVRDA: I UNDERSTAND.
YOU DON'T WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION AND THEN IT GOES THE SAME PLACE ANYWAY.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ACCELERATE THAT MOVEMENT. WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THOSE OTHER GOALS AND I'D LIKE FOR US TO FOCUS ON THAT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND WHEN THEIR FAMILY OR NEIGHBOR IS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH EPISODE, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DO. IT.
>> WHEN THEY'RE GOING OUT THERE, REALLY THEY HAVE THE EXTRA TIME AS OPPOSED TO THE PATROL OFFICER RESPONSE TO GO AND REALLY SPEND TIME WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMER TO REALLY HELP TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE NEEDS ARE SO THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS. AND THE TEAMS WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER WHERE THEY FEED OFF OF EACH OTHER. SOMETIMES THE OFFICER IS ABLE TO BUILD THAT BEST RAPPORT. SOMETIMES IT'S THE CLINICIAN, SOMETIMES IT'S THE MEDIC. EVERY CALL IS DIFFERENT, BUT THE TEAMS ADAPT TO THE
SITUATION AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE CALLS RESOLVED. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. IT DOES LOOK LIKE THE TRENDS OBSERVED IN THE PILOT PROGRAM HAVE HELD DURING THE JANUARY TO APRIL PERIOD. WHAT PERCENTAGE, BALLPARK ESTIMATE, OF MENTAL HEALTH CALLS ARE BEING RESPONDED TO BY THE SA-CORE TEAMS?
WHAT GAPS ARE THERE? >> OKAY. SO FROM -- GIVE ME A
SECOND. >> WE HAD 10,000 MENTAL HEALTH CALLS FROM JANUARY 1 TO APRIL 30TH AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE 1,224 RESPONSES.
NOW, THERE'S A REASON THAT SOME OF THESE CALLS ARE NOT ADDRESSED BY SA-CORE BEYOND THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABILITY SOMEONE IS ALREADY ON SCENE OR THE TEAM IS ALREADY ON SCENE AND THEY CAN'T GO TO THAT CALL. THE OVERNIGHT RESPONSE THERE'S EIGHT HOURS WHERE THEY'RE NOT WORKING, THAT'S ONE REASON.
ANOTHER REASON IS THAT SOMETIMES WHEN A PERSON IS VERY SURE THAT THEY WANT TO GO BY EMERGENCY DETENTION OR THEY ARE HAVING AN ACUTE CRISIS, AN OFFICER IS WELL TRAINED, A PATROL OFFICER IS TRAINED AND ABLE TO TAKE THEM TO THAT HOSPITAL AND PERFORM THAT EMERGENCY DETENTION. IT'S REALLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE, THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BECOME DANGEROUS OR AGGRESSIVE THAT A CLINICIAN OR A MEDIC WOULD HELP THE OFFICER IN DEESCALATING.
[00:30:04]
IT'S REALLY THESE CALLS THAT ARE IN THE GRAY AND THAT ACTUALLY MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE RISKY THAT THE SA-CORE TEAM IS MORE POISED TO ADDRESS WITH THREE PEOPLE FROM THREE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES ADDRESSING THIS PERSON.THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE ACUTELY PSYCHOTIC BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR MAYBE A MEDICAL -- A MEDICAL LIKE AGITATED DELIRIUM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE THEY DON'T NEED TO BE DEASSETTED OR THEY DON'T NEED TO BE TALKED TO. THEY NEED TO GO TO A FACILITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. I'M NOT SAYING THAT ALL OF THE REST OF THE CALLS ARE FALLING INTO THAT, BUT THERE IS SOME TRIAGE IN WHAT'S THE BEST RESPONSE FOR THESE THREE FOLKS TO RESPOND TO VERSUS WHO CAN BE ADDRESSED QUICKER BY PATROL OR BY A
SPECIALTY UNIT IN THE FIELD. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO WHAT MAY BE USEFUL THEN I THINK FOR ME AND FOR PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, RIGHT, AND THINKING ABOUT THE -- I MISSED THE NUMBERS.
IT WAS LIKE 1,024 CALLS THAT WE RESPONDED TO AND IT WAS --
>> 12% IS WHAT WE RESPONDED. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPIER, HAPPIER, IF IT WAS MORE LIKE 25% OF THE CALLS.
WHAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL THEN WOULD BE TO KNOW OF THOSE CALLS THAT WERE NOT RESPONDED TO BY AN SA-CORE TEAM, WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES OF THOSE AND WHICH ONES OF THOSE COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE END APPLICABLE TO THIS PROGRAM? AND THAT TELLS US I THINK WHAT GAPS EXIST AND ALSO INFORMS THE WAY THAT WE
DISPATCH. >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. I ALSO WOULD BE HAPPY ON AUGUST 1 TO TELL YOU THE PERCENTAGE OF CALLS THAT GOT RESPONDED TO WHEN WE WENT ON OVERNIGHT BECAUSE THAT SHOULD -- EIGHT MORE HOURS IS --
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE, I'M SURE. >> THAT'S 33% MORE OF THE
DAY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: ABSOLUTELY.
I'LL ALSO ASK HOW MANY INSTANCES OF USE OF FORCE BY CORE TEAM MEMBERS HAVE THERE
BEEN? >> I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS -- IT'S A VERY SMALL NUMBER. I THINK IT'S -- IT'S LESS THAN FIVE IN THE TWO YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HAVE IMAGINE AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING TO HEAR, SO THANK YOU. THE NEXT PIECE IS -- I GUESS THE POINT THERE IS THAT WE'RE SEEING LESS VIOLENT INTERACTIONS AS A CORE PROGRAM AND THAT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE SHOULD WE NOT HAD THIS I WONDER HOW MANY OF THOSE WOULD BE ESCALATED TO GREATER USES OF FORCE. AND SO ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF THIS PROGRAM'S EXCELLENT WORK. THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE HIGHER RATE OF CALL CANCELLATIONS IN THE SOUTH AND WESTSIDE IS IS THAT ATTRIBUTED TO A FREQUENT CALLER OR WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT WE MEET WITH THE OPERATIONAL GROUP EVERY OTHER WEEK AND DIVE INTO THIS DATA AND WE HAVE SINCE -- IN APRIL OF TWO YEARS AGO WE MET EVERY WEEK.
WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THIS. THE DIFFERENCE IS YOU CAN SEE THE GEOGRAPHY. SO DRIVING BETWEEN ONE PLACE OR ANOTHER, IF THIS IS A CALL THAT CAN'T WAIT WE'RE NOT GETTING PEOPLE WHO HAVE CALLED 911 FOR MENTAL HEALTH OR ANY OTHER REASON TO WAIT ON MAYBE DRIVING FROM ONE END OF THE SOUTHSIDE ALL THE WAY AND ACTUALLY IF YOU GO PAST NORTHWEST, THAT LITTLE SPOT IS ALSO IN THE WEST SUBSTATION. SO IT'S A LARGER JOG AVENUE WHICH IS ONE OF THE -- GEOGRAPHY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE THAT ISSUE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: INTERESTING. I'M GOING TO THINK ABOUT
THAT, THANK YOU. >> ONE LITTLE THING. THE SMART IS A SIMILAR TEAM RUN BY THE COUNTY, AND IF YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR MAP AND THE MAPS OF THE COUNTY CALLS, THEY'VE HAD VERY SIMILAR ISSUES WITH GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL TIMES AND GETTING BACK AND FORTH. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF OUR PARTNERS AT STRAC AND CHCS IS THEY RUN AND HELP COLLABORATE WITH THE TEAMS THE EXACT SAME WE THEY DO FOR US AND SO THEY ARE ABLE TO GET AN UPDATE [INDISCERNIBLE] IS THE SAME
ACROSS THE COUNTY'S RESPONSE TEAMS AS WELL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: AFTER THE PRESENTATION CAN WE HAVE AN OVERLAY OF THAT INFORMATION AS WELL?
OR SIDE BY SIDE OR SOMETHING OF THE SORT? >> SURE.
I'LL ASTERISKS THAT. I'LL ASK THE COUNTY AND STRAC FOR THAT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I KNOW THEY'RE LESS ACCOUNTABLE FOR US.
IF YOU CAN. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN ALDRETE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
ACTUALLY MY TEAM AND I DID A RIDE ALONG WITH THE SA-CORE TEAM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, LIKE TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO. AND IT WAS FASCINATING.
WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE SCREENS THAT THEY LOOK AT, SEE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CALLS. WE DIDN'T GET TO GO ON A CALL BECAUSE WE WERE ONLY THERE FOR HALF A DAY. BUT LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, OFFICER, THEY WERE MENTIONING THAT THE BENEFIT WAS THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS AND HANDLE
[00:35:02]
THE CALLS AND NOT HAVE TO RUSH TO THE NEXT CALL. SO THAT IS HUGELY BENEFICIAL. I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE EFFORTS IN THE PAST TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH SA-CORE. I DO HAVE A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS. DO WE SEE ANY TRENDS IN WHY PEOPLE MAY REFUSE SERVICESFROM CHCS? >> SURE. IN ANY MEDICAL SERVICES WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE CHOICE. PEOPLE MAY REFUSE BECAUSE THE LOCATION IS NOT HELPFUL TO THEM. THEY MAY HAVE AN OUTSIDE PROVIDER. THEY MAY NOT THINK AT THAT MOMENT THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE A 911 MENTAL HEALTH CALL ARE HAVING A BAD DAY OR ARE NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY COULD GET HELP OR THAT THERE IS HELP FOR THEM. SO JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SERVICE THAT'S OFFERED, IT'S OFFERED BY, YOU KNOW, -- IT'S OFFERED FOR FREE FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT INTERESTED IN IT, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE. AND WHICH IS WHY THE FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS CONTACTED YOU, CONTACT YOU AFTER 24 HOURS SEVEN DAYS, 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS AND 90 DAYS TO CONTINUE TO SEE IF PEOPLE WOULD CHANGE THEIR MIND AND BE INTERESTED?
>> AND ACTUALLY, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FOLLOW-UP PRACTICES AND I THINK THAT'S HUGELY BENEFICIAL JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PATIENT IS OKAY. SPEAKING OF THAT, ON SLIDE 15, WHAT EFFORTS DO Y'ALL MAKE TO LOCATE A PERSON BEFORE CLOSING IT OUT? BECAUSE I SEE THERE'S 24%
THAT ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE. >> SO THOSE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WHEN THEY GET CONTACT INFORMATION IN THE FIELD, THEY GET WHATEVER CONTACT INFORMATION YOU COULD OR WOULD GIVE THEM. AND SO OBVIOUSLY THEY MAY KNOW THE ADDRESS OF 911 DISPATCH, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE YOUR HOME. YOU MAY BE IN THE COMMUNICATE OR YOUR FRIEND'S HOUSE. THEY WILL ALSO TRY AND GET YOU IF YOU'RE INTERESTED AND IF YOU WOULD SIGN A RELEASE WHERE THEY -- MAYBE YOUR PHONE DOESN'T WORK VERY WELL, BUT YOU CAN CALL MY MOM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO AGAIN, THEY TRY TO BE 24 HOURS, 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS.
THERE IS THERE IS OF COURSE INCONSISTENCY IN THE INFORMATION PEOPLE WILL GIVE SOMETIMES. YOU'RE MEETING PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE IN A CRISIS AND SO WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING TO SHARPEN BOTH THE UNABLE TO LOCATE FOR THE FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS AND THE INVALID CONTACT INFORMATION FOR FOLLOW-UP CLINICIANS.
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT PROCESS TO SHARPEN THOSE FOR SURE.
>> AND AS CHAIR WOMAN HAVRDA WAS MENTIONING I AM ALSO ANXIOUS FOR THE CALL OPTION FOR THEM TO BE LISTED AS ITS OWN OPTION BECAUSE THEY WERE SHOWING HOW THEY'RE LOOKING AND VANNING THE 911 CALLS AND SEEING WHICH CALLS THEY COULD TAKE.
