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>> KA >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR JOINING US, EVEN WITH A LITTLE SICK KIDDO AT HOME. THANKS FOR HELPING US GET THIS SET UP WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. P WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN AT 2:24 P.M. THE PUBLIC SAFETY MCOMMITTEE IS CALLED TO ORDER. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> CLERK: WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> KAUR: THE FIRST TIME ON THE AGENDA IS MINUTES FROM JANUARY 20TH, 2026 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING. ARE THERE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? IF NOT, I WILL TAKE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES 3-0. ALRIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE ITEMS 5 FIRST, WHICH IS THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICES METRICS WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT. THE POINT OF THIS IS JUST TO BE ABLE TO SHOW DATA ON COMMUNITY. WE JUST THOUGHT WE DID SAPDS IN THE MEMOS THIS TIME.
WE WILL DO EVERY MONTH WITH A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT. NEXT MONTH WILL BE FIRE.
FOR ACS I WOULD LIKE MY COLLEAGUES TO GIVE FEEDBACK. JON IS HERE IN CASE WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM TO ANSWER. BUT WE JUST WANTED FEEDBACK ON IS THERE A SPECIFIC ITEM WITH STATISTICS THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, OR THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO DO A DEEPER DIVE IN FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING? MARIA, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO
ADD? >> VILLAGOMEZ: NO, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> KAUR: ANY FEEDBACK? GO AHEAD. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK WITH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AS WELL AS CARING FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THE VACANCY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE DECREASE IN THE COMPLIANCE RATE DUE TO VACANCIES, BUT WE HAVE ALSO INCREASED DANGEROUS DOG INVESTIGATIONS TEAM FROM TWO TO FOUR. ARE ALL FOUR OF THOSE ROLES CURRENTLY FILLED OR ARE THERE ANY VACANCIES OUT OF THE FOUR?
>> NO, MA'AM, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO VACANCIES OF THE FOUR RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S A BIG ISSUE. NOT TO MENTION THE NUMBER OF DANGEROUS CASES HAVE DOUBLED.
WHEN WE WENT FROM TWO OFFICERS TO FOUR OFFICERS, WHEN WE INITIALLY -- WE ONLY WERE DOING ABOUT 300 AFFIDAVITS A YEAR, WE WENT FROM TWO TO FOUR SO WE COULD COVER 300 BUT NOW WE ARE GETTING 600. IT'S DEFINITELY IMPACTING
THEIR ABILITY. >> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THOSE VACANCIES, DO YOU INTEND TO HIRE FROM WITHIN THE ANIMAL CARE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXPLORING CANDIDATES FOR THOSE VACANCIES?
>> TYPICALLY, THEY ARE HIRED FROM WITHIN, BECAUSE THOSE ARE LEAD POSITIONS AND TYPICALLY IT'S A PROMOTION, ALTHOUGH OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE IF WE DON'T
HAVE ANYONE INTERNALLY THAT QUALIFIES. >> CASTILLO: TO YOUR POINT, IN TERMS OF 2025 TO THIS YEAR, IN TERMS OF SEEING THE INCREASE OF DOGS SURRENDERED TO ANIMAL CARE SERVICE AND THE INCREASE OF ANIMALS REPORTED, YOU ALL AREFARING PRETTY WELL IN TERMS OF INCREASING THE RELEASE RATE, ENSURING THERE'S MORE ADOPTIONS AND TRANSFERRING TO RESCUE PARTNERS. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE KEY PIECES.
ONE, I'M SURE WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE THE VACANCIES FILLED TO ENSURE WE ARE HAVING THE GREATEST IMPACT, BUT ALSO, AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BITE CASES, HOW THEY SEPARATE FROM THE DANGEROUS DOG INVESTIGATIONS AND CAN YOU REMIND ME OF THAT SPLIT OF THE DANGEROUS DOGS INVESTIGATIONS AND THEN THE BITE CASES AS SEPARATE?
>> YEAH. DANGEROUS DOGS DON'T NECESSARILY INVOLVE A BITE.
THEY COULD JUST INVOLVE AN ATTACK AND EVEN IF THE PERSON WAS ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES WELL ENOUGH WHERE THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET BIT, IT CAN STILL QUALIFY AS DANGEROUS.
NOT EVERY BITE ENDS UP AS DANGEROUS. THE OTHER THING IS THERE'S EIGHT OFFICERS, BITE OFFICERS, THAT WILL INITIALLY WORK THE BITE CALL.
IF THE BITE MEETS THE DEFINITION OF A DANGEROUS, THEN THAT PERSON IS OFFERED AN AFFIDAVIT TO THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH DANGEROUS AT THAT POINT.
SO IT STARTS OFF WITH OUR BITE OFFICERS MOST OF THE TIME, THEN GETS SWITCHED TO
DANGEROUS TEAM IF THEY FILL OUT THE AFFIDAVIT. >> CASTILLO: I WANTED TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A GRADUATION FOR OUR ANIMAL CARE SERVICE OFFICERS AND WHAT BRAD AND YOU ALL HIGHLIGHTED WAS THE RESPONSE FOR CRITICAL CARE, I BELIEVE IT'S 94%, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WITH THE NEW OFFICERS OUT IN THE FIELD TO SEE THAT NUMBER CONTINUE TO INCREASE AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED, SEEING THE
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INCREASE IN CALLS FOR NEED OF SUPPORTIVE ANIMAL CARE SERVICE.THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
RECEIVING THESE UPDATES. >> THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
I REALIZED WE HAD A PUBLIC COMMENT SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM SO I'M GOING TO ALLOW HER TO SPEAK FIRST. THEN WE CAN GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ IF HE HAS ANYTHING. VICKY, ARE YOU HERE? I THOUGHT I SAW HER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP? ARE THEY SIGNED UP AS WELL? COULD YOU GIVE ME THEIR NAMES? IT'S OKAY. WE WILL GIVE YOU, GO AHEAD
AND GIVE YOU NINE MINUTES. >> OKAY. IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET THIS PICTURE I BROUGHT PUT UP ON THE SCREEN? CHICO, ABUSE, NEGLECT AND THE ACS STRATEGIC PLAN. ON FEBRUARY 20, 2025, I PULLED A DOG CHICOFROM SAN ANTONIO ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. HE WAS EMACIATED, HAD DAMAGED EYES AND WAS SURRENDERED BY HIS OWNER. I SPECIFICALLY PULLED THIS DOG TO FOLLOW PROGRESS ON AN EXAMPLE OF A DOG THAT HAD BEEN ABUSED AND NEGLECTED. AFTER ALMOST ONE YEAR AND IT HAS BEEN A YEAR NOW, THIS DOG WAS SURRENDERED A YEAR AGO YESTERDAY.
OF ACS HAVING THIS CASE, IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN HOLDING THE FORMER OWNER ACCOUNTABLE. MY PURPOSE IN FOLLOWING THIS CASE WAS NOT JUST TO GET JUSTICE FOR CHICOBUT TO DETERMINE IF ACS HAS MADE ANY PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVEMENT OF ANY OF THE FOCUS AREAS, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED IN THE 2023 STRATEGIC PLAN. A PLAN THAT WAS THE PRODUCT OF CITIZEN AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND THAT I BELIEVE IT FOLLOWED AND IMPLEMENTED WOULD HELP THIS CITY SOLVE ONE OF ITS MOST APPARENT, IGNORED PROBLEMS. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT THIS PLAN'S OBJECTIVES CONCERNING ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE NOT BEING MET. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH DIRECTOR JONATHAN GARY AND BRAD DAVINPORT AND E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE WORKER ASSIGNED TO CHICO'S CASE, AND I HAVE ASKED FOR STATUS UPDATES. THE LAST TIME I CONTACTED THE INVESTIGATOR IN THE CASE TO ASK FOR A STATUS UPDATE, I WAS TOLD I SHOULD SUBMIT AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST. I DID, IN FACT, SUBMIT AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST IN MARCH OF 2025. I BELIEVE I RECEIVED 12 PAGES OF WHICH 10 PAGES WERE TOTALLY REDACTED. I WILL NOT SUBMIT ANOTHER OR, ONLY TO RECEIVE NO USEFUL INFORMATION. I PROVIDED TO THE INVESTIGATOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION I HAD RECEIVED FROM MY VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE, CALLAHAN ROAD ANIMAL HOSPITAL AND SOUTH TEXAS VETE VETERINARYOPHTHALMOLOGY.