I WONDER HOW MUCH MORE WE COULD HAVE IF WE HAD A DEDICATED CALL-IN AVENUE.
I THINK AUSTIN HAS ONE, RIGHT? >> AUSTIN DOES AND HOUSTON
DOES. AND OF COURSE OTHER CITIES. >> THIS INFORMATION IS
GREAT. THANK YOU. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I THINK I SHARE THE SENTIMENT IN THE ROOM THAT THIS IS EXCITING TO SEE AND THE DATA LOOKS PROMISING. SO I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AROUND SOME OF THE NUMBERS, JUST TO VALIDATE MY UNDERSTANDING ON SLIDE 10 IT LOOKS LIKE DURING THE PILOT YEAR WE HAD ONE TEAM AND WE WERE ABLE TO ANSWER 1400 CALLS, BUT THEN ON SLIDE 14 SINCE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD THREE TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE 1200 IN JUST THOSE FOUR MONTHS. SO WE'RE TRIPLING THE AMOUNT OF CALLS WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF THREE TEAMS NOW.
SO THE TIME PER CALL ISN'T CHANGING, WE'RE JUST ABLE TO HAVE MORE CAPACITY.
>> YES. LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCES IN HOW EACH TEAM AND SERVICE AREA IS RESPONDING AND HOW THEY'RE CLOSING OUT THEIR CALLS BECAUSE OF -- I THINK THE MAKEUP OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS AS WELL.
BUT THE TIME SPENT, THE OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES ARE ALL GOING VERY SIMILARLY
AND VERY WELL. >> KAUR: ARE THEY CONSTANTLY OUT? ARE THEY CONSTANTLY BEING UTILIZED AS A RESOURCE IN THE SENSE THAT LIKE THEY'RE NOT -- WE HAVE A WEIGHT LIST OF PEOPLE TRYING TO GET SUPPORT FROM THE SA CO
RATHER THAN THEY'RE WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO CALL? >> EVERYBODY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND DAYS OF THE WEEK AND TIMES OF THE DAY WE HAVE STATISTICS ON THOSE.
THEY ARE DIFFERENT. AFTER HOURS RIGHT AROUND 5:00 OR WHEN BUSINESSES OR CLOSING OR WHEN SOMEONE ELSE'S SERVICES ARE CLOSING, WE SEE A SPIKE AND DIFFERENT DAYS OF THE WEEK ARE DIFFERENT. IT'S A LITTLE INCONSISTENT.
SOMETIMES EVERYONE NEEDS HELP AT THE SAME TIME AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE MORE
[00:40:05]
DOWN TIMES. >> KAUR: OKAY. I WANT TO ECHO ANOTHER QUESTION. I WANTED TO SEE IF WE COULD DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS THAT YOU SHOWED IN APPROXIMATE TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF CALLS THAT ARE BEING ADDRESSED? IT WAS THE SLIDE 10 YOUR PILOT RESULTS, IF WE COULD SHOW THAT SIDE BY SIDE TO THE REMAINDER OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING, IF THEY HAVE SIMILAR PERCENTAGES. I'M ASSUMING THEY DON'T, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT. [BUZZER].
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT. >> SO THEY WON'T HAVE SIMILAR -- ONE THING IS AN OFFICER, PATROL OFFICER, IS NOT REALLY ABLE TO JUST TRANSPORT SOMEONE TO A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOSPITAL VOLUNTARILY, TO AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC OR TO SOCIAL NEEDS, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IS THIS TEAM HAS MORE OPTIONS. AND SO WE WILL ALL WORK WITH PD TO SEE WHAT WE CAN PRODUCE. THEY ALSO, THE AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT THIS TEAM DOES IS ROBUST AND WE'RE GETTING POLICE, EMS AND CLINICIANS DOCUMENTATION ON THIS, WHICH WE WOULDN'T GET FROM PATROL. SO WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN GIVE YOU. IT WON'T BE EXACTLY THE SAME BECAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE THOSE OTHER PARTNERS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME OPTIONS, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT
WE CAN GET YOU. IT'S OBVIOUS -- >> [INAUDIBLE].
>> KAUR: YEAH. 12% IS GREAT AND IT'S -- DEFINITELY WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT THAT'S STILL A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT I FEEL LIKE AREN'T GETTING THESE OPTIONS OF SUPPORT. SO THAT'S KIND OF JUST WHY I
WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT. >> HAVRDA: COUNCILWOMAN, LET ME BUZZ BACK IN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET [INDISCERNIBLE].
I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. >> KAUR: I LOOKED AT HER AND SHE WAS LIKE -- THE -- JUST THE LAST QUICK QUESTION THAT I'LL ASK IS ON SLIDE 14 WHAT DOES ASSIST MEAN?
>> IT MEANS THAT THEY WENT WITH PATROL OR ANOTHER UNIT AND HELPED THEM OUT.
SO MAYBE PATROL WAS THERE FIRST OR MAYBE -- YEAH, PATROL WAS THERE FIRST AND THEY REALIZED IT WAS A MENTAL HEALTH CALL OR THEY REALIZED IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BETTER IF THEY HAD THE TEAM HELPING THEM WITH.
>> KAUR: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER WHYTE WHITE WHITE I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
LONG-TERM PLANS FOR SA-CORE, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? MY PERMANENT DREAMS?
>> SURE. >> WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRAINING THE MEDICS, CLINICIANS AND OFFICERS WHO ARE STARTING JULY 1 IN CARRYING THIS PROGRAM ONMENT AND TO SEE SO MUCH PASSION AND RENEWED VIGOR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS WHO THAT THEY'RE DOING, I HOPE THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH AND STRATEGIC GUIDE GIVES US A LOT OF SYNERGY AND PATH FORWARD. SAN ANTONIO HAS A HISTORY OF DOING THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS AND BEING AHEAD OF THE GAME.
AND A LOT OF OTHER CITIES HAVE STARTED DOING WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY THAT I THINK WE CAN LEARN FROM WHEREAS FOR YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN THAT SPACE, BUT WE CAN LEARN THINGS. I THINK THESE TEAMS ARE EXCELLENT.
I LOVE HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING THE TEAMS.
THEY THINK IT'S GOOD WORK AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. >> WHYTE: AND TO THOSE POINTS ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED ALREADY THAT WE CAN DO BETTER OR
TWEAK HERE? >> YEAH. SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT HOW TO BETTERET ENGAGE PEOPLE INTO FOLLOW-UP. HOW TO NOT LOSE PEOPLE.
HOW TO HELP PEOPLE HAVE ONE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE WHEN THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND NEED A 911 RESPONSE, NOT MULTIPLE OF THOSE.
REDUCING THE MULTIPLE CALLERS. I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT A FOURTH OPTION IN 911 IS AN EXCELLENT THING FOR US TO DO. IT'S JUST ABOUT HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT IT AND FUND IT AND STAFF IT. SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT OF AGREEMENT ABOUT HOW WE
CAN GO FORWARD AND KEEP IMPROVING THIS EFFORT. >> WHYTE: LAST QUESTION.
ON SLIDE 21 YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY. THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT I FEEL LIKE FOR A YEAR NOW, THAT WE NEED MORE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY, RIGHT? WE'RE ALL SERVING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME
PEOPLE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> WHYTE: SO LET'S BE MORE EFFICIENT AND NOT -- MAKE SURE THE BALL'S NOT DEVELOPED SOMEWHERE.
IS THERE A PLAN TO HELP IMPROVE AND INCREASE THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS
BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
I'LL TELL YOU MONDAY MORNING I'M STARTING MY MEETING -- MY DAY WITH A TWO-HOUR MEETING WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER PARTNERS, BUT THAT'S COMING FROM -- THE LAST PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.
[00:45:02]
AND SO OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS WE'VE BEEN IN LOCKSTEP WITH THEM.WHEN WE DID ARPA FUNDING FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH WE FUNDED NON-PROFITS, THEY FUNDED SCHOOLS. SO IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH ENDEAVORS WE'RE IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE COUNTY. IT'S REALLY -- AS MUCH AS WE CAN AS THE STAFF OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TRY TO WORK TOGETHER AND INFORM OUR COLLECTIVES ON HOW WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER. THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT THERE AND GETTING AND USING US AND OUR SYNERGY TO LEVERAGE OTHER
GROUPS TO COME TOGETHER. >> WHYTE: SO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE SOMEBODY OVER AT THE COUNTY THAT YOU CAN COORDINATE WITH AND MAKE SOME SURE EVERYBODY IS ON
THE SAME PAGE. >> YES. WE ARE DOING THAT AS BEST WE CAN. AND ALSO WITH STRAC AND CHCS WORKING IN THE SAME PROGRAMS WITH THEIR COUNTY COUNTERPARTS, THEY BRIDGE THAT A GAP FOR US AS WELL.
>> WHYTE: OKAY, THANKS. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 6.
>> SO ITEM 6 IS A PRESENTATION BY LORI HOUSTON.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ABOUT IMPLEMENTING OPERATING HOURS TO HEMISFAIR PARK BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS AS WELL. LORI?
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, MARIA. YES, THIS SUM IS TO HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING IMPLEMENTING OPERATING HOURS FOR HEMISFAIR. WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TO CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 7TH AFTER WE GET FEEDBACK FROM THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL AS SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS. AND WE HAVE SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. BUT FIRST SECTION 22-28 OF THE CITY CODE LISTS SEVERAL PARKS THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO A CURFEW.
HEMISFAIR IS ONE OF THOSE PARKS. AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TO SEE IF THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION. SHOULD WE GO AHEAD AND ADD A CURFEW TO THIS PARK? THE CODE IDENTIFIES SEVERAL PARKS THAT DO NOT HAVE CURFEW. THIS MISTAKENLY IDENTIFIES WOODLAWN PARK AS ONE OF THOSE PARKS. THERE IS A CURFEW ON WOODLAWN PARK.
IT'S FROM 12:00 TO 5:00 AND IT'S AN EXCEPTION TO OUR TYPICAL 11:00 TO 5:00.
I DID WANT TO CORRECT THAT. BUT HEMISFAIR, ALAMO PLAZA, MARKET SQUARE, [INDISCERNIBLE] RIVERWALK, THEY DO NOT HAVE CURFEWS. ANYONE IDENTIFIED IN THAT 24 HOUR PARK COULD RECEIVE A CITATION IF THEY'RE INSIDE THE PARK WITHIN THE CURFEW TIME. OUR DEPARTMENT HAS ADOPTED OPERATING FOR THE PARK AND THEIR OPERATING HOURS STATE THAT THE PARK WILL CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT.
BUT LEGALLY WE CAN'T ENFORCE THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT INCLUDED IN OUR CITY CODE.
NOW, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL TENANTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS BRING UP SAFETY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AT HEMISFAIR. WE ARE EXPLORING THOSE CONCERNS, BUT WE FEEL THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS, BUT WE WANTED TO BRING THOSE TO YOU FIRST. ONE IS WE COULD IMPLEMENT A CURFEW, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION WITH THIS COMMITTEE FIRST. WE CAN DO ENHANCED LIGHTING. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
LIGHTING WITHIN THE PARK IS CONTROLLED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT ENTITIES, WHETHER IT'S THE STATE OR THE CITY, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES RIGHT NOW. AND THEN WE CAN EXTEND POLICE PRESENCE IN THE PARK IN THE EVENINGS. AND CHIEF MCMANNIS HAS ALREADY DONE THAT AND WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS WE HAVE SOME STANDEDDED PATROL AREAS IN THE AREA AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OTHER WAYS TO ENHANCE THAT POLICE PRESENCE.
BUT OUR PLAN IS TO SEEK INPUT FROM THE USERS OF THE PARK AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AS WELL AS CITY PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BEFORE WE BRING THIS FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IF THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE DECIDES. WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE HEMISFAIR TENANTS ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK. THEY'RE ALL VERY SUPPORTIVE OF A CURFEW FOR HEMISFAIR.
WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED WITH SOME OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, TRICIA BARRY, WHO IS A CEO OF CENTRO, SHE IS SUPPORTIVE OF SUCH A CURFEW. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE OF. HEMISFAIR DOES HAVE RESIDENTS LIVING IN IT, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY ORDINANCE THAT WE DRAFT THAT IDENTIFIES A CURFEW FOR HEMISFAIR ADDRESSES, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CURFEW IS.
IF YOU'RE WALKING TO THE PARK, WALKING YOUR DOG IF YOU LIVE IN THAT PARK THERE SHOULD BE SOME EXCEPTIONS SO WE'LL NEED TO CAREFULLY ADDRESS THAT IN THE ORDINANCE. BUT IT'S MAINLY FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT BELONG IN
[00:50:02]
HEMISFAIR PARK. THEY DO NOT HAVE OPERATING BUSINESSES.AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING. NOW, STAFF IS DEVELOPING THIS PLAN. WE SHOULD HAVE THAT PLAN DONE ACTUALLY THIS MONTH.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED TO CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 7TH WITH THE CURFEW AND AT THAT TIME WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE OTHER MEASURES THAT WE'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED. SO IT'S A SHORT PRESEN PRESENTATION.
THE PLAN IS TO CONTINUE WITH SOME MORE INPUT WITH SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE HAVE SUPPORT AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO
COUNCIL ON AUGUST 7TH. >> HAVRDA: THANKS, LORI. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
COUNCILWOMAN DR. KAUR. >> KAUR: THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER WHYTE FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS. THIS CAME TO OUR ATTENTION AFTER A COUPLE OF THE SHOOTINGS AROUND FIESTA AND A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO BOTH OF US AND ASKING FOR HELP AROUND INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY AT HEMISFAIR. HEMISFAIR IS ONE OF OUR MOST TRAFFICKED PARKS IN THE EVENINGS TOO BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN AND A LOT OF MOVEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE PARK. SO THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE FROM AN OVERALL SAFETY STANDPOINT WAS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE. SO THIS IS ONE THAT I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CURFEW WOULD BE ONE PART OF THE PLAN AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT WE CAN DO, INCLUDING EXTENDED PRESENCE, BUT THE OFFICERS THAT ARE THERE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TICKET PEOPLE.
THE IS IT SHOOTINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE KIND OF LIKE PEOPLE RUNNING THROUGH THE PARK AND THEY'RE HAPPENING ON CESAR CHAVEZ SO THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO REQUEST IS THE LIGHTS ON CESAR CHAVEZ HAVE BEEN OUT FOR AWHILE AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THAT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO MAKING SURE THAT A PART OF THE PLAN LIKE WAS MENTIONED THERE NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE PARK, BUT ALSO ON CESAR CHAVEZ, TEMPORARY LIGHTING DURING CONSTRUCTION, WHATEVER CAN BE DONE THERE.
BUT AS FAR AS THE CURFEW GOES, WE'VE TALKED TO ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TENANT AND BUSINESS OWNER AT THE -- AT HEMISFAIR AND THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF IT.
AND AS LONG AS WE SAY THAT LIKE WALKING THROUGH IF SOMEONE LEAVES BOMBAY IS WALKING THROUGH THE PARK TO GET TO THEIR CAR THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET A TICKET.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT -- WE'VE TALKED TO SOME RESIDENTS.
WE HAVEN'T TALKED TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THERE SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A RESIDENT MEETING OF THE 68 TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY CAN -- THEY CAN PROVIDE THEIR INPUT AND ANY ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR THE HEMISFAIR COMMUNITY. BUT I WANTED TO THANK CITY STAFF AND THANK YOU CHAIR FOR LETTING US BRING THIS TO THE COMMITTEE TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING A SENSE OF THE REQUESTS FOR THE HEMISFAIR PARK COMMUNITY.
>> I WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED ABOUT BOMBAY.
WE CHECKED. ALL THE BE BUSINESSES WITHIN HEMISFAIR CLOSE BY 10:00 P.M. SO THE CURFEW WOULD BE AFTER THOSE BUSINESSES CLOSE, BUT THE POINT YOU'RE MAKING IS IF THEY'RE LEAVING SOMEWHERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO THEIR GARAGE, WE NEED TO ADDRESS HOW WE PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBILITY IN THE
ORDINANCE. >> HAVRDA: DR. KAUR, THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR THAT AND REPORTING ON WOODLAWN PARK TOO. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE
CURFEW? >> HONESTLY, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.
THE BIGGEST ARGUMENT IS SOMETHING WE'VE ADDRESSED AND THAT IS HOW DO YOU ADDRESS RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE PARK? HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT YOU GET HOME LATE AND YOU HAVE TO GO WALK YOUR DOG? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH. BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY
FEEDBACK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT A CURFEW. >> AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS NUMBER NOW, THAT'S FINE, BUT I WAS CURIOUS HOW MANY CURE TU SAYTATIONS ARE GIVEN OUT IN PARKS AS A WHOLE. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL MEETING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW.
>> WE'LL GET THAT FOR YOU. >> GAVITO: LET'S SEE. ACTUALLY, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
COUNCILMAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANK YOU. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE SPEED AT WHICH WE ARE HERE AND ALSO THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF THIS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD FROM SAPD WOULD BE AN ISSUE AND COULD HELP WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. WE THEN TALKED WITH TRISH OVER AT CENTRO WHO ECHOED THOSE SENTIMENTS. AND FROM THERE COUNCILWOMAN KAUR AND I GOT TOGETHER AND SAID LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. TALKED TO MARIA AND THE CHAIR AND HERE WE ARE. AND THAT REALLY TO ME IS RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S HOW THINGS SHOULD WORK, THESE THINGS DO NOT NEED TO DRAG ON FOREVER AND EVER. I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THANKS TO THE COUNCILWOMAN WE HAD A
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MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS LAST WEEK? LAST WEEK, WHERE WE GOT MEMBERS OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS IN HEMISFAIR TOGETHER, DISCUSSED IT WITH THEM, FOLKS WERE IN FAVOR, AND HERE WE ARE. SO REALLY LIKE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS, GLAD WE'RE HERE TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ANDGET THE CURFEW IN PLACE. THANKS. >> HAVRDA: THANKS,
COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. IS HEMISFAIR PARK PRIVATE PROPERTY?
>> NO, IT'S OWNED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. SO MY ISSUE IS THIS IDEA OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT BELONG IN HEMISFAIR PARK AND ANOTHER QUESTION IS WHAT MAKES THIS PARK DIFFERENT FROM LA
VILLITA, MARKET SQUARE PARK, THE RIVER WALK? >> WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CONDITIONS AND ITS RESIDENTIAL. SO THAT IS THE BIG DIFFERENCE AND IT HAS SEVERAL BUSINESSES WITHIN IT.
NOW, LAVITA DOES AS WELL AND MARKET SQUARE, BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING REQUESTED BY THE COUNCILWOMAN. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS WANT AS WELL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I HAVE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE IT IS AN AREA THAT CONNECTS TO MY DISTRICT.
AND SO WHAT I WONDER IS -- AND WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS SPECIFICALLY IN THIS AREA WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE THE NEXT DECADE OR SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT, NEW AMENITIES, THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THIS AREA, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FEELING OF PRIVATIZATION. AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THIS SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND ENTITLEMENT THAT RESIDENTS HAVE TO THE PARK TO WALK THEIR DOGS DURING THE CURFEW HOUR THAT THE AVERAGE RESIDENT WHO IS ALSO IN THE PARK WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME ACCESS. SO THAT'S ONE AREA OF CONCERN I HAVE. I ALSO WONDER IF BECAUSE I HEARD MARKET SQUARE MENTIONED, WHY DON'T WE JUST DO A BLANKET CURFEW FOR ALL OF THE AREAS?
>> I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT FOR THE RIVERWALK, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THAT SECTION, BECAUSE IT IS A PRIMARY LOCATION FOR DOG WALKING AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND HEMISFAIR IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF ALL THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN THERE.
NOW, WE COULD BRING IT UP, MARKET SQUARE AND LAVITA. MARKET SQUARE HAS BUSINESSES OPENED BEYOND 10:00. WE DON'T WANT TO HAMPER THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE MONEY, BUT WE'RE REPRESENTING IT FOR HEMISFAIR BECAUSE THERE IS A PERCEPTION ISSUE AND IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO. THERE WILL BE EXCEPTIONS MADE WHEN WE DO JAZZ ALIVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THOSE LARGE EVENTS. AND THAT WAS A POOR CHOICE OF WORDS OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T BELONG. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO BE IN THE PARK AT THOSE HOURS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
BUT I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT FOR THE OTHERS AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR HEMISFAIR. AND WE COULD LOOK AT THE
OTHERS, BUT -- >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I APPRECIATE THAT.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORD CHOICE.
SO WHAT I THINK HAPPENS -- I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF OPERATING OUT OF A PLACE OF FEAR AND MAKING QUICK DECISIONS THAT HERE'S WHAT I THINK HAPPENS.
WE HAVE H PARK SET A CURFEW THAT IS NOT ENFORCEABLE. WHAT CHANGES BASED ON THIS IS THAT THEN WE ARE ABLE TO ISSUE CITATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE IN THE PARK, MAY NOT HAVE ANY INTENTIONS OF COMMITTING A CRIME OR HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING ILLEGAL, ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY ALLOWED IN THE PARK, WHICH IS EXISTING. AND SO IF SOMEBODY IS -- IF SOMEBODY IS THERE RIGHT NOW AT 12:00 A.M., NO CURFEW HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, AND THEY START SHOOTING AT SOMEONE, CAN THEY BE ARRESTED? OF COURSE, THANK YOU. IF THEY ARE ON THE RUN FROM POLICE AND THEY'RE BEING CHASED, IT'S NOT A SAFE ZONE THAT YOU'RE FREE OF ANY AND ALL, YOU KNOW, POLICING. THAT'S NOWHERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO THE CONCERN IS THAT IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO OVERPOLICE AN AREA WHEN THE CONCERN IS MUCH MORE NARROW AND FOCUSED. IF IT'S ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME, IF IT'S ABOUT THE THREATS OF SHOOTING AND WHATNOT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARKET SQUARE, WHY NOT DO THE SAME THING IN MARKET SQUARE? IT'S INCONSISTENT TO ME AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT THE ACTUAL DESIRE IS IS THE INCREASED LIGHT, THE INCREASED POLICE VISIBILITY. IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WANTED, AND THAT THE CURFEW IS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO CITE RANDOM PEOPLE WHO JUST SO HAPPEN TO BE THERE, AND MANY OF THEM COULD BE MY RESIDENTS WHO ARE JUST WALKING FROM DENVER HEIGHTS INTO THE PARK, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN AND THAT'S WHY I'M OPPOSED AND I'M OPEN TO MORE CONVERSATION.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. I WAS GOING TO MAKE THE POINT ABOUT MARKET SQUARE. THERE'S A BUSINESS, AT LEAST ONE THAT'S OPEN 24 HOURS,
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RIGHT. BUT ALSO OUR -- IT'S NOT AN INSTANT CITATION, CORRECT? I MEAN, OFFICERS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO MAKE THE CALL ON EACH INSTANCE, AND IF THERE'S CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LESSEN THE SEVERITY OF THE OFFENSE, THEY MIGHT NOT CITETHE PERSON,ON CORRECT? >> CORRECT. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
GO AHEAD. >> YES, MA'AM, THAT'S CORRECT.
>> HAVRDA: WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE? >> YES.
SO OFFICERS DO HAVE DISCRETION WITH ANY CITATION.