I HAD TESTS RUN TO SEE IF THERE WERE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THAT COULD HAVE ACHIEVED THE SEVERE CONDITION CHICOWAS SURRENDERED IN. THERE WERE NO SUCH FINDINGS OF UNDERLYING CONDITIONS. IT WILL BE A YEAR NEXT WEEK, ACTUALLY A YEAR ON THE 20TH WHICH IS PROBABLY FRIDAY, I DON'T KNOW, SINCE HE WAS SURRENDERED.
NO, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE 16TH. I'M SORRY. IT WAS A YEAR AGO THAT I RECEIVED CHICOTHAT, I PICKED HIM UP. I WAS TOLD IT TAKES EIGHT MONTHS FOR THESE CASES TO BE REFERRED TO BE ADJUDICATED. I HAVE BEEN VERY PATIENT.
I WILL NO LONGER BE PATIENT. MY TAKE-AWAYS FROM THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN SAN ANTONIO OF COMPANION ANIMALS IS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
THAT EFFORTS TO HELP WERE NOT APPRECIATED AND THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO IGNORE THIS PROBLEM. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THE ACS STRATEGIC PLAN. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE CONTINUE TO ALLOWERRANT OWNERS TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT THEIR ANIMALS WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS.
FURTHER, AS I HAVE STATED BEFORE, I CONTEND THAT THIS CITY CREATES DANGEROUS DOGS BY IGNORING AND ALLOWING BAD ACTORS TO CONTINUE TO ABUSE, NEGLECT, ABANDON AND ALLOW THEIR DOGS TO WANDER OUR STREETS FREE OF RESTRAINT. WHAT DO I WANT? I WANT THESE CASES INVESTIGATED AND MOVED TO PROPER AUTHORITIES TO BE ADJUDICATED IN A TIMELY MANNER. AFTER DISCUSSING THE PROCESS WITH ACS ON HOW THESE CASES ARE HANDLED, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE PROCESS TO BE REVIEWED FOR EFFICIENCY. I WANT THE CITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I WANT THE TAXES I PAID AS A CITIZEN AND PROPERTY HOLDER FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE ACS STRATEGIC PLAN TO BE USED TO IMPLEMENT IT.
I WILL WORK DILIGENTLY AND UNRELENTINGLY TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, VICKY. COUNCIL MEMBER
MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THE ACS ITEM? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: NO,
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NOTHING RIGHT NOW, THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WILL JUST, BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS DATA, THE ONE THING I HAVE SEEN AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IS PERSONNEL IS A HUGE COMPONENT OF EVERYTHING WE DO AT ACS.
I KNOW IT TAKES TIME TO TRAIN UP OFFICERS SO I'M GLAD COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO GOT TO SEE THE CLASS OF FOLKS THAT JUST GRADUATED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MAYBE THAT THE CHALLENGE IN PERSONNEL ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE, SO MAYBE A DEEP DIVE IN JUST LIKE FOR THE NEXT SESSION, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ANDITERATE ABOUT WHERE YOU FIND GAPS, HOW LONG YOU FIND THEM, AND IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS FOLKS ARE DOING TO HELP INCENTIVIZE THOSE POSITIONS AND JUST WHAT WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AS WE GO INTO POTENTIALLY THE BUDGET CYCLE TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO SUPPORT YOU ALL, IF THAT IS INCENTIVES OR A SIGNING BONUS.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO GET CREATIVE IN GETTING FOLKS IN POSITIONS THAT WE NEED THEM IN. THE 600 CALLS IS AWESOME, THAT MEANS FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY TAKING ACTION. I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S DOUBLED BUT THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING OKAY, WE CAN CALL THEM AND THEY'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO WE WANT THOSE NUMBERS TO KEEP GOING UP.
WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM ACCURATELY. MAYBE THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL FOLLOW-UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 4, IF THAT'S OKAY, SINCE WE HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. THEN WE WILL GO UP TO 1 AND 2. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THAT? ALRIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO ITEM 4, COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A PRESENTATION FOR THIS?
>> YES, WE HAVE JESSICA WITH OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHO WILL GIVE US AN OVERVIEW
OF THE CCR. >> THANK YOU, MARIA AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M A LITTLE TOO SHORT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT TODAY.
I'M PRESENTING ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO RELATED TO ENHANCING SENIOR PROTECTION STRATEGIES AND I WILL ALSO BE PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF EXISTING PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT WE'RE ENHANCING TO PARTIALLY MEET SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT CCR. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I'M JOINED BY MELODY WOOSLEY, HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR AND OUR SENIOR SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR, AS WELL AS SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE JOINING US THAT ARE ALSO INTEGRAL TO THIS WORK. THAT INCLUDES THE CHAIR OF OUR JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS, OUR CITY COUNCIL JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS, DARRYL GREER, AND WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY BARBARA WHITHOW, NOW WITH AARP.
SPECIFICALLY DURING TODAY'S PRESENTATION, I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT OF OLDER ADULTS IN BEXAR COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS ISSUE.
WE WILL REVIEW THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST.
WE WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS REPORT THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THIS COMMITTEE AS PART OF OUR NEXT STEPS. WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE ENHANCING OUR CURRENT PRACTICES, BOTH BASED ON THE CCR AND ALSO PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO REVIEW RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS. JUST FOR CONTEXT, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025, WE HAD COME TO YOU PREVIOUSLY AND SHARED INFORMATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 ON THE RATE OF ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES INVESTIGATIONS IN BEXAR COUNTY.
UPDATED DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 CONTINUES TO SHOW THAT BEXAR COUNTY IS ACTUALLY LEADING IN LARGE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IN TERMS OF THE RATE OF INVESTIGATIONS PER THOUSAND OLDER ADULTS AT A RATE OF 17.5%. WHAT'S EVEN MORE SURPRISING AND STARTLING IS THAT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS, 92% WERE IDENTIFIED AS SELF-NEGLECT WHICH IS AN ISSUE WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY EXPLORED IN DEPTH AS PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, AND SOMETHING WE DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. OF THOSE CASES, 81% WERE PHYSICAL NEGLECT AND 19% WERE MEDICAL NEGLECT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE AT OUR SENIOR CENTERS AS WELL AS SOMETHING THAT OUR PROVIDERS CONTINUALLY LIFT UP AS PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY. GIVEN THE HIGH RATE OF SELF-NEGLECT AS WELL AS POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH ALSO HAS INCREASED, THOSE ARE IMPORTANT FACTORS SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE SHOWING A 13.8% -- 13.1%, RATHER, POVERTY RATE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN BEXAR COUNTY, THOSE 65 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. OVERALL POVERTY RATES IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE MODERATELY DECLINED, BUT THIS PARTICULAR AGE GROUP HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE LOOKED AT THE DATA FOR THE PERIOD OF 2015-2019 OF ABOUT 1.6%. SO GIVEN ALL OF THOSE FACTORS, THE CITY OF SAN
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ANTONIO THROUGH MANY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING DHS, POLICE, LIBRARY, PARKS AND RECREATION, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR OLDER ADULTS TO HELP ADDRESS ISSUES AND TRY TO BUILD THOSE PROTECTIVE FACTORS. THROUGH DHS ALONE WE SERVE A LITTLE OVER 22,000 ACTIVE OLDER ADULT PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE COMING TO OUR SENIOR CENTERS REGULARLY.THERE, WE'RE ADDRESSING THINGS LIKE SOCIAL ISOLATION, FOOD INSECURITY, ACCESS TO PREVENTIVE SCREENINGS FOR MEDICAL CARE, AS WELL AS CARE GIVE TRAINING AND RESOURCES AND BENEFITS NAVIGATION AND FINANCIAL COUNSELING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S CCR HIGHLIGHTED AND THAT WE KNOW IS OLDER ADULT ABUSE IS OFTEN UNREPORTED, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ALSO FOCUSED ON NOT ONLY PROVIDING TRAINING FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT THIS YEAR WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING THAT FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THOSE VOLUNTEERING AT OUR SENIOR CENTERS. I DO WANT TO AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BY SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE JOINED WITH US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM, THAT WE ARE NOT DOING THIS WORK ALONE.
WE ARE NOT ONLY WORKING WITH MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS BUT ALSO WORKING WITH MANY EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, THOSE INCLUDE LAW ENFORCE M, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, BEXAR COUNTY MOST RECENTLY THROUGH THE SENIOR JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTER THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED, NONPROFIT PARTNERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. IN TERMS OF THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FILED THIS ON DECEMBER 5TH AND IT REALLY IS REQUESTING THAT WE LOOK AT ENHANCING PROTECTION FOR SENIORS AS WELL AS CREATING ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED EDUCATION AND AWARENESS.