THE MISS DEMEAN CITATIONS WE DO HAVE DISCRETION. SO THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS. THERE'S REASONABLE SUSPICION AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT GO INTO PLAY, BUT THERE'S A CONVERSATION. YOU AUTOMATICALLY JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE PARK I DON'T ASK FOR YOUR IDENTIFICATION AND SAY YOU'RE GETTING A CITATION. THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS, ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE PARK, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE LAW, THE CURFEW? AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE.
BUT THERE IS DISCRETION. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH. AND ALSO I'LL EXPLAIN A MOTION TO SEND TO FULL COUNCIL AFTER DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN. DR. KAUR.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU T AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ' POINT, IT'S NOT THE END ALL BE ALL AND FOR PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH. I WAS TOLD WE WERE ALLOWED TO PUT LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT SPECIFIES ANYONE WALKING THROUGH THE PARK WHETHER THEY'RE LIVING THERE OR NOT, AS LONG AS THEY'RE WALKING THROUGH, WOULD NOT BE CITED. THE IDEA IS TO PREVENT PEOPLE LOITERING OR JUST LIKE HANGING OUT AND DRINKING IN THE PARK ESSENTIALLY, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE AFTER HOURS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER THIS DOES COME TO COUNCIL THAT THAT LANGUAGE IS SPECIFICALLY PUT IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THE SECONDLY IS THERE ARE OTHER COMPONENTS TO THE PLAN AND SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST THIS CURFEW. THE SECOND THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK IS WOULD THERE BE A WAY TO RUN LIKE FOR EXAMPLE A SIX-MONTH OR A YEAR LONG PILOT OF THE CURFEW TO SEE HOW MANY VIOLATIONS ARE OCCURRING AND LIKE HOW MANY -- I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TRACK HOW MANY CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD WITH TELLING PEOPLE, OKAY, THE PARK'S NOT OPEN, WE NEED TO MOVE THEM ALONG AND THEN VERSUS LIKE HOW MANY
CITATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. >> TO CITE SOMEONE AT THE PARK WE NEED THE AUTHORITY UNDER THE ORDINANCE TO MODIFY MUNICIPAL CODE.
I'M GOING TO ASK LIZ TO HELP WITH THAT IF THE COUNCIL WAS INTERESTED IN DOING A PILOT PROGRAM, PERHAPS THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE AND THEN WE COULD COME BACK AND MAKE IT A PERMANENT RESTRICTION, BUT I'LL DEFER TO LIZ FOR THAT.
>> YEAH. YOU CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE WAYS TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE INTENT BEHIND IT AS FAR AS TIME PERIOD, AND ALSO JUST ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A FIRM REVISIT OF IT BY THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL.
SO WE WILL CERTAINLY EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS AS IT PROCEEDS.
AND WE CAN LOOK AT -- >> KAUR: WHEN WE DO GET THAT REVISIT, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND WHO THEY'RE GIVEN TO, WHAT DEMOGRAPHIC, WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY'RE
COMING FROM, ET CETERA. OKAY. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS AND THE PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL SESSION A ON AUGUST 7TH, WHEN WE COME
BACK FROM BREAK. >> WHYTE: SECOND. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
JUST MAKING SURE, LIZ, CAN WE DO -- DO WE NEED TO BE DATE SPECIFIC OR CAN WE? SHE SAID AUGUST 7. I'M JUST MAKING SURE. THE DATE, CAN SHE BE DATE SPECIFIC IF WE DON'T -- MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR LORI.
IS THAT ENOUGH TIME? >> YES. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT.
>> HAVRDA: NEVER MIND. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: YES, THANK YOU. OKAY.
SO MY -- I'M STILL GOING TO MAINTAIN A DISAGREEMENT THAT THE PLAN HAS TO INCLUDE THE CURFEW IF WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE ALL THOSE OTHER ELEMENTS, BUT I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S -- I HOPE YOU HAVE THESE NUMBERS. ONE IS HOW MANY 911 CALLS HAVE BEEN FOR THIS AREA AND ARE THERE ANY REPORTS OF VIOLENT CRIME OR I GUESS
OTHER CRIME? >> COUNCILMAN, I THINK MARIA VARGAS MAY HAVE THAT
INFORMATION. MARIA? >> HELLO, MARIA VARGAS WITH INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SAFETY. FOR THE 911 CALLS FOR HEMISFAIR, FOR SPECIFICALLY HEMISFAIR PARK AND THE LOCATION NAME, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS THERE'S A TOTAL OF 2,378,911, AND LOW PRIORITY CALLS.
BUT FOR THIS PAST YEAR FROM JUNE 2023 TO ABOUT JUNE 10TH , 2024, WHICH IS WHEN WE RAN THIS ANALYSIS, THERE IS 1,157 CALLS. AND I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE IN THE CAD SYSTEM WERE ON-SITE ACTIVITIES SO THEY WERE INITIATED BY AN OFFICER IN THE PARK WHO SAW SOMETHING AND MAYBE THEY WENT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OR GIVE A CITATION OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
THE SECOND HIGHEST TYPE OF RECORD FOR THAT 1,157 -- I'M SORRY, FOR THE THREE YEARS
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WAS PATROL BY, WHICH IS OFFICERS EITHER ON BIKE, ON FOOT, IN THEIR PATROL CARS GOING BY HEMISFAIR TO GET DOWN TO THE HIGHEST TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT'S CALLED IN, IT'S JUST DISTURBANCE. SO FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS 261 DISTURBANCES.AND THAT'S FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP OF PARKS. IF YOU DRILL DOWN TO JUST HEMISFAIR FOR DISTURBANCES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, IT'S 100.
>> DO WE HAVE THE TIMES? >> YES. SO FOR HEMISFAIR SPECIFICALLY THE TOP TIME FOR CALLS IS 6:00 A.M. WITH 208 CALLS OVER A THREE YEAR
PERIOD. >> SO AFTER THE CURFEW WOULD BE OVER.
>> AND THE SECOND HIGH HE WAS THE WAS 10:00 P.M. WITH 104 CALLS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: BEFORE THE CURFEW WOULD START. >> AND THE NEXT HIGHEST, THE THIRD HEIGHTEST IS 2:00 P.M. WITH 173 CALLS. AND THEN 7:00 A.M., 162 CALLS. AND THEN FINALLY, WE HIT 11:00 P.M. WITH 129 CALLS.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I WAS REALLY EXPECTING TO BE PROVEN WRONG THERE ESPECIALLY WHEN STARTED SAYING THE REALLY HIGH NUMBERS, THE THOUSANDS AND WHATNOT. BUT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THOSE TO BE TAKING PLACE DURING A TIME THAT WOULDN'T BE ADDRESSED BY THIS CURFEW I THINK IS A LITTLE PROBLEMATIC. I WONDER IF -- I'M HEARING ABOUT SITTING AND DRINKING AND ALCOHOL AND WHATNOT. WHAT LAWS OR ORDINANCES ARE IN PLACE TO -- REGARDING
ALCOHOL IN THE PARK? >> I'LL REFER TO SAPD WITH THIS QUESTION.
>> THERE ARE CERTAIN LAWS THAT PROHIBIT HOURLY DRINKING IN THE PARKS AND OTHER AREAS. SOME OF THOSE LOW LEVEL MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES ARE TICKETED, THEY'RE HANDLED THAT WAY. I DON'T HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED WITHIN THIS DATASET, BUT WE CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I GUESS MORE SO THE QUESTION IS --
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CURFEW, THIS IS ONLY A ONE ITEM IN THE TOOLBOX, IF YOU WILL. JUST BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE TENANTS AT HEMISFAIR AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVE MET WITH, THEY ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WILL PERHAPS DISCOURAGE SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS CREATING THE DISTURBANCES, BUT ALSO THE LIGHTING AND ALSO MORE POLICE VISIBILITY, ALL THOSE THINGS COMBINED. SO THE CURFEW IS ONLY ONE OF THOSE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD FROM THOSE USERS OF
THE PARK. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED? SO RIGHT NOW IF PEOPLE ARE THERE AT MIDNIGHT AND THEY ARE DRINKING, WHAT CAN -- CAN NOTHING BE DONE ABOUT
THAT? >> YES, WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE ACTION.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: OKAY. I WANT TO BE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH OTHER MEANS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL, MY FEEDBACK WILL STILL BE THAT OF ALL THE THINGS IN THE UPDATED PLAN, THE ORDINANCE, THAT THE CURFEW SHOULD NOT BE ONE OF THEM. SO I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF EVERY OTHER ELEMENT OF THE PLAN BUT THAT. THANK YOU.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
MOTION PASSES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 7. >> SO ITEM 7 WE'RE EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS UPDATE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE CRIME REDUCTION PLAN FOR THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO TO START THE PRESENTATION, DR. SMITH FROM UTSA WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE AND THE CRIME REDUCTION PLAN AND THEN MARIA VARGAS YATES WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THOSE STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR PHASE 2. DR. SMITH?
>> THANK YOU, MARIA. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. HAPPY TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR RESEARCH TEAM AT UTSA. OKAY, GOOD.
SO I THINK WE'RE HERE TO UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SECOND PHASE OF THE STRATEGY THAT'S -- STRATEGIES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE -- IN OUR CRIME PLAN. THAT PHASE, THAT SECOND PHASE GOES BY THIS SORT OF AWKWARD ACRONYM HERE, PROBLEM ORIENTED POLICE BASED POLICING. DRAWN FROM THE LITERATURE. BUT IN ANY CASE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE, HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE THAT STRATEGY STANDS. SO JUST AS A REMINDER, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY BEEN AWHILE SINCE YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS OR HAD IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
THIS SECOND PHASE OF THE CRIME PLAN IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SAPD HAS BEEN EXECUTING VERY, VERY WELL FOR THE LAST ALMOST YEAR AND A HALF NOW
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POPBP POLICING, WHICH IS A GREAT FEVER REDUCER, IF YOU WILL.HELPS TO REDUCE AND PREVENT VIOLENT CRIME IN PLACES WHERE VIOLENT CRIME IS MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN. BUT THERE ARE SOME AREAS OF ANY CITY, INCLUDING OURS, THAT ARE PER ADVERTISE TENTLY VIOLATED. THEY'LL BE TREATED WITH HOT SPOTS REPEATEDLY AND THEY CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE TOP OF THE MOST VIOLENT PLACES IN THE CITY. SO THESE PLACES ARE AMENABLE THE SECOND PHASE OF THE CRIME PLAN, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR PLACES LIKE THIS.
IT'S BASED ON THE NOTION THAT CRIME IS CONCENTRATED IN A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF PLACES, AMONG A NUMBER OF -- RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS. AND THAT THOSE -- THOSE PLACES ACCOUNT FOR MOST OF THE VIOLENT CRIME IN SAN ANTONIO. WE RECENTLY DID AN ANALYSIS OF THIS JUST TO PUT AND ABOUT -- ABOUT 1.5% OF OUR GRIDS, AND WE DIVIDE THE CITY INTO -- FOR CRIME ANALYSIS PURPOSES, INTO 300-METER GRIDS.
AND THERE'S ABOUT 133,000 OF THOSE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND GOOD 1.5% OF THEM PRODUCE HALF OF YOUR VIOLENT CRIME.
PUTTING IT ANOTHER WAY, 95% OF THE CITY PRODUCES NO RECORDED VIOLENT STREET CRIME. SO THIS IS VERY COMMON IN URBAN AREAS.
VIOLENT CRIME IS HIGHLY CONCENTRATED, WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO THE STRATEGIES WE HAVE AS PART OF THE CRIME PLAN INCLUDING THIS ONE. SO IN ORDER TO HAVE A CRIME HAPPEN IN A PLACE, YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE THREE THINGS COME TOGETHER IN TIME AND SPACE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VICTIM AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MOTIVATED OFFENDER, AND TYPICALLY THE LACK OF A CAPABLE GUARDIAN.