THE CCR WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 21ST, IN WHICH STAFF PROVIDED SOME RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS. THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE DID APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE EXISTING WORK OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
ONE THING THAT WE DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST AS WELL AS PRIOR GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND THE SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ACTUALLY WORK TO ENHANCE PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR OLDER ADULTS.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THOSE RISK FACTORS AND TEND TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME FOCUSING ON THOSE, BUT THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS ARE ALSO EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHAT'S HELPING US TO BOTH PREVENT AND DO EARLY INTERVENTION WHEN WE HAVE SUSPECTED ABUSE. SOME OF THOSE PROTECTIVE RISK FACTORS INCLUDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR OLDER ADULTS, CAREGIVERS AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY THAT LINK STRONG SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR OLDER ADULTS AS WELL AS THEIR CAREGIVERS.
SUPPORTING WORKERS, TALKING ABOUT RESPITE, TRAINING, PROMOTING FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE AND ASSET PROTECTION FOR OLDER ADULTS TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST THOSE SCAMS AND WHEN SENIORS ARE ACTUALLY VICTIMS OF THOSE SCAMS, WE ARE ABLE TO HELP THEM QUICKLY RECOVER AND REGAIN ASSETS WHERE POSSIBLE. THEN ALSO ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND REPORTING. IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND THE ELDER ABUSE SUBCOMMITTEE, WE ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR WORK ON THE STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO REPORT.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A LOCAL RESEARCHER TO CONDUCT THAT STUDY.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WORK WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST IN MARCH AND THE STUDY WILL BE COMPLETED IN AUGUST OF 2026. THE REPORT WILL SPECIFICALLY REVIEW DATA RELATED TO SYSTEMS GAPS THAT HELP TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT OLDER ADULTS ARE VICTIMS OF FRAUD, NEGLECT, ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION, BUT AS THIS COMMITTEE POINTED OUT, AND AS WE SEE FROM THE DATA, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT WE LOOK AT LARGER SYSTEM ISSUES THAT OLDER ADULTS ARE FACING, THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY AND HEALTH CARE ISSUES, HOUSING INSECURITY, FOOD INSECURITY, SOCIAL ISOLATION, TRANSPORTATION AND MANY OTHERS. THE FINAL REPORT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND BASED ON DIRECTION PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE KNOW THAT ALSO WILL INCLUDE REFERRALS TO OTHER CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES BASED UPON THE FINDINGS FOR THEM TO REVIEW AND ALSO PROVIDE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. WITHIN XICHTI IN EXISTING RESOU ARE ENHANCING CURRENT PRACTICES TO ALIGN WITH THE CCR AND ALSO BASED ON THIS COMMITTEE'S DIRECTION. FOR HUMAN SERVICES, THOSE PRACTICES FALL WITHIN THREE PRIMARY RECOMMENDATION AREAS. THE FIRST IS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS.
WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT THE DON'T LOOK AWAY TRAINING THAT WE LAUNCHED CITY-WIDE. THAT'S ACTUALLY SERVING AS A MODEL FOR APS IN OTHER CITIES AS THEY LOOK AT HOW THEY CAN COORDINATE TO ALSO INCREASE AWARENESS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE LAUNCHING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL AS INTERNAL VOLUNTEERS OF OUR SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHERS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN THAT TRAINING, TO INCLUDE COUNCIL OFFICES. WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW DO WE INCREASE AND LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO EXPAND TRAINING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AT THE SENIOR CENTERS AND IN THE COMMUNITY TO OLDER ADULTS AND CAREGIVERS AS WELL AS ENHANCING THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND
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THROUGH OTHER MARKETING CAMPAIGNS TO INCREASE GENERAL AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY.WE ARE ALSO CONTINUING OUR BENEFITS NAVIGATION AND FINANCIAL COUNSELING WORK THAT'S PROVIDED THROUGH OUR SENIOR CENTERS AND OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS. WE HAVE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT HAVE COME TO US FROM THE CITY FOR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, INCLUDING SOME WILL PLANNING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OTHER LEGACY PLANNING RESOURCES THAT WE'RE BRING TING TO THE SENIOR CENTERS. LASTLY, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AND CONTINUING MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION, NOT ONLY WITH CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DEPARTMENTS BUT ALSO WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS. PLANNED NEXT STEPS RELATE TED TO THE CCR INCLUDE DEVELOPMENTS OF RESOURCE GUIDES BY MAY 2026 SO THAT'S A TAILORED CELL PHONE USER GUIDE WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION PARTNERS TO DEVELOP, AS WELL AS THE SENIOR RIGHTS AND RESOURCES GUIDE. THOSE GUIDES WILL BE PROVIDED IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES SO THAT WE ARE ENSURING THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN ACCESS AND USE THEM.
WE ARE ALSO REVIEWING THE NO SOLICITATION ORDINANCE AND CODE WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT REVIEW WILL COME BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2026.
IN THE INTERIM WE, WE WILL BE PRINTING AND PROVIDING PRINTABLE DOOR AND YARD SIGNS SO THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY PROVIDING THEM THROUGH THE SENIOR CENTERS BUT OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN ALSO ACCESS AND PRINT THEM. WE ARE DEVELOPING AND DISTRIBUTING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS BEGINNING IN MARCH.
WE WILL LEVERAGE THOSE THAT ARE CREATED IN THE COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS RECENT ANNOUNCING OUR OWN PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS. WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON FEDERAL AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY THAT'S IN COORDINATION WITH OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO WORKING WITH OTHER GROUPS INCLUDING THE JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS, OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING THE SUCCESSFULLY AGING AND LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO COALITION, AS WELL AS LEGISLATORS AND MANY OTHERS. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE COORDINATING AND PROMOTING RESOURCES AND TOOLS IN A BROADER, MORE ENHANCED WAY IN JUNE.
WE WILL BE ASSESSING RESOURCES NEEDED TO EXPAND SERVICES BEYOND OUR SENIOR CENTERS. WE ANTICIPATE TO COMPLETE THAT REVIEW ALSO AUDIO] AND THEN AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WILL BRING THE STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO REPORT BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY FOR REVIEW AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT REPORT.
SO THAT DOES CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION. WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE PRESENTATION, PROGRAMMING, AND/OR NEXT
STEPS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT. WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WE WILL GO TO THEM FIRST. FIRST UP IS JOANNE MOLINA, MY REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 1
ON THE COMMISSION. >> ANOTHER SHORT PERSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE PRESENTATION. MY NAME IS JOANNE MOLINA. I AM AN OLDER ADULT, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1, A VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF THE JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS. PRIOR TO MY CURRENT CAREER, I WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR OVER 30 YEARS. IN THOSE 30 YEARS, I SAW FIRST-HAND THE IMPACT OF ELDER ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SO MANY HORRIFIC STORIES THAT YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS CAN ATTEST TO THAT, THAT IT IS A CRIME THAT IS HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. IT IS OFTEN VERY SILENT AND GOES WITHOUT NOTICE BECAUSE THE OLDER ADULT MIGHT BE ISOLATED AND MAY NOT HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM IN MIND, OR SOMEONE WHO IS AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM. I FULLY SUPPORT THE PROGRAMMING THAT IS OFFERED BY THE PROGRAM UNDER ITEM NUMBER 4.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO OFFER THE IDEA AND SUPPORT OF THE ISSUES OF NEGLECT.
AS MANY OF THE RESEARCHERS AND EXPERTS WILL TELL YOU, MOST OF THE ELDER ABUSE IS USUALLY OCCURRING WITH FORMS OF NEGLECT, AND IT CAN BE PRIMARILY IN BEXAR COUNTY PHYSICALLY ABLE TO BATHE, DRESS, COOK, CLEAN AND MAINTAIN THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN HOME. I THINK ALL OLDER ADULTS WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY AGE IN PLACE, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE NEED TO BE INFORMED AND REACHING OUT TO OTHER PARTNERS TO DEVELOP MORE COLLABORATION ABOUT HOW CAN WE SAFELY AGE IN PLACE.
IN ADDITION, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, APPROXIMATELY 22 MILLION PEOPLE ARE LIVING WHAT WE CALL SOLO AGERS, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT IN A PARTNERED RELATIONSHIP, MAY NOT HAVE CHILDREN, OR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
SO WHAT HAPPENS AS A SOLO AGER WHEN YOU ARE NEEDING SOMEONE TO HELP YOU GET TO
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THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR HAVE A PROCEDURE DONE? WHAT HAPPENS IS SOMETIMES YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DONE. SOMETIMES YOU GO WITHOUT. SO WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS AN IMPACT IN OUR SERVICES WHEN YOU HAVE THE HIGH UTILIZERS WHO MAY CALL 911 BECAUSE THEY NEED SOMEONE TO PICK THEM UP OFF THE FLOOR AND HELP THEM, OR THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO STAY WITH THEM. SO I THINK THE ISSUE OF ELDER ABUSE AND ELDER MALTREATMENT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I APPRECIATE THAT THE COUNCIL IS LOOKING FOR AND OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW PROGRAMMING AND DEVELOP NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND I WOULD CONCUR THAT WE NEED TO BE INCLUSIVE AND CONSIDER THE ISSUES OF ELDER NEGLECT AND SELF-NEGLECT PRIMARILY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING ON OUR BEHALF. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
PAST REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 1, BARBARA WHITHOW. >> THANK YOU.
I AM HERE FROM AARP'S ASSOCIATE, SAN ANTONIO'S ASSOCIATE STATE DIRECTOR, WHO IS UNABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. AARP EMPOWERS PEOPLE TO CHOOSE HOW THEY LIVE AS THEY AGE AND FOR ADULTS 50 PLUS, SAFETY IS ESSENTIAL TO THIS MISSION.
WE APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT THE CITY'S FOCUS ON ENHANCING PROTECTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS AND STRENGTHENING THE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT THEM.
ESPECIALLY AS ABUSE AND FRAUD CONTINUE TO RISE. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THE
NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO'S OLDER RESIDENTS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
FERNANDA? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. ON BEHALF, AS CHAIR OF THE JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDER AFFAIRS AND BOARD MEMBER OF THE SOUTH TEXAS ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST TO ENHANCE PROTECTION FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SAN ANTONIO SENIOR POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW AT A RAPID RATE, BRINGING WITH IT BOTH OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
AS MORE RESIDENTS AGE INTO RETIREMENT, TOO MANY REMAIN VULNERABLE TO FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION, FRAUD, NEGLECT AND ABUSE. THESE INCIDENTS OFTEN GO UNREPORTED, LEAVING OLDER ADULTS ISOLATED AND WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE PROTECTION AND RESOURCES THEY DESERVE. STRENGTHENING SAFEGUARDS AND EXPANDING EDUCATION AWARENESS EFFORTS IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING THAT OLDER RESIDENTS CAN AGE WITH DIGNITY, SAFETY, AND FINANCIAL SECURITY. THE PROPOSED CCR OUTLINES A THOUGHTFUL AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES EXPANDING ACCESS TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE, STRENGTHENING LOCAL ORDINANCES, RELATED TO SOLICITATION, IMPROVING COORDINATION WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, INCREASING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.
THESE STRATEGIES REFLECT BEST PRACTICES AND DEMONSTRATE A PROACTIVE COMMITMENT TO PREVENTION, EARLY INTERVENTION AND COMMUNITY-WIDE COLLABORATION.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT ARE THE PROPOSED EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVES, WHICH WILL HELP OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS OF SCAMS, EXPLOITATION AND UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS, AND ACCESS TO TRUSTED RESOURCES.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE SENIOR JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTER WILL HELP ENSURE THAT INFORMATION REACHES OLDER ADULTS WHERE THEY ALREADY LIVE, GATHER AND RECEIVE SERVICES.
THE CITY AND COUNTY JOINT COMMISSION ON ELDERLY AFFAIRS AND THE SOUTH TEXAS ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO. WE BELIEVE THE CCR REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS BUILDING A SAFER AND MORE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR AGING POPULATION.
WE STAND READY TO COLLABORATE WITH CITY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO
PROTECTING OUR OLDER ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
DALE GREER? >> ALRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON.
DR. KAUR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY NAME IS DARRYL GREER.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE CCR BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
AS AN EMPLOYEE OF AARP, OUR ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING OLDER ADULTS THROUGH THE SAFE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. WE STRONGLY ENDORSE THIS PROPOSED CCR THAT ENHANCES THE PROTECTION OF OLDER ADULTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE DATA PROVIDED REGARDING BEXAR COUNTY SPECIFICALLY THE 1,120 ALLEGATIONS OF
[00:30:02]
EXPLOITATION IN 2024, IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. IN OUR DAILY WORK IN SAN ANTONIO, WE SEE FIRST-HAND HOW ISOLATION AND THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE MAKES SENIORS PRIME TARGETS FOR ONLINE AND IN-PERSON SCAMMERS. WHILE THE SENIOR POPULATION IN SAN ANTONIO IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY 40% IN 2040, IT'S A MORAL AND ECONOMIC PRIORITY THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PRIORITIZES THE DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL SAFETY OF OLDER ADULTS. WE APPLAUD THE PROPOSAL'S FOCUS ON PROACTIVE DEFENSIVE MEASURES SUCH AS THE AUTO ENROLLING OF THE DO NOT CALL REGISTRY, PROVIDING MOBILE PHONE GUIDES TO WARD OFF SCAM CALLS AND THE PROPOSED UPDATES TO THE DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITATION, INCLUDING RESTRICTED HOURS AND VISIBLE IDENTIFICATION BADGES.MANY SENIORS OWN SMART PHONES WITH ROBUST SECURITY FEATURES BUT OFTEN LACK THE SPECIFIC TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM. BY INTEGRATING THESE SERVICES INTO THE SENIOR CENTERS AND TO THE 311 SYSTEM, THE CITY CAN PROVIDE IMMEDIATE SYSTEMIC REDUCTIONS TO ENTRY POINTS AVAILABLE BY SCAMMERS. AS A SOUTH TEXAS ADUPTLT PROTECTIVE SERVICE BOARD MEMBER, WE HEAR THE STORIES OF SENIORS FREQUENTLY NOT REPORTING FRAUD AND ABUSE DUE TO THE EMBARRASSMENT IN THE REPORTING OF FRAUD AND ABUSE. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LOCAL HOTLINE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF MULTI-LINGUAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ARE A CENTRAL STEP TOWARD DEMYSTIFYING THE REPORTING PROCESS AND REMOVING THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED BY BEING A VICTIM. BY PARTNERING WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE FBI TO FLAG SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTION, THE CITY CAN HOPEFULLY REDUCE THE 1.3 BILLION THAT WAS STOLEN FROM TEXAS IN 2024, AND THAT WAS ALSO REPORTED BY THE FBI'S IC-3 REPORT.
ULTIMATELY PROTECTING OLDER ADULTS' FINANCIAL SECURITY IS A COMMUNITY-WIDE RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE URGE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
THE SOUTH TEXAS APS COMMUNITY BOARD STAND READY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY TO DEVELOP
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> KAUR: THANK YOU.
THIS ITEM WAS A CCR PUT FORWARD BY COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
WE WILL START WITH HER. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR THE FOLKS WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, PARTICULARLY THE JOINT COMMISSION FOR ELDER AFFAIRS FOR YOUR WORK TO ENSURE WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND PROTECTIONS FOR SAN ANTONIO'S SENIOR POPULATION. THIS WAS A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BORN OUT OF A TREND WE HAD SEEN IN DISTRICT 5 AND CHRISTINE HAD HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS CALLING OUR OFFICE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THEY HAD FALLEN VICTIM TO DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITORS WHO WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM, GOING UNDER THE GUISE OF BEING PART OF CPS ENERGY OR A TRUSTWORTHY SOLAR COMPANY AND ESSENTIALLY WERE SIGNING ON TO $95,000 LOANS WHICH THEN WOULD RESULT IN A LIEN ON THEIR PROPERTY AND OFTEN, SOLAR PANELS THAT WERE NOT EVEN CONNECTED.