IF ONE OF THOSE THREE THINGS ARE NOT PRESENT, CONDITIONS ARE NOT OPTIMAL FOR A CRIME TO HAPPEN. THE GOAL OF THIS STRATEGY IS TO INTERRUPT ONE OF THOSE THREE ELEMENTS AND THROUGH A PROBLEM ORIENTED APPROACH. TO THESE PERSISTENTLY VIOLENT PLACES. SO WHAT IS IT? IT IS A PROBLEM-BASED STRATEGY. IT IS ROOTED IN DATA AND EVIDENCE.
YOU HAVE A VERY CAPABLE WORKING GROUP THAT HAS BEEN STUDYING THE PROBLEMS AT THE --N THAT WE'LL GET TO IN A SECOND, FOR SOME NUMBER OF MONTHS HAS DONE KIND OF A DEEP DIVE ON WHAT THE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS ARE AT THIS LOCATION THAT HELP MAKE IT A PERSISTENTLY VIOLENT PLACE. AND THEN THE STRATEGY THAT YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IN A LITTLE WHILE IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THOSE UNDERLYING CAN CONDITIONS. SO I MENTIONED THE WORKING GROUP, IF MULTI-DISCIPLINARY WORKING GROUP IS MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES ACROSS CITY GOVERNMENT AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ANALYZE THE PROBLEMS AT THIS LOCATION AND THEN TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT MATCH THE IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS. WE, MY TEAM AND I, HAVE DESIGNED A DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT. IT'S BASICALLY AN APP THAT THE TEAM WILL THEN USE TO ENTER DATA TO TRACK IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT METRICS THAT ARE DETAILED IN THE OPERATIONS PLAN FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE.
TO TAKE YOU BACK TO HOW THIS SITE GOT IDENTIFIED, WE DID SOME ANALYSIS IN THE FALL OF 2023. WE ANALYZED A COUPLE OF YEARS' WORTH OF DATA.
VIOLENT AND WARRANT-RELATED ARRESTS AND VIOLENCE-RELATED CALLS FOR SERVICES AS WELL AS CRIME ACROSS THE CITY, AND WE IDENTIFIED FIVE LOCATIONS IN SAN ANTONIO THAT WERE RANKED AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THESE THREE METRICS OVER THAT TWO-YEAR PERIOD. THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL LIST, AND FROM THAT LIST, 1303 RIGSBY AVENUE, THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE, WAS CHOSEN BY THE --R AGENCY DIRECTORS AND IN
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CONJUNCTION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS PERHAPS AN IDEAL LOCATION TO PILOT THE SECOND PHASE OF THE CRIME PLAN. AND SO IT IS -- IT IS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, 1303 RIGSBY AVENUE IS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEN ROSEMONT AT HIGHLAND PARK. IT IS THE ONLY LOCATION THAT RANKED IN THE TOP TEN ACROSS THE THREE METRICS, VIOLENT CRIME, CALLS FOR SERVICE AND VIOLENT ARRESTS.WHERE WE ARE NOW, WE PROVIDED SOME TRAINING, MY TEAM AND I PROVIDED SOME TRAINING TO CITY DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND WORKING GROUP MEMBERS WHO ARE ESSENTIALLY INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK WITHIN THE VARIOUS AGENCIES WHO REPORT TO DIRECTORS.
WE PROVIDED SOME TRAINING TO BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR.
AND THEN THE WORKING GROUP BEGAN ITS WORK TO IDENTIFY THE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THAT ARE PREVALENT THERE THAT MAKE IN A CRIMINOGENIC LOCATION.
AND THEN TO COME UP WITH SOME -- I THINK YOU'LL SEE SOME VERY CREATIVE AND WELL THOUGHT-OUT SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS. EFFORTS ARE, I BELIEVE, HAVE JUST NOW GOTTEN UNDERWAY THERE AT 1303 RIGSBY, AND OUR ROLE IS TO HELP COLLECT AND TRACK DATA ON THE AGREED-UPON PROCESS AND IMPACT METRICS THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THE OPERATIONS PLAN FOR THE SITE. AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU AND REPORT OUT THE RESULTS OF THAT EVALUATION IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL NOW GO OVER THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR THIS REDUCTION PLAN. AS THE PROFESSIONAL MENTIONED, 1303 RIGSBY, THE ROSEMONT SITE IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 2. IT IS OPERATED IN CONJUNCTION BETWEEN OPPORTUNITY HOMES AND BEACON COMMUNITIES.
THE WORKING GROUP THAT THE DIRECTORS THAT COMPRISE THE EXECUTIVE PROBLEM-ORIENTED PLACE-BASED POLICING TEAM, ABBREVIATED AT EPT. THOSE DIRECTORS COME FROM THE FOLLOWING LIST OF DEPARTMENTS FROM THE CITY. THE EPT'S RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN CATEGORIZED INTO THREE GROUPS. CONNECTION TO SERVICES, SAFETY AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT. THE FIRST CATEGORY OF CONNECTION TO SERVICES IS COMPRISED OF FIRST CONDUCTING A SURVEY ASSESSMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS LIVING AT THE ROSEMONT APARTMENTS.
SOME ALREADY IDENTIFIED MEANS WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT TARGET YOUTH, ELDERLY, THOSE WHO NEED CONNECTION TO FOOD PROGRAMS OR EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES. ANIMAL CARE SERVICES IS ALREADY VISITING THE LOCATION TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH ROAMING AND STRAY ANIMALS.
AND FINALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND ITS PARTNERS ARE CONDUCTING BIWEEKLY VISITS OF THE HOMELESS AND THEY ARE CONDUCTING IN CONNECTION WITH OUTREACH PROGRAMS. SO EVERY WEEK HUMAN SERVICES IS HAVING SOME KIND OF CONTACT WITH THAT ENCAMPMENT AND THE HOMELESS IN THE AREA.
THE NEXT CATEGORY OF SAFETY CONSISTS OF DEPLOYMENT OF MOBILE TELESCOPING CAMERAS WITH LICENSE PLATE READING CAPABILITIES, DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF UNAUTHORIZED VISITORS THAT HAVE BEENN ENTERING THE ROSEMONT APARTMENTS AND IF HIGH LEVEL OF STOLEN VEHICLES BEING BROUGHT TO THIS PROPERTY AND LEFT THERE.
AND ALSO THE POTENTIAL USE OF DOOR SECURITY CAMERAS FOR THE RESIDENTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE A RING DOORBELL. WE ARE ALSO MONITORING THE AREA TO SEE WHAT KIND OF CONNECTIONS OR ACTIVITY ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES SUCH AS THE FOOD MART LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET OR THE NEIGHBORING HY-VEE APARTMENTS. AND FOCUSING ON DATA SHARING BETWEEN PRIVATE SECURITY AT ROSEMONT AND SAPD. THE FINAL GROUP IS IMPROVEMENTS TO PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS REVIEWING THE 311 CALLS EACH WEEK AND ADDRESSING THEM ACCORDINGLY.
[01:20:03]
DSD IS INSTALLING ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTS. THOSE LIGHTS WERE IDENTIFIED IN DISTRICT 2'S ASSESSMENT GAP AND THEY HAVE BEEN ACCELERATED FOR INSTALLATION. WE ARE WORKING WITH ROSEMONT TO REPAIR OR ENHANCE THE FENCING AND LIGHTING AND SECURITY CAMERAS. PUBLIC WORKS IS CONDUCTING AN ASSESSMENT AND WILL BE RESTORING THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AS APPROPRIATE IN THE AREA. IN APRIL TO MAY OF 2024, THIS EXECUTIVE GROUP HAD SEVERAL WORKING SESSIONS TO REVIEW THE ACTIONS AND PROVIDE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. THE ACTIONS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FROM JUNE TO DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR OVER SIX MONTHS. IN JANUARY OF 2025, WE WILL EVALUATE THE PROGRAM AND ASSESS THE NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY.ACTIONS WILL NOT CEASE AT THE END OF THE SIX-MONTH PERIOD.
THEY WILL CONTINUE BEYOND THAT INITIAL SIX-MONTH PERIOD AS APPROPRIATE.
FOR REPORTING AND EVALUATION, AS PROFESSOR SMITH MENTIONED, THEY DID PROVIDE US WITH A DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT WITH WHICH WE WILL BE PROVIDING UPDATES ON THE ACTIONS AT ROSEMONT. THE SAFETY OFFICE WILL BE COORDINATING SOME OF THESE EVENTS AND ACTIONS BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO EVALUATING OUR EFFORTS INTERNALLY, AND METRO HEALTH WILL BE CONDUCTING A FOLLOW-UP SURVEY TO GAME THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT AT ROSEMONT.
IN TERMS OF FUNDING THE MAJORITY OF ACTION, APPROXIMATELY $420,000 FROM THE $3.5 MILLION COMMUNITY SAFETY RESERVE.
405,000 OF THAT WOULD BE FOR THE CAMERAS FOR DOING LOCATION MONITORING, NOT JUST FOR ROSEMONT BUT OTHER FUTURE PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICE-BASED POLICING PROGRAMS AND THEN TO CONDUCT CLINICS. THAT WOULD BE THREE CLINICS, APPROXIMATELY $5,000 PER CLINIC. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE USE OF $420,000 FROM THE FY 2024 COMMUNITY SAFETY RESERVE FOR PHASE 2 OF THE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PLAN. AND THIS RECOMMENDATION WILL BE INCLUDED IN A CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA IN AUGUST OF 2024. MYSELF, A MEMBER OF SAPD AND METRO HEALTH AND UTSA ARE ON HAND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. THE -- I'M TRYING TO -- I'M HOPING THIS IS SUCCESSFUL. I JUST IMAGINE IT'S GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PRICE TAG ON IT. SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT MAYBE THE -- LIKE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS, WHAT THE FUNDING IS LOOKING LIKE WITH OUR BUDGET?
>> THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE GROUP HAVE VOICED CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE THESE ACTIONS AT ROSEMONT WITH EXISTING FUNDING IN PLACE IN ADDITION TO THE TWO ITEMS I MENTIONED IN THE UNDER UNDER THE FUNDING SLIDE.
>> HAVRDA: THIS IS COMING FROM THE BUNK ET CETERA FROM THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS? THOUSAND TORE FOR THE ACS CLINIC IS COMING FROM THE ACS BUDGET.
>> VILLAGÓMEZ: NO, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A RESERVE FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAMS, SO 3.5 MILLION. WE'LL BE ASKING THE FULL COUNCIL FOR THEIR AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW US TO USE 420,000 FOR THIS PROGRAM.
>> HAVRDA: OKAY. THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND.
SO I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE ON IT.
IS HOT SPOT POLICING THEN COMPLETE OR IS THIS CUMULATIVE OR ARE WE DOING
BOTH? >> THIS IS A CUMULATIVE PLAN.
AS ONE STRATEGY COMES ON LINE, THE OTHERS CONTINUE. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
IS HOT SPOTTING GOING TO BE REDUCED AT ALL OR IS IT GOING TO CONTINUE THE WAY
IT'S BEEN GOING? >> IT WILL CONTINUE IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN
EXECUTED SINCE WE STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2023. >> HAVRDA: I LIKE THE IDEA. IT SEEMS VERY COMPREHENSIVE. LOOKING AT ROSEMONT, IT SEEMS LIKE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAN IN THE PAST.
I'M SURE WE ALL HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR AREAS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN. IS THERE GOING TO BE SPACE FOR THAT, THE SUGGESTIONS,
AS WE GROW? >> THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE INTENT OF GOOD NEIGHBOR AND WE ARE LOOKING AT EXAMINING EXPANDING THAT FROM THE INITIAL SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE ONLY TO MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES LIKE APARTMENTS OR DUPLEXES, QUADPLEXES, THAT TYPE OF THING. WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE DATA TO SEE WHAT FORMULA WE CAN COME UP WITH TO EFFECTIVELY IDENTIFY THE PROPERTIES THAT NEED HOLISTIC ATTENTION LIKE THIS.