ONE INCIDENT IN WHICH THE HOUSE WAS CRUMBLING BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE SOLAR PANELS THAT WERE PLACED AND NOT EVEN ATTACHED, THE STRUCTURE COULDN'T SUSTAIN THE WEIGHT OF THE SOLAR PANELS. SO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THAT TREND IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW IS NOT UNIQUE TO DISTRICT 5, BUT WHAT WAS ALSO ALARMING WAS WHEN THE CHIEF GAVE A PRESENTATION ON SENIOR STATISTICS, WE SAW THE HIGH AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS, SENIORS IN PARTICULAR THAT ARE VICTIMS OF FRAUD AND FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND CHIEF HAD ALSO MENTIONED THOSE ITEMS WERE LIKELY UNDERREPORTED BECAUSE OFTEN, IT'S SOMEONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD WHO IS MAYBE COMMITTING THE FRAUD AND AS DARRYL MENTIONED, THERE'S THAT EMBARRASSMENT.
BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH PARTNERS, SENIOR CENTERS, SO ON AND SO FORTH, THERE'S THAT SAFE SPACE THAT MANY OF OUR SENIORS HAVE FOUND WHERE THEY DO MAKE REPORTS AND DO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT EXPLOITATION OR THINGS THAT MAY BE GOING ON AT HOME, SO I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IN TERMS OF TEASING OUT WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND PROTECTIONS CAN LOOK LIKE.
IN TERMS OF THE NO SOLICITATION ORDINANCE, I'M PLEASED TO SEE SOME SIGNAGE AND RESOURCES WILL ALREADY BE READY FOR FOLKS TO ACCESS, BUT IN TERMS OF THE UPDATE WITH THE PROPOSED TIMELINE FROM MARCH TO SEPTEMBER, I BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE VALUE IF WE COULD RECEIVE AN UPDATE BETWEEN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER IN TERMS OF HOW THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG, WHAT OUR PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S AARP, CAN CONTINUE TO GIVE INPUT ON WHAT THAT WORK LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE ON CONNECTING WITH SENIORS TO ENSURE THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEING DEVELOPED AND ULTIMATELY WHAT'S APPROVED BY COUNCIL. IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCE GUIDES, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE MOVING ALONG AS WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW I'M
[00:35:01]
PREACHING TO THE CHOIR BUT ANOTHER TREND IS THOSE SPAM CALLS AND TEXTS THAT FOLKS ARE RESPONDING TO , CLICKING THE LINK AND IT'S TAKING OTHER INFORMATION AND WE ARE SEEING FOLKS LOSE A LOT OF THEIR SAVINGS IN THAT MANNER. SO JUST PLEASED TO SEE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I'M EAGER TO SEE THE STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS REPORT IN TERMS OF THE SYSTEMS GAP. I'M ASSUMING THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CORRELATION WITH THE SAME ZIP CODES THAT WE SEE IN TERMS OF HOUSING INSECURITY, RENTAL COSTS, POVERTY, SO ON AND SO FORTH. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT REPORT.BUT JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE URGENCY OF THESE INITIATIVES.
AGAIN, WHEN THOSE STATS WERE PRESENTED IT WAS AALARMING AND IT WAS SOMETHING WE HERE IN COMMUNITY. I'M GLAD TO SEE THE TIMELINE IS TO MOVE ALONG IN TERMS OF JUNE FOR TELLEDER THE ELDER AB MONTH, COSTS TO EXPAND SERVICES BEYOND THE COMMUNITY CENTERS. MY ASK, CHAIR, IS IN TERMS OF AS THESE PIECES ARE BEING DEVELOPED, IF WE COULD HAVE A FULL COMMITTEE DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF GIVING INPUT AND DIRECTION ON WHAT'S BEING DEVELOPED. THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ? >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: NO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK.
THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU. I WILL JUST END BY ECHOING WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO SAID. I ACTUALLY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, THE NEXT TIME THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN IS BUILT OR METRICS ARE SET, FOR US TO GET -- TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THAT. I'M JUST SO CURIOUS, IS SOCIAL MEDIA REALLY THE RIGHT STRATEGY FOR THIS, TRANSPARENTLY, THIS IS NOT AN AREA OF EXPERTISE BUT I KNOW WE HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS IN THE ROOM THAT ARE, SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE DIFFERENT TYPES, AS THE METRICS ARE BEING BUILT, IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE AND IN ADDITION, WITH THE RESOURCE GUIDES, OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ALREADY DO THIS, BUT PARTNERING WITH OUR OFFICES TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE BOTH COPIES TO BE ABLE TO DISSEMINATE, YARD SIGNS TO BE ABLE TO DISSEMINATE FOR FOLKS SO THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE OUR EVENTS OR DO GET CALLS, WE CAN ALSO DISTRIBUTE THAT. YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB OF THAT SO I'M SURE THAT WOULD HAPPEN ANYWAY. JUST A QUICK THING, AND JOANNE ACTUALLY MADE THIS REQUEST. HOW DO WE CHANGE THE NAME OF THIS JOINT COMMISSION? BECAUSE I KNOW FOLKS HAVE ASKED FOR IT TO NOT BE CALLED
ELDER AFFAIRS, BUT OLDER ADULTS. >> WE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO BOTH BEFORE CITY COUNCIL TO GET THAT APPROVED AND THE COMMISSIONERS COURT.
IT IS SOMETHING WE STARTED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE JOINT COMMISSION ON AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THEIR BY-LAWS. THERE'S A DESIRE TO UPDATE THOSE AS WELL.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN PARTICULAR AND THEN THE FULL
JOINT COMMISSION TO START THOSE CONVERSATIONS. >> KAUR: OKAY.
I WOULD SUPPORT THAT EFFORT. I DON'T KNOW IF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WOULD, TOO.
IT SEEMS LIKE SO. MAYBE WE CAN MOVE THAT ALONG. I'M SURE COMMISSIONERS COURT WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, TOO. WORDS DO MATTER SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY FEEL REPRESENTED BY THE TITLE OF THEIR COMMISSION.
THEN LASTLY, I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE DON'T LOOK AWAY TRAINING.
I KNOW DARRYL MENTIONED IT, TOO. MORE FOLKS NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THOSE SIGNS ARE AND HOW TO BEST HELP ALL OF OUR MEMBERS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU TO THE PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE. I FEEL LIKE THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO SUCH A GOOD JOB OF PARTNERING WITH OUR DISTRICTS AND EVENTS.
WE JUST HAD AN AARP EVENT. YOU GUYS JUST DO SUCH A GREAT JOB OF SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU. WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK WHEN THERE'S SOME UPDATES. AWESOME.
THANK YOU ALL. WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 1.
AN UPDATE ON THE -- OH, WE ARE GOING TO DO 2? WANT TO DO 2 FIRST? SORRY. ITEM NUMBER 2, EXCUSE ME. WHICH IS THE COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION REQUEST ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE CCR. >> YES.
CHAIRWOMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THIS IS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS PARTICULAR CCR. WE MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMITTEE BACK IN NOVEMBER AND SINCE WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF ANALYSIS ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL OPTIONS THIS COMMITTEE COULD DISCUSS TODAY, SO JUSTINA TATE WILL MAKE THAT PRESENTATION AND WE WILL BE ASKING THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE US YOUR INPUT ON SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE NOT MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS PRESENTATION.
THEN WE WILL COME BACK WITH WHATEVER THIS COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE
FOR US TO EXPLORE FURTHER. >> KAUR: THANKS, MARIA. COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS PRESENTATION.
THAT WAS ON ME. I KEPT ASKING THEM TO ADD SLIDES.
TO THAT POINT, FEEL FREE TO GO AT A GOOD PACE. GET THROUGH IT.
[00:40:08]
>> TATE: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. I'M JUSTINA TATE, INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AS MARIA MENTIONED, WE WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST ON ENHANCED RESPONSE OF QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS, AND IN THIS PRESENTATION TODAY, I WILL GO OVER THE ANALYSIS THAT WE DID IN TERMS OF THE CALLS THAT ARE SATISFIED BY SAPD FOR MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, LOST AND STOLEN PROPERTY, LOUD MUSIC AND PARKING AND FOUND PROPERTY.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE OPTIONS TO THESE CALLS. QUICKLY ON THE BACKGROUND, SO THIS CCR WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KAUR IN FEBRUARY OF 2025, AND REQUESTED THE CITY MANAGER TO EVALUATE OPTIONS ACCOUNTING FOR EXISTING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE FOLLOWING, CREATING A CRASH INVESTIGATOR TECHNICIAN ROLE THAT COULD BE FILLED BY POTENTIALLY A RETIRED SAPD OFFICER OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO SUPPORT ADDRESSING AND REPORTING FOR LOW PRIORITY CALLS, INCLUDING CERTAIN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, FOUND PROPERTY, LOST OR STOLEN PROPERTY, PARKING AND NOISE ENFORCEMENT. AND THEN TWO, EXPLORE THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO REPORT LOW LEVEL OFFENSES THAT DO NOT NECE REQUIRE THE PRESENCE OF A POLICE OFFICER OR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE. THIS CCR WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 2025 AND THE INITIAL PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE WAS PRESENTED ON NOVEMBER OF 2025.
THIS NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT SAPD RESPONDS TO ON A YEARLY BASIS, AND ALSO PARTICULARLY LOOKS AT THE CALLS THAT COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE. THERE ARE ABOUT 2.1 MILLION CALLS ON AVERAGE THAT ARE RECEIVED BY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWER AND REPORT -- PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT. OF THAT, 1.8 MILLION IS DISPATCHED.
SO BASED ON THE ANALYSIS THAT WE DID LOOKING AT THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE RECEIVE, WE IDENTIFIED THAT 177,000 CALLS ARE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE CCR REQUEST SO LOOKING AT MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, LOUD MUSIC DISTURBANCE CALLS, STOLEN AND LOST PROPERTY AS WELL AS FOUND PROPERTY. SO WITHIN THAT 177,000, OF THOSE CALLS, A POLICE OFFICER RESPONDED TO 107,000 OF THOSE CALLS. THE REMAINDER OF THE CALLS WERE ADDRESSED EITHER BY EXPEDITERS OR THE CALL WAS CANCELED.
LOOKING AT THE 107,000, WE IDENTIFIED THAT 69,000 CALLS COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE BASED ON THE ANALYSIS THAT WE COMPLETED.
SO THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, I WILL GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES STARTING OFF WITH OUR MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. AS I NOTED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, SAPD RESPONDS ON AVERAGE TO ALMOST YEAR. PER STATE LAW, IF AN OFFICER'S INVESTIGATING A VEHICLE COLLISION, A WRITTEN REPORT MUST BE MADE IF THERE IS AN INJURY, A DEATH OR THE PERCEIVED DAMAGE OF PROPERTY IS AT $1,000 OR MORE. SO BASED ON THIS STATE LAW, WE ANALYZED THE CALLS AND FOUND THOSE CALLS WHERE THERE WERE -- THERE WAS NO CRIME INVOLVED, NO HIT AND RUN, NO INJURIES, NO TOW WAS NEEDED AND BOTH DRIVERS HAD INSURANCE. SO THESE WE IDENTIFIED AS THOSE CALLS THAT COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE. SO OF THE 68,000, WE IDENTIFIED OVER 31,000 THAT COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE, OR 46% OF THESE CALLS. TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT, FOR THESE CALLS, A CALLER'S WAIT TIME IN 2025 FOR A MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WAS ABOUT 32.5 MINUTES OR JUST OVER HALF AN HOUR, AND THIS IS MEASURED FROM THE TIME A CALL IS MADE TO WHEN AN OFFICER RESPONDS ON SCENE. IN TERMS OF THE OFFICER'S TIME TO HANDLE THE CALL AND TO ADDRESS THE CALL IS ABOUT 58 MINUTES, AND THIS EQUATES TO ABOUT 17 POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE NEEDED ANNUALLY TO RESPOND TO THESE CALLS. THIS NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES THE NUMBER OF MINOR ACCIDENT CALLS FOR SERVICES THAT ARE RECEIVED BY THE HOUR OF THE
[00:45:01]
DAY, AND THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME. ON THE GRAPH, THE BAR THAT IS COLORED IN TEAL, THOSE ARE THE NUMBER OF MINOR ACCIDENT CALLS THAT ARE RECEIVED BY SAPD. THE ORANGE LINE SHOWS THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME.SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GRAPH, THE LONGEST TIME THAT A CALLER WOULD WAIT ON AVERAGE IS BETWEEN 1:00 P.M. AND 2:00 P.M., AND 9:00 P.M. AND 10:00 P.M.
SO THESE WAIT TIMES ARE ROUGHLY THIS NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF HOW OTHER CITIES ARE USING ALTERNATE RESPONSE METHODS FOR MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. THESE INCLUDE, OR OTHER RESPONSE METHODS INCLUDE DEPLOYING RETIRED OFFICERS, DEPLOYING CIVILIANS, DIVERTING THE CALLER TO A POLICE STATION TO MAKE A REPORT, POLICE SUBSTATION TO MAKE A REPORT, ONLINE REPORTING AND OVER-THE-PHONE REPORTING.
NOW, OF THE CITIES, THERE ARE FOUR CITIES THAT DEPLOY RETIRED TRAFFIC OFFICERS AND THAT INCLUDES THREE CITIES THAT USE A CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
ONE THING I DO WANT TO NOTE IS THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS RELEASED AN RFP THAT IS LOOKING AT NON-SWORN PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AS WELL.
THE NEXT CATEGORY IS OUR LOST AND STOLEN PROPERTY. SAPD RECEIVES OVER 36,000 CALLS FOR LOST AND STOLEN PROPERTY ON AVERAGE IN A YEAR.
NOW, THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE WE DO USE AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SLIDE, ALMOST 25,000 OF THESE CALLS ARE HANDLED BY EXPEDITERS AND ABOUT 11,500 ARE HANDLED BY OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT 60% OF THE LOST PROPERTY AND 31% OF STOLEN PROPERTY CALLS INVOLVE EITHER A WALLET, LOST WALLET OR STOLEN WALLET, OR AN ID. NOW, THE 11,500 CALLS THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE RESPONDING TO CURRENTLY COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR POTENTIAL ALTERNATE RESPONSE. ON THESE CALLS, A CALLER'S WAIT TIME AVERAGED ABOUT 39 MINUTES IN 2025 AND THE OFFICER'S TIME ON THE CALL AVERAGED ABOUT 58 MINUTES.
THIS EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS TO HANDLE THESE CALLS EACH YEAR.
THIS NEXT SLIDE AGAIN SHOWS HOW OTHER CITIES ARE EMPLOYING DIFFERENT METHODS TO RESPOND TO LOST AND STOLEN PROPERTY. THIS INCLUDES EITHER REFERRING THE CALL TO CIVILIAN OR LIGHT DUTY OFFICER, DEPLOYING A CIVILIAN TO INVESTIGATE THE CALL, OR ONLINE SELF-REPORTING. THE NEXT CATEGORY IS OUR LOUD MUSIC AND PARKING. IN THIS CATEGORY, POLICE OFFICERS RESPONDED TO ALMOST 21,000 LOUD MUSIC CALLS ON AVERAGE IN A YEAR. FOR LOUD MUSIC CALLS, A CALLER'S WAIT TIME AVERAGES ABOUT 24 MINUTES, AND AN OFFICER'S TIME ON CALL AVERAGED ABOUT 19 MINUTES. SO THIS EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY FOUR POLICE OFFICERS NEEDED TO RESPOND TO THESE TYPES OF CALLS. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT IN TERMS OF CASES OF LOUD MUSIC, AN OFFICER TYPICALLY GAINS COMPLIANCE FROM THE RESIDENTS BY ISSUING WARNINGS, WHICH RESULTS IN A LOW CITATION RATE FOR THESE TYPES OF CALLS. IN TERMS OF PARKING, WHILE SAPD DOES NOT TRACK THE NUMBER OF PARKING VIOLATIONS SEPARATELY, SAPD DID ISSUE OVER 10,000 CITATIONS IN 2025. NOW, THIS NEXT SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE TIME OF DAY WHEN LOUD MUSIC CALLS ARE RECEIVED, AND THE TIME OF DAY WHEN PARKING CITATIONS ARE ISSUED. SO THE TEAL BAR REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF LOUD NOISE CALLS THAT WERE RECEIVED, AND THE ORANGE BAR OR THE RED BAR INDICATES THE PARKING CITATIONS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART, MOST LOUD MUSIC CALLS AND PARKING CITATIONS ARE RECEIVED BETWEEN 10:00 P.M. AND 6:00 A.M. THIS REFLECTS -- REPRESENTS ABOUT 63% OF THOSE CALLS THAT ARE RECEIVED DURING THAT TIME. IN ADDITION TO THE TIME OF DAY, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE DAY OF THE WEEK WHEN THE MOST CALLS WERE RECEIVED.