>> HAVRDA: OKAY. WILL YOU ALSO BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL OFFICES, JUST TO
HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH US ABOUT -- >> YES, CERTAINLY.
[01:25:02]
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ON SLIDE 4, RESEARCH WAS CITED THAT CONCLUDED CHANGING THE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THAT GENERATE CRIME PROBLEMS CAN PRODUCE LONGER LASTING GAINS THAN SHORT-TERM TREATMENTS THAT INCREASE POLICE VISIBILITY ALONE, MEANING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS A ROOT CAUSE WILL YIELD RESULTS BETTER THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON WHICH IS POLICE VISIBILITY AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS THAT DON'T TOUCH THE UNDERLYING CONDITION.
THAT WAS IN 2019. THAT'S SOMETHING EXPERTS HAVE BEEN SAYING EVEN LONGER. I WAS ELECTED IN JUNE OF 2021 AND MY PRIORITY WAS A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME TO ACHIEVE TRUE COMMUNITY SAFETY. THAT LOOKS LIKE A FUTURE WHERE EVERYONE'S NEEDS INCLUDING HOUSING, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND OTHER OPPORTUNITY WERE MET AND WITHOUT THE SENSE OF HOPELESSNESS AND DESPERATION PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES IN OFTEN BEFORE COMMITTING A CRIME. TWO TOOLS I FELT WOULD BE USEFUL WERE AN OFFICE ON CRIME RECIDIVISM THAT WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT AND EXPERTISE TO COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAMS AND GOALS AND HELP EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL TO PREVENT CRIME.
ALTHOUGH I FEEL LIKE I WAS FOUGHT EVERY STEP IN THE WAY, IT IS HERE NOW AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND MY GROUP WAS IMPRESSED MEETING WITH MARIA AND MARIA AHEAD OF THE MEETING. ONE OF MY GOALS WAS STREET LIGHTING AND NOT HAVE TO RELY ON RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS TO REQUEST AND PETITION FOR STREET LIGHTING. AS A RESULT, A GAP ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED AND WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US MAPS OF EVERY SINGLE EXISTING LIGHT AND EVERY WARRANTED LIGHT IN THE CITY. Y'ALL KNOW I HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED WITH PHASE 1 OF THE PLAN AND I'M HAPPY TO BE AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS WHERE WE ARE DISCUSSING MIDTERM AND LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS.
ALL OF THAT SAID, I KNOW WE CAN AND WILL DO MORE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, SO GARDOPIA USED TO RECEIVE HUNDREDS OF CALLS AND CONSIDERED A VERY VIOLENT PLACE AND ONCE GARDOPIA WAS ESTABLISHED, CRIME DECREASED.
I'LL MOVE ON TO THE SPECIFIC SITES. MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WILL BE FOR OUR CITY STAFF. BUT MY OFFICE DOESN'T RECEIVE A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THE ROSEMONT APARTMENTS AND THE REASON IS IS THAT IT IS A VERY INTERESTING AREA.
IT'S SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF MY DISTRICT BY THE HIGHWAYS AND TRAIN TRACKS.
SO IT'S TECHNICALLY IN DISTRICT 2, BUT IT'S LOCATED IN A DISTRICT 3 NEIGHBORHOOD, HIGHLAND PARK. AND ALL OF THE NEARBY HOUSES ARE DISTRICT 3.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE LARGER IN DISTRICT 3, BUT IT DOES DEMONSTRATE HOW INTERCONNECTED WE ALL ARE TO ONE ANOTHER.
SO I APPROACH THIS THINKING ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND THE AREA.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALREADY DOING WORK DOWN THERE THAT CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THE POPULATION WITH GREATER NUANCE. I THINK THERE'S INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AREA FOR ENGAGEMENT. THERE'S RESTAURANT OWNERS IN THE AREA, GREATER LOVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH IS ALSO IN MY DISTRICT.
RECENTLY WE HELD A RIBBON CUTTING EVENT WHICH WE SUPPORTED WITH OUR BOND DOLLARS. I'M WONDERING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT THAT ASSET THAT WE'VE CREATED TO BE A PARTNER WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT MAY NEED SERVICES. I DO WORRY THAT OF THE $420,000 THAT WE'RE INVESTING, NEARLY ALL OF IT IS FOR SECURITY AND SECURITY CAMERAS AND LICENSE READERS.
THOSE THINGS ARE GREAT AND DANDY FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP ALL THE CRIME. IT MAY BE USEFUL IN IDENTIFYING FOLK WHO ARE PERPETUATING CRIMES IF SAPD USES THE INFORMATION IN THAT WAY, BUT AGAIN THE HARM WILL HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE SO IT'SS DISAPPOINTING IT LOOKS LIKE WE WON'T BE USING THE FULL $3.5 MILLION ON ANYTHING VISIONARY OR GAME CHANGING IN THE WAY GARDOPIA WAS FOR MY DISTRICT. I HOPE FOR THE NEXT FOUR SITES WE THINK MORE CREATIVELY. I ALSO SEE $15,000 WILL BE USED FOR AN ACS VACCINE CLINIC. THAT'S SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED AS PART OF A CRIME PREVENTION PLAN BUT I'M NOT. I'M WONDERING WHAT OTHER DOLLARS CAN BE USED TO CONNECT THE REST OF THE RESOURCES, THE YOUTH SERVICES, EDUCATION WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY, SENIOR AND COMMUNITY -- THE SENIOR AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, ALL THOSE THINGS ON SLIDE 5.
MY QUESTION WILL BE WHAT DOLLARS COULD WE USE OUTSIDE OF OUR GENERAL FUND THAT ENSURE THAT CHANCE. BUT BEFORE THAT REQUEST -- CAN I GET A TIME CHECK?
[01:30:04]
NEXT ROUND. >> VILLAGÓMEZ: WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED ANY OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE THE GENERAL FUND AT THIS POINT. AND ALSO I WANTED TO INDICATE THAT PERHAPS WE'LL COME BACK AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS WE DEVELOP THE STRATEGY. THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW TODAY. WE'RE ALSO EXPLORING GRANTS THROUGH MARIA'S OFFICE TO SEE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING DOLLARS TO
SAN ANTONIO THAT WAY. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THAT WAS WHAT I WAS HOPING TO GET TO. WHAT DOES RECERTAIN FOR GRANTS LOOK FOR AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU THINK EXIST FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS BROADLY, I KNOW IT'S --
>> THERE ARE SEVERAL GRANTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT TO BRING INNOVATIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNITIES BESIDES THE TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT-TYPE PROGRAMS. THERE'S SOME REGARDING SECURING HOUSING FOR THOSE RECENTLY RELEASED FROM INCARCERATION, THEN THERE'S SOME THAT WOULD BRING EXERCISE OR HEALTHY NUTRITION PROGRAMS TO COMMUNITIES. AND BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONDUCTING AT ROSEMONT, I THINK WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND MORE INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES. WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE RESIDENTS AND SEE WHAT INFORMATION WE CAN GLEAN FROM WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED HELP WITH AND KNOCKING ON DOORS AND SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: ABSOLUTELY. BEFORE I CLOSE OUT, THANK YOU, CHAIR, I WOULD JUST ASK, AND I DON'T THINK -- YOU MAY HAVE AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW BUT I DON'T NEED IT. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS OR NON-PROFITS THAT WE PARTNER WITH, OF WHICH OF THOSE WORK VERY CLOSELY.
WE HAVE A FEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN MY DISTRICT THAT BIG MAMA'S SAFE HOUSE WORKS WITH. ARE THERE ORGANIZATIONS IN THAT AREA THAT COULD BE
PRIME STAKEHOLDERS AND REALLY ACTIVE PARTNERS? >> WE'RE DEVELOPING AN ADDITIONAL ROLODEX TO GET GET A THOROUGH LIST SO WE CAN BRING THEM IN MORE EFFECTIVELY ON THESE SOLUTIONS WHERE THEY ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED.
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT TO FIND OUT WHO OUR PARTNERS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I NEVER GOT THE LIST OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS WE FUNDED THROUGH ARPA, THEIR SERVICE AREAS. HOW MANY ACTUALLY DID SERVICE IN MY AREA OFTEN OTHER DISTRICTS. THAT'S STILL IMPORTANT TO
ME. >> WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO.
>> GAVITO: THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. IT WAS GREAT.
REALLY QUICK, LOOKING AT THE FIVE LOCATIONS, I NOTICE ALL OF THEM ARE APARTMENT
COMPLEXES. WAS THAT INTENTIONAL? >> NO, IT WAS DRIVEN
ENTIRELY BY THE DATA. >> GAVITO: I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE LONG-TERM SUPPORT PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS THERE TO -- SO THAT WE NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING FACTORS THAT INCREASE CRIME THERE, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY TRAUMA FROM BEING AROUND SO MUCH VIOLENT CRIME. DO ALL OF THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES HAVE AN AFFILIATION WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME?
>> NO. >> GAVITO: THEY DON'T? OKAY.
I WAS CURIOUS WHAT COORDINATION WE WOULD BE HAVING WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME. I WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ'S COMMENTS ABOUT ACS VACCINE CLINICS. WE DID A BLOCK WALK AND OBVIOUSLY YOU SEE A LOT OF ISSUES THERE AT THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, BUT ONE WAS THE AMOUNT OF ANIMALS.
SO I OFFER THAT WE NOT ONLY DO VACCINE CLINICS, BUT ALSO A POP-UP SPAY AND NEUTER EVENT OR SOMETHING AT THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES SO WE CAN KIND OF CURB THE PROBLEM AS WELL. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> HAVRDA: COUNCILWOMAN DR. DAUGHTER. >> KAUR: I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SITE SELECTIONS. ONE OF THE ADDRESSES ON THERE IS ONE WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT RIGHT NOW SO I'M WONDERING, IT'S THE SAHARA DRIVE ADDRESS, 680-UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX. WE'VE GOTTEN CALLS FOR PREVIOUSLY ABOUT EVEN FROM RENTERS ABOUT NOT MAINTENANCE UPDATES BUT CRIME AND IT'S A FAMILY-ORIENTED COMPLEX N PHASE 2 ARE WE GOING BACK TO ANY OF THOSE SITES AND PROVIDING SUPPORT AND DO WE DO ANY WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY
OWNERS THERE TO HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT TO? >> VILLAGÓMEZ: COUNCILWOMAN, AS DR. SMITH MENTIONED, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT IS PRETTY FLUID, SO WE EVALUATE THOSE SITES THAT WE TREAT ON PHASE 1 TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION.
SO AS WE CONTINUE THIS PHASE, WE CAN REPORT BACK IF WE HAVE SEEN ANY CHANGES ON
[01:35:06]
CRIME STATISTICS ON THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION. SO THE SHORT ANSWER, WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ONCE WE DO THAT EVALUATION AGAIN.>> KAUR: THAT IS A SITE THAT HAS BEEN WORKED ON ALREADY.
>> VILLAGÓMEZ: IF POLICE CAN HELP WITH THAT, IF THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS WE
CONTINUE TO TREAT IN THE HOT SPOT. >> YES, MA'AM.
>> VILLAGÓMEZ: THAT IS ON OUR LIST. >> KAUR: I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE DATA TO SEE IF THERE'S BEEN ANY IMPACT SINCE THE DATA SHOWN ON THE
SLIDE TODAY. >> VILLAGÓMEZ: WILL DO, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> KAUR: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED.
IDENTIFYING WHERE THE CRIME IS TAKING PLACE AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO TRY TO MINIMIZE IT IS GOOD POLICY SO I APPRECIATE IT. I HAD THE SAME QUESTION AS COUNCILWOMAN GAFFE VETO ABOUT OPPORTUNITY HOME AND BEACON COULDN'T AND HOW THEY
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM. >> YES, THERE CERTAINLY IS A PLACE FOR THE ROSEMONT PROPERTY AND OPPORTUNITY HOME TO HELP US IN ACHIEVING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED. ONE OF THOSE IS LOOKING AT THE POLICY FOR INSTALLING THE RING DOORBELL CAMERAS RESIDENTS SEEM TO WANT.
THE OTHER IS LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE PROPERTY SUCH AS FENCING AND LIGHTING ON THE PROPERTY. AND THAT WOULD BE FOR OPPORTUNITY HOME TO LEAD BECAUSE IT IS THEIR PROPERTY. WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. SO THAT'S ONE ASPECT. AND THEN THAT INCREASED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEIR PRIVATE SECURITY AND SAPD SO WE HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF THE PULSE OF THE ACTIVITY GOING ON THERE. AND THEN ALLOWING US TO GO ON SITE TO CONDUCT THOSE SURVEYS WITH THE PERMISSION OF OPPORTUNITY HOME AND THE
ROSEMONT STAFF. >> WHYTE: OKAY. THANK YOU.
AGAIN, THIS IS GOOD POLICY. I LIKE THAT WE'RE DOING IT. SO WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM PLANS FOR SUSTAINING PLANS LIKE THIS AND KEEPING THIS GOING INTO THE FUTURE ONCE
THIS FUNDING EXPIRES? >> I THINK THE LONG-TERM PLAN WOULD BE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THESE LOCATIONS THAT HAVE HIGH CALL VOLUMES AND EVALUATING WHAT THE ISSUES AT THE HEART OF THOSE CALLS ARE. AND THAT, AGAIN, FALLS UNDER THAT GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING TO INCLUDE THESE APARTMENTS. JUST LIKE SAHARA WHERE WE'RE SEEING HIGH CALL VOLUMES, ALL ARE NECESSARILY VIOLENT CRIME RELATED, HOW THEY ARE ININDICATIVE OF A SENSE OF INSECURITY. WITH GOOD NEIGHBOR WE'RE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE LOCATIONS AND THEN EVALUATE THE ISSUES, SEND PEOPLE ON SITE, THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS LIKE THIS AND DELIVER THEM.
NOT JUST UNDER THIS MONIKER OF A VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PLAN, BUT UNDER THE GOOD NEIGHBOR PROGRAM THROUGH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THAT'S WHAT I SEE AS THE
LONG TERM. >> WHYTE: OKAY. I THINK THAT'S IT.
THANKS. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO I WANT TO TOUCH ON LIGHTING JUST A LITTLE BIT AND THE FUTURE OF THE PLAN. ONE OF THE STEPS IS -- THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN IS APPLICATION OF NEW STREET LIGHTS.
ON THIS SITE THERE'S THREE LIGHTS TO BE INSTALLED. THEY WERE IDENTIFIED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AS WARRANTED LIGHTS UNDER THE STREET LIGHTING INDEX I PROPOSED IN 2021 MEANING THAT WE COULD LOOK HYPOTHETICALLY AT EVERY HOT SPOT IN THE CITY AND SEE IF THERE IS A WARRANTED STREET LIGHT THERE.
AND WE COULD WORK ON APPLYING THOSE AS A PRIORITY.
AND SO -- AND COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO MENTIONED THIS, ALL OF THE HIGHEST LOCATIONS ARE APARTMENT COMPLEXES. IT DOES MAKE SENSE CONSIDERING WE'RE DISCUSSING INDIVIDUAL ADDRESSES WHICH HAVE HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF PEOPLE.
THAT BEING CONSIDERED, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THE TOP 15 OR 20 OREN MORE LOCATIONS ARE ALSO APARTMENT COMPLEXES. I WONDER IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO EVERY PROPERTY IN THE TOP 20, LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED STREET LIGHTING GAPS ACCORDING ON THE INDEX AND BEGIN REACHING OUT TO OWNERSHIP AND MANAGERS TO GET APPROVAL FOR INSTALLATION OF THE LIGHTS.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A HUGE PRIORITY AND THERE'S MORE THAN $5 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING IN THESE LIGHTS AND IT'S JUST KIND OF SITTING THERE UNTIL WE GET THE AMERICA MISSIONS NECESSARY TO INSTALL THE LIGHTS -- PERMISSIONS NECESSARY. IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN GET DURING THE FOLLOW-UP?
>> VILLAGÓMEZ: YES. I THINK THIS GOES TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION FOR COMMIT, OUR GOAL -- COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE IS TO BE MORE -- WE THINK THIS DATA WILL ALLOW US TO
[01:40:02]
BE MORE INTENTIONAL WITH THE SAME RESOURCES WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET.>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: I CONCUR. I'M CURIOUS ON SLIDE 7, I NOTICED ONLY TWO OF THE FOUR HOT SPOT TREATMENTS WERE APPLIED FOR ROSEMONT.
THE RIGSBY ADDRESS HAS 204. I'M INTERESTED WHY THAT IS AND WHAT IT MEANS.
MORE SO WHY THAT IS. >> I'M SORRY, I DON'T THINK I FOLLOWED YOUR QUESTION.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: ON THE FAR RIGHT WHERE IT SAYS HOT SPOT TREATMENTS, ALL FOUR OF THE FIRST FOUR ADDRESSES HAVE HAD ALL FOUR OF FOUR HOT SPOT TREATMENTS.
RIGSBY TWO OF FOUR. WHY IS THAT? >> THAT WAS THE FALL OF 2023. THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT -- THOSE DATA ARE PRETTY OUT OF
DATE. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO IT COULD START A LITTLE LATER?
>> EVERY 60 DAYS -- >> YEAH, SO THE WAY THE HOT SPOT TREATMENTS WORK IS WE REANALYZE DATA EVERY 60 DAYS. AND SAPD POOLS RESOURCES BASED ON THAT ANALYSIS FROM THE PREVIOUS 60 DAYS. BASICALLY WE LOOK BACKWARD IN TIME. IN THE LAST 60 DAYS, WE ALSO LOOK AT A YEAR RETROSPECTIVE AND WE IDENTIFY THE MOST CRIMINOGENIC PLACES IN THE CITY FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS WORTH OF TREATMENT. WE REPEAT THAT PROCESS EVERY 60 DAYS.
AS OF FALL OF 2023, RIGSBY WAS -- HAD BEEN TREATED TWO TIMES OUT OF THEN FOUR.
AND WE'RE IN PERIOD 10, WE'RE IN PERIOD 10 RIGHT NOW.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. THAT DOES APPRECIATE IT. I WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH STAFF ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER SITES IN MY DISTRICT. MIDCROWN IS IN MY DISTRICT. I'D LIKE TO MAYBE COME UP WITH A PLAN. EACH OF COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND I BELIEVE I CAN PLAY A ROLE IN GETTING INVESTMENTS IN MORE AREAS EVEN BOUT BUDGET AMENDMENTS. -- EVEN WITHOUT BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
I KNOW WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THIS OR SORT OF ALMOST TIPTOED AROUND IT, BUT LONG
TERM WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE OTHER FOUR SITES? >> SO WE WILL RUN THE DATA AGAIN, AND IF THE HOT SPOT HAS NOT REDUCED THE NUMBER OF VIOLENT CRIMES THEN WE WILL TREAT THAT LOCATION AS PART OF PHASE 2. SO WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU, WE'LL RERUN THE DATA. WE CAN MEET WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY JUST TO SHOW
YOU WHAT IS THE NEWEST [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU WILL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: SO ROSEMONT APARTMENTS IS NUMBER ONE RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE THAN --
WE HAVE 3.5 MILLION TOTAL, RIGHT? >>
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: MORE THAN $3 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR PHASE 2.
>> YES. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> HAVRDA: ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 8. >> WHYTE: WE DON'T NEED A
MOTION ON THAT? >> HAVRDA: DO WE NEED A MOTION TO MOVE THAT?
>> YES. TO MOVE TO FULL COUNCIL FOR APPROPRIATION.
>> HAVRDA: YOU GOT THAT, AURORA? TWO MOTION TEN SECOND.
MOTION CARRIES. ITEM 8. >> VILLAGÓMEZ: IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU VERY IMPORTANT WORK BOTH THE CITY AND COUNTY ARE WORKING ON IN ADDRESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY IS JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON A PERFORMANCE REPORT THAT WE DEVELOPED AND TRANSMITTED TO THE COUNCIL A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND THERE'S A COPY IN FRONT OF YOU FOR YOUR REFERENCE. THIS COLLABORATIVE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. IT WAS CREATED BY SPECIAL ORDER BY TODAY JUDGE PETER SAKAI IN 2019. AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CCDB INCLUDES BEXAR COUNTY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION, NON-PROFITS, HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS, AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS OF OUR CCDB THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY. MARTA PELÁEZ, THERESA CASTILLO, JENNIFER NORTHWAY, MELODY POWERS WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
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NOAH FUENTES. FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AIR ERIKA AND RICH AND CHIEF CHRIS BENAVIDES. WHAT WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL IS WORK WE'VE DONE THE PAST FIVE YEAR. MOST RECENTLY WE HAVE INTRODUCED A CONCEPT OF A MODEL TO ILLUSTRATE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THE COUNTY AND ALL THE NON-PROFITS WORK, AND IN ORDER TO REDUCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE CALL THIS AN ECOSYSTEM THAT THE GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THE SERVICES THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE AND THE FAMILIES THAT NEED ASSISTANCE WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATE. SO THE REPORT THAT WE PROVIDED TO YOU, WE PRESENTED IT TO COMMISSIONERS COURT LAST WEEK. ALSO WITH THE SAME PRESENTATION.SO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY INCLUDED IN THE REPORT INCLUDE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE TO OUR SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS.
SOME EXAMPLES THAT WE HAVE IS AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO THROUGH THE WORK OF THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER TO CREATE AN ONLINE DIGITAL PROTECTIVE ORDER INTAKE APPLICATION THAT WAS VERY CRITICAL DURING COVID AND THAT WORK CONTINUES. SOME OF THE OTHER EXAMPLES THAT THROUGH THE CCDB THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IS A NAVIGATION LINE CREATION THAT ASSISTS THE BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO ACCESS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AT HIGH RISK OF HARM OR DEATH WHEN THE RESPONSE TO 911 CALLS WITH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE THEM FROM A SITUATION THAT COULD BE OF DANGER TO THEMSELVES. HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE MADE SOME CHANGES AS WELL AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK WITH THE CCVB. WE TRANSITION OUR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM ON THE CIVIL SIDE TO METRO HEALTH IN 2020.
AND WE CREATED A VICTIM CENTER MODEL THAT ASSISTS ONLY PROVIDING ASSISTANCE MOST OF THE TIME WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL WAS -- WE WERE HELPING THEM WITH THEIR CASE. NOW WE STAY WITH THEM FOR AS LONG AS THEY NEED US. SOME OTHER EXAMPLES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TO YOU IS INCREASED DATA SHARING AND TRANSPARENCY AMONG ORGANIZATIONS.
BEFORE THE CCBD, WE DID NOT HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT COMPILED THE DATA THAT MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TOWARDS IMPROVING OUR SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE HAVE CREATED A DATA REPORT, A REPORT IS NOT PERFECT BY ANY MEANS, BUT IT DEFINITELY IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO BE ABLE TO INFORM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ON AREAS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE AND PERHAPSAL LOW INDICATE MORE RERESOURCES. OTHER AREAS THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON IS EDUCATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE AWARENESS OF SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE FACING ISSUES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE -- WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE DIGITAL SIGNS THAT TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CALL FOR ACTION TO STAND AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PLACES WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN CALL AND REQUEST SERVICES, IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY TO CALL 911 AND FOR RESOURCES TO CALL 211, AND THEN FROM THERE CONNECTING THEM TO SERVICES WITH OUR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUALS AND RELATIONSHIPS, WE HAVE OUR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. FOR INSTANCE, THE PEACE INITIATIVE PARTNERED WITH METRO HEALTH TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO 3,000 PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS ON EVIDENCE-BASED POSITIVE PARENTING PROGRAM, THE PPP.