SO, BASED ON THIS ANALYSIS, THE LOUD MUSIC CALLS -- ABOUT 70% WERE RECEIVED BETWEEN THURSDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. SUNDAYS BEING THE MOST AT 30% OF THOSE CALLS.
FOR PARKING VIOLATION, WE ALSO SAW THAT MOST OF THE CITATIONS -- SORRY, PARKING CITATIONS -- MOST OF THOSE CITATIONS WERE ISSUED BETWEEN THURSDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY
[00:50:02]
MORNING WITH SATURDAYS HAVING THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PARKING CITATIONS ISSUED.WHEN WE LOOKED AT HOW OTHER CITIES RESPONDED TO NOISE AND PARKING, WE DID FIND FOR THE MOST PART THE CITIES THAT WE SURVEYED POLICE DO RESPOND TO NOISE.
AND A CIVIL DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO PARKING -- CIVILIAN DEPARTMENT.
DALLAS IMPLEMENTED A PROGRAM WHERE BOTH POLICE AND CIVILIANS RESPOND TO LOUD NOISE CALLS.
SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO 911 CALLS. AND WHEN THEY IDENTIFY THAT THERE IS A REPEAT OFFENDER, THEY WILL SEND THEIR NIGHT ENFORCEMENT TEAM TO THOSE AREAS WHERE THEY SEE CHRONIC DISTURB B DISTURBANCES TO BEGIN ADDRESSING THAT THROUGH THOSE CIVILIAN TEAMS. FINALLY, WE LOOKED AT FOUND PROPERTY.
POLICE OFFICERS RESPOND TO OVER 62 CALLS A YEAR ON AVERAGE. AND FOUND PROPERTY CAN RANGE FROM WEAPONS TO NARCOTICS, TO BAGS OR WALLETS. THE ITEMS THAT ARE SURRENDERED TO SAPD ARE TREATED AS POTENTIAL EVIDENCE, AND SAPD FOLLOWS CERTAIN PROTOCOLS THAT DETERMINES WHERE AND HOW VARIOUS ITEMS CAN BE STORED. BASED ON THE ANALYSIS WE DID, WE IDENTIFIED JUST UNDER 5,000 CALLS COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE.
SO THIS IS ANYTHING BUT WEAPONS AND NARCOTICS, WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE CONTINUED TO BE ADDRESSED BY SAPD. RESPONDING TO THESE 5,000 CALLS IS SW EQUIVALENT TO 2.9 OFFICERN AN ANNUAL BASIS. I WANTED TO BRIEFLY MENTION A THIRD-PARTY VENDOR THAT PROVIDES TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS AND OTHER PROACTIVE POLICE RESPONSE.
AND THIS IS ON-SCENE SERVICES. ON-SCENE SERVICES SPECIFICALLY SEEKS OUT RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS WHEN HIRING THEIR CRASH RESPONSE AGENTS. THESE HIRING MANAGERS TYPICALLY ASK THE CHIEF OF POLICE WHICH RECENT RETIREES THEY SHOULD HIRE.
AND THE BENEFITS OF THIS INCLUDES FAMILIARITY RESPONDING TO MINOR ACCIDENTS.
THESE CIVILIANS ARE TRAINED IN DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES. AND THEY'RE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH DOCUMENTATION PROCESS FOR MINOR ACCIDENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SLIDE, THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THREE DIFFERENT CITIES -- THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND THE CITY OF ST. GEORGE, LOUISIANA. SO, THIS NEXT SLIDE PRESENTS POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE -- ALTERNATE RESPONSE OPTIONS FOR THE DIFFERENT CALLS THAT WE'VE ANALYZED, THAT WE ARE SEEKING INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON TODAY.
SO, WE'VE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL OPTIONS THAT -- TO BE DISCUSSED, TO INCLUDE DEPLOYING RETIRED SAPD OFFICERS, DEPLOYING A CONTRACTOR, USING A CONTRACTOR, USING EXPEDITERS OR CIVILIANS, ONLINE SELF-REPORTING, USING CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AS WELL AS CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATORS FOR FOUND PROPERTY, AND THE POTENTIAL USE OF VIRTUAL OFFICERS TO ADDRESS MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. NOW, I DO WANT TO NOTE THE ITEMS IN BLUE OR THE TEAL COLOR.
THESE ARE CALLS OR ALTERNATE RESPONSE OPTIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS. >> KAUR: THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH THAT. I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THE GOAL AND INTENT OF THE CCR -- BECAUSE I WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE -- IS ONE, AS YOU'LL SEE ON THE BACKUP SLIDE NUMBER 19, IF WE CAN HELP TAKE OFF SOME OF THIS STUFF OFF OUR OFFICERS' PLATE, THAT'S 31 OFFICERS THAT COULD BE ON OUR STREETS DOING PATROL IN OUR AREAS THAT NEED SUPPORT, MAYBE ADDING TO THE SAFE OFFICER TEAM. THAT TIME COULD BE REALLOCATED TO ISSUES THAT WE KNOW WE REALLY NEED SUPPORT WITH IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY INTENT. BUT THE SECONDARY IS THAT WHILE WE DO THAT, WE CAN'T DECREASE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT RIGHT NOW FOLKS ARE RECEIVING IN THE SENSE THAT IF SOMEONE WANTS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AN OFFICER TO SHOW UP AND REQUESTS THAT, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE
[00:55:01]
THAT SUPPORT AS WELL. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY STAFF FOR WORKING WITH ME TO HELP SHOW THIS INFORMATION, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THIS COMMITTEE AND OF COUNCIL AT LARGE, AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE OUR DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED. OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THERE'S NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE ONGOING. SO THIS IS ALSO WHY WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION NOW, IN CASE ANY OF THAT WERE TO INFLUENCE WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AT THE TABLE.I WANT TO THANK SAPD FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND WORKING WITH US AS WE DISCUSS IT. THE ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT -- AND I KNOW THERE ARE FOLKS FROM OSS HERE. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING. AND I THINK IF THERE'S ANY -- OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT THE COSTS ARE FOR SAN ANTONIO WITH EACH OF THESE OPTIONS.
AND I THINK WE MIGHT END UP WITH A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH WHERE THERE IS AN OPTION FOR FOLKS WHO FEEL COMFORTABLE VIRTUALLY LOGGING THEIR ACCIDENT AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON VERSUS SOMEONE WHO REALLY WANTS A RETIRED OFFICER OR A CONTRACTOR TO -- OR A CURRENT S.A.P.
OFFICER TO COME TO THE SCENE. THERE HAS TO BE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN CREATE.
AND MAYBE WE EVEN TRY THEM. BUT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER DOING AN RFP TO SEE WHAT THE COST FOR SAN ANTONIO WOULD BE. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO REASON TO DO THIS IF IT'S GOING TO COST MORE PER CALL THAN IT WOULD TO -- COST FOR OUR OFFICERS TO GO OUT AND ADDRESS THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A BETTER RESPONSE RATE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO. BECAUSE THE LAST GOAL THAT WE HAD FOR THE CCR WAS THAT WE GET CALLS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS ALL THE TIME ABOUT ISSUES THAT OFFICERS JUST CANNOT GET TO.
AND IF YOU TO TO THE HEAT MAP FOR NOISE AND PARKING, YOU'LL SEE ON SLIDE 20 IT'S A BACKUP SLIDE. IT IS VERY HEAVY IN D1 AND DOWNTOWN.
THOSE HOTSPOTS ARE WHERE WE GET OUR COMPLAINTS FROM FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR RESIDENTS THAT THEY WANT SUPPORT IN. AND SO IF THERE IS A WAY TO ADD ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO EITHER CIVILIAN OR LOOKING AT THE CHART OF HOW PARKING IS REALLY LED BY CIVILIANS IN A LOT OF OTHER CITIES, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT SO THAT SAPD DOESN'T HAVE TO STOP WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT 11:00 P.M.
ON A SATURDAY TO TOW A CAR OR WRITE A CITATION IN FRONT OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE BECAUSE THEY BLOCKED THEIR DRIVEWAY. OR WE PASS THE 18-WHEELER ORDINANCE.
THAT WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ON FOR, IS HOW DO WE TICKET AND ENFORCE THAT.
SO, ENFORCEMENT FOR THIS. AND I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THAT THESE CALLS -- THERE IS NOT A CALL NUMBER THAT ACTUALLY IS ASSOCIATED, BECAUSE THEY'RE MARKED IN MISCELLANEOUS.
DOING MORE DILIGENCE AROUND HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT, THESE ARE THE CITATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN BUT HOW MANY TIMES WAS SOMEONE CALLING IN ABOUT THESE ISSUES. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I HAVE. MARIA, DID YOU WANT TO RESPOND? I THINK MY REQUEST AS THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE LET'S ACCURATELY COST OUT WHAT EACH OF THESE THINGS WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE. IN ADDITION, I WAS THINKING I'M JUST GOING TO SOFTLY P POLL MY RESIDENTS TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD FEEL ABOUT A VIRTUAL OPTION FOR A TRAFFIC INCIDENT, OR A RETIRED OFFICER TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A PREFERENCE.
FROM WHAT I FEEL, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT OLDER ADULTS WHO WOULD WANT A PERSON TO COME AND HELP SUPPORT THEM. BUT I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST DO SOME MORE COMMUNITY POLLING AND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, TOO. I KNOW FOR SURE FOLKS REALLY REQUESTED MORE ENFORCEMENT ON MUSIC AND PARKING. I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT THE NIGHT TEAM OR NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT TEAM THAT IS BEING USED IN OTHER CITIES. I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT INVESTMENT IN THAT -- SOMETHING LIKE THAT LOOKS LIKE. I FEEL LIKE OUR ST. MARY'S TASK FORCE IS KIND OF A SMALL VERSION OF THAT. AND THEY'VE BEEN SUPER HELPFUL AND SUPER INFORMATIVE. AND THE BEST THING ABOUT THEM -- BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THAT AREA -- THEY'VE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE. SO NOW THEY KNOW WHO TO TALK TO, WHAT TO SAY. AND THOSE OFFICERS ARE REALLY GREAT.
[01:00:02]
AND SO IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WHERE IF THERE IS A CODE OFFICER OR SOMEONE IN SUPPORT WITH THEM -- BECAUSE WE DID HAVE AN ISSUE WITH FOOD TRUCKS NOT BEING CORRECTLY LICENSED THERE.AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY DO. SO A COMBO TEAM TO ME SEEMINGLY MAKES SENSE. BUT I KNOW THAT'S ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN A TIME WHERE WE ARE VERY TRICKY ON ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RIGHT NOW. I'LL PAUSE THERE AND WE'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: REDUCING RESPONSE TIME FOR MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IS A PRIORITY FOR US.
THIS IS OFTEN A CONCERN WITHIN THE LONE STAR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS FINDING A RESOLUTION FOR. I WANTED TO COMMEND THE CHAIR FOR HER CREATIVITY ON WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THIS PRIMARY CONCERN.
AN AREA IN WHICH I WANT TO NAVIGATE WITH CAUTION IS THE THIRD-PARTY VENDOR COMPONENT.
MY CONCERN IS POTENTIALLY PRIVATIZING A RESOURCE THAT OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT A CITY EMPLOYEE BE RESPONSIVE FOR. THERE IS AN EXPECTATION FROM COMMUNITY THAT IT'S A CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER, OR POLICE OFFICER. THAT ALSO COMES WITH SOME LAYER OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE RESIDENT OR THE INDIVIDUAL REQUESTING A SERVICE.
SO I WOULD BE HESITANT IN TERMS OF THE THIRD-PARTY VENDOR. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS. IF THEY'RE SAPD, THEY HAVE GREAT TRAINING.
BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF IF IT'S A MINOR ACCIDENT, I THINK THE PUBLIC HAS AN EXPECTATION THAT IT IS A CITY EMPLOYEE. IN TERMS OF THE VIRTUAL OFFICER, WHAT DO Y'ALL ENVISION FOR THAT? IS IT SIMILAR TO THE EMS RESPONSE WHERE IT'S VIRTUAL AND EMS WALKS THEM THROUGH WHAT NEXT
STEPS ARE? >> YES. >> CASTILLO: OKAY.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING. AND ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE WHERE CAN CODE COMPLIANCE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. I THINK FOR LOUD MUSIC IN PARTICULAR, FOR SOME OF THESE INSTANCES THEY CAN ESCALATE IN TERMS OF IF IT'S A PARTY, OR WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK HAVING A POLICE OFFICER OR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICER WARRANTS COMPLIANCE. AND I ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS IN TERMS OF WITH THESE INCIDENCES OR EXAMPLES OF THIRD PARTIES, ARE THEY ARMED? WHAT IF THERE IS AN ESCALATION M?WHO'S LIABLE IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT WHERE THERE'S A SHOOTING? WOULD THAT BE THE CITY OR THE THIRD-PARTY VENDOR? IS THAT RESEARCH THAT WE'VE
ALREADY CONDUCTED? >> COUNCILWOMAN, WE CAN PUT THAT IN A FOLLOWUP MEMO.
THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ANALYSIS. BUT WE CAN LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
>> CASTILLO: I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF WHAT I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE GETTING DIRECTION ON IN TERMS OF OPTIONS LAID OUT. WANTED TO COMMEND THE COUNCILWOMAN FOR IDENTIFYING THE WAYS IN WHICH WE COULD REDUCE RESPONSE TIMES AND POTENTIALLY
HIRE OFFICERS. THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN. >> KAUR: FOR CLARIFICATION -- I DON'T KNOW -- A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER, IS THAT A SWORN OFFICER?
>> WELL, THEY WILL STILL HAVE TO HAVE A LICENSE WITH THE STATE TO CARRY A WEAPON.
HOWEVER, THE WAY THAT WE DESCRIBE SWORN OFFICERS, THAT IS ONLY OUR SAPD POLICE OFFICERS.
THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED CIVILIANS FOR PURPOSES OF EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION.
SO EVEN IF WE HIRE RETIRED SAPD, ONCE THEY SEPARATE FROM THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT, THEN
THEY BECOME CIVILIANS. >> KAUR: SO THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE SWORN OFFICERS, BUT THEY WOULD BE RETIRED OFFICERS WITH A LICENSE TO CARRY.
>> CORRECT. >> KAUR: OKAY. AND IS THAT -- ARE WE ABLE TO MANDATE THAT IN THE CONTRACT, OR IN THE RFP, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR?
>> I THINK WE CAN PUT ANYTHING IN THE RFP, COUNCILWOMAN. MAYBE INSTEAD OF DOING AN RFP WE CAN DO AN RFI, REQUEST FOR INTEREST, TO SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
>> KAUR: GREAT. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER KAUR. I THINK ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO REDUCE COST, REDUCE RESPONSE TIME, AND BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN HOW WE RESPOND TO THESE CALLS IS A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR. I CONN -- ECHO SOME OF THE CONCS ABOUT CONTRACTORS AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT TECHNICALLY CITY EMPLOYEES. THAT'S ABOUT IT.
THOSE CONCERNS. I THINK AS MUCH AS . . . I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
[01:05:01]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT? >> THANK YOU. I AM INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO THIS TYPE OF EXPANSION, BUT MY QUESTIONS ARE SURROUNDING -- ARE WE -- WOULD WE BE MEETING ALL THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER? THEY HAVE TO SEE CERTA BE CONSIH STATE LAW IN TERMS OF WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. THERE'S A STATE REQUIREMENT THAT AN SAPD OFFICER HAS TO COMPLETE SOME FORMS WITH THE STATE. SO WE WILL ENSURE THAT THAT REVIEW CONTINUES, EVEN IF THE CALL IS TAKEN BY A CIVILIAN EXPEDITER, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN THE EVENT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET. FOR INSTANCE, THE DAMAGE IS OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS, WE HAVE A REVIEW PROCESS FOR AN SAPD OFFICER TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW
THAT BEFORE WE SEND IT TO THE STATE. >> OKAY.
AND WOULD THIS BE ABLE TO EXPAND CODE COMPLIANCE PAST THE DAYTIME HOURS, POTENTIALLY?
>> SO, SOME OF THE THOUGHTS THAT WE HAD FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT, YES.
POTENTIALLY FIGURE OUT IF WE COULD DO A TEAM WORKING WITH SAPD, SORT OF A COMBINATION OF CIVILIAN AND SAPD OFFICERS DOING TARGETED, PROACTIVE APPROACH IN SOME AREAS OF TOWN.
PERHAPS THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WHEN WE SEE MOST OF THE NOISE CALLS OVERNIGHT.
WE HAVE HAD A CHALLENGE IN THE PAST WITH GETTING OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES TO WORK THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WE HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT. AND PERHAPS DO A PILOT PROGRAM TO SEE WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE WE GET