THIS ALLOWS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO FAMILIES TO -- WITH THE GOAL OF ENDING THE CYCLE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ALSO OUR FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES ALONG WITH THE PEACE INITIATIVE HAVE CONDUCTED MANY TRAINING SESSIONS TO DIFFERENT
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ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ABLE TO INFORM THEM OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.SPECIFICALLY, FOR INSTANCE, THE FAMILY VIOLENCE PARTNERS WITH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO OUR CADETS AS THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE ACADEMY TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY WILL SEE AS THEY BECOME POLICE OFFICERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. NOW AS WE TRANSITION TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, METRO HEALTH, AS YOU MAY RECALL, DEVELOPED A VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED. SO THE CCBD IS USING SOME OF THE INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIES AS PART OF OUR WORK TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THE COMPLETION OF THE WORK OF METRO HEALTH AND ALSO INFORMS THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING. SO THREE AREAS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS DATA UTILIZATION, A COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN, AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
YOU'LL SEE IN THE DOCUMENT THAT WE PROVIDED THE MANY STRATEGIES THAT WILL BE WORKING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. SO THAT IS JUST A VERY HIGH-LEVEL PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CCDB AND MYSELF ARE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, YOU AND JUDGE DIAZ, BOTH WOMEN I ADMIRE. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AS A WHOLE, BUT I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT WAYS TO IMPROVE SYSTEMS, SOMETIMES THE BEST SOLUTIONS ARE IMPROVING THE EXISTING PROCESSES AND ENHANCING CAPACITY THAT SEEM LIKE VERY SMALL CHANGES BUT CAN MAKE LONG-TERM IMPACTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE 5 AND THE ONE THAT I'M REALLY, AGAIN, SORT OF REASSURED THIS IS HAPPENING IN INCREASING THE DATA SHARING AND TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING GOOD WORK BUT NOT COLLABORATING. I THANK THE COMMISSION FOR WORKING ON THAT. I AM EXCITED TO -- THAT YOU ALL ARE USING THE PLAN TO USE DATA TO SOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES. I HAVE A CONCERN -- I WONDER IF YOU HAVE ADDRESSED THIS. I UNDERSTAND THAT DEFENDANTS --N ISSUE WITH DEFENDANTS NOT APPEARING IN COURT. BECAUSE EVEN WHEN THEY DO APPEAR IN COURT AND SOMETIMES THEY HAVE -- THEY ARE GIVEN UNSUPERVISED PROBATION SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF NECESSARILY ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE DEFENDANT TO THE VICTIM, LONG-TERM ACCOUNTABILITY. I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY RECEIVE PRE-TRIAL SERVICES AND MAYBE THEY ARE COURT ORDERED COUNSELING THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO GET THAT BECAUSE MAYBE FINANCIAL ISSUES, BUT ALSO BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE ENTITIES NEARBY IN BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY USE THE SAME PROVIDERS AND SO THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO GET INTO THOSE CLASSES. THAT'S KIND OF A LOT. I ASKED A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT REALLY IT IS ABOUT RESOURCES FOR A DEFENDER -- I'M SORRY, DEFENDANTS. DO WE HAVE ANY PLAN FOR THAT OR -- OR IS THAT SOMETHING
YOU ALL CAN LOOK AT. MAYBE I'LL ASK IT THAT WAY. >> VILLAGÓMEZ: I'M GOING TO ASK JOE FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ADDRESS THAT.
>> I CAN CLARIFY BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY. THE CITY IS CLASS C ASSAULT CASES THAT HANDLE JUST -- THOSE THE ONES THAT ARE UNSUPERVISED AND THE DEFENDANT GOES AHEAD AND DOES IT ON THEIR OWN. WHEN IT COMES TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, MILLEY COULD ATTEST TO THIS, BUT THEY HAVE A LARGER SYSTEM WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT DEFENDANT. OF COURSE, IF DEFENDANT FAILS TO SHOW UP, WARRANTS ARE ISSUED IN BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
>> HAVRDA: SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOWING THAT DEFENDANT?
>> WELL, WARRANTS ARE ISSUED, IF THE DEFENDANT FAILS TO SHOW UP, THEN
WARRANTS ARE ISSUED FOR THEIR ARREST. >> HAVRDA: THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD REQUEST TO LOOK AT IS HOW CAN WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FOLLOW THE DEFENDANT. MAKE SURE, SPECIFICALLY THE COURT ORDERED COUNSELING.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS HOW THEY -- YOU STOP THEM FROM REOFFENDING IS TO MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. I INVITE PATRICIO TO TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK WE NEED A BETTER PLAN MOVING FORWARD. I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY HAVE UNSUPERVISED PROBATION, BUT WHEN NOT COMPLETELY THEIR COUNSELING IT'S GOING TO
CAUSE MORE BACKLOG. >> COUNTY LEVEL THEY DO HAVE PROBATION OFFICERS THAT
FOLLOW THEM THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. >> HAVRDA: BUT WE DON'T HAVE -- WE COULDN'T HAVE PROBATION OFFICERS. THE SECOND PART IS THE COUNSELING THAT WE -- THAT I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE NOT ABLE GET INTO THE CETA PROVIDERS
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BECAUSE OF THE ONES THAT WE USE ARE THE SAME ONES THAT A LOT OF OTHER ENTITIES AROUND US USE. SO THEY EITHER CAN'T AFFORD IT OR CAN'T GET IN WITHIN, I THINK IT'S THE 60-DAYTIME FRAME TO COMPLETE THAT COUNSELING.>> I KNOW JUDGE POLE WORKS CLOSELY WITH DEFENDANTS AND THE FINES ARE PRETTY MUCH WAIVED TO ALLOW THEM TO ATTEND CLASSES. THERE'S NO QUESTION THE CLASSES COST FROM 20 TO $25 PER SESSION. JUDGE POLE WILL GO AHEAD AND WAIVE THAT $500 FINE TO ENSURE THEY ATTEND THOSE SESSIONS.
>> HAVRDA: SO THEY ARE NOT ALL WAIVED? I'M GETTING THIS INFORMATION STRAIGHT FROM THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM. THAT'S ONE ASPECT.
THE OTHER I THINK THAT'S BIGGER IS NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ON THE LIST BECAUSE THE
PROVIDERS ARE SO OVERLOADED. DO WE HAVE INSIGHT ON THAT? >> I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OR THE STATS ON THAT PROCESS, BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, PATRICIA. >> FIRST YOU CALL IT
COUNSELING, YOU ARE SAYING COUNSELING -- >> HAVRDA: YES.
>> AND THEN THERE'S THE BATTERER'S INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT MARTA RUNS.
THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, CORRECT? >>
>> THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNSELING AND THERAPY AND AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. OF COURSE, FOR US IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DO BOTH, RIGHT? BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN THERE'S VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, IT STEMS FROM SOMETHING, RIGHT, AND USUALLY TRAUMA ROOTED IN THEIR CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, RIGHT? SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT.
THERE PROBABLY MIGHT BE A WAITING LIST WITH BIP? I DON'T KNOW.
>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT -- >> COME FORWARD. >> IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ALWAYS ADDRESSED. AND IF THERE IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE 60-DAY, THOSE PEOPLE ARE IMMEDIATELY SET INTO A GROUP. NOW, ONE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS THE DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE INDIVIDUALS TO ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM IN A TIMELY FASHION. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ADDRESS WITH THE JUDGES TO MAKE SURE THAT'S PART OF THE ORDERS AND CONDITIONS THAT IS ADDRESSED SO THAT THEY DO NOT WAIT ALL OF THEM ON THE 59TH DAY TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSES.
GOING ALONG WITH WHAT PATRICIA WAS SAYING, THE PROGRAM IS EDUCATIONAL WITH COUNCILS -- COUNSELING. AND ONCE THE CHILD IS PART OF OUR NEWEST SERVICES TO ADDRESS THE NEED TO INSTILL IN THE PARTICIPANT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY NEED TO DISPLAY IN THEIR BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE CHILDREN THAT THEY HAVE UNDER THEIR CARE, WHETHER THEIR OWN OR THE PARTNER'S CHILDREN, BY ADDRESSING THE FACT THE MAJORITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN ABUSED AS CHILDREN THEMSELVES.
SO IT'S A WAY TO BREAK -- >> HAVRDA: THAT'S EXACTLY THE INFORMATION I WAS LOOKING FOR. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE FOR THE COMMISSION TO ADDRESS IS LOOKING AT THE OBVIOUSLY LIKE THE CYCLE, WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT FOREVER.
BUT THANK YOU BOTH. MARIA, ON THAT, I GUESS THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD, BUT I JUST WONDER IF YOU ALL HAVE LOOKED AT THAT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME AS A DIRECT CONCERN FROM THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM. THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING SO MUCH IS FILLING THE GAPS AND THAT'S ANOTHER GAP THAT CAME TO MY ATTENTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN COUNCILMEMBER GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THE COMMISSION HAS DONE.
I SEE PATRICIA AND MARTA HERE. I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE EARLY EDUCATION COMPONENT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE PREVENTION AS WELL AS PARENTING INTERVENTIONS ARE CRUCIAL BECAUSE MANY TIMES PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THE IMPACT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN HAVE ON CHILDREN'S BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND ON THEIR PRE-SOCIAL -- PRO-SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT.
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WE KNOW EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EVEN AS A BABY CAN HAVE PRO FUNDEFFECTS SO I'M GLAD WE'RE EDUCATING PARENTS. >> HAVRDA: COUNCILMEMBER
KAUR. >> KAUR: YOU HAD PRESENTED TO ME, WE TALKED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AND THERE WAS A CASE STUDY YOU WERE GOING TO DO TO FOLLOW INDIVIDUALS.
WHERE ARE WE? >> >> VILLAGÓMEZ: WE REPORTED TOD CCDB. WE CAN COME BACK AND SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE. >> HAVRDA: COMMIT? COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE?
>> WHYTE: BRIEFLY. METRICS YOU ALL ARE GOING TO USE TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PLAN, HAVE WE IDENTIFIED THOSE? TO TALK TO OUR EXPERT,
ERIKA, TO SHARE THAT. >> UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T BRING MY COPE WITH THE METRICS ATTACHED TO IT. YOU WERE AT THE B SESSION BRIEFING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO MEASURE THE STRATEGIC PLAN OVER ALL AND WE HAD VIABLE METRICS AND METHODS FOR EACH OF THOSE STRATEGIES. WE'RE JUST USING THOSE THAT WERE BORROWED FROM THE MAIN PLAN FOR THE CCD. I CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP IF
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT. >> WHYTE: WE'VE IDENTIFIED THEM AND WE'RE COMFORTABLE IT'S GOING TO GIVE US A GOOD IDEA IF THIS IS WORKING. OKAY.
LAST QUESTION. HOW DOES C CDV PLAN TO PLAN IMPROVEMENTS IN DATA SHARING, ET CETERA AND UTILIZATION, MOST IMPORTANTLY.
>> SURE. SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED A SYSTEM THAT WE'RE SHARING THE DATA THAT WE CURRENTLY ALL COLLECT. ONE THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO TELL A STORY WITH OUR DATA.
RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A COMPILATION OF DATA. NUMBER OF CALLS, NUMBER OF PROTECTIVE ORDERS, NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT GO THROUGH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THAT ARE ASSESSED AND THEY IDENTIFY TO HAVE EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS, COUNCILMAN, THAT IS PART OF OUR WORK FOR THIS YEAR.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ONCE WE FINISH THAT PROCESS AND EVALUATION
WHEN WE DO OUR REPORT NEXT YEAR. >> WHYTE: GREAT.
SUCH IMPORTANT WORK. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
>> HAVRDA: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THIS IS A BRIEFING.
>> YES, A BRIEFING. >> HAVRDA: SO THAT'S OUR MEETING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL RECONVENE IN AUGUST. APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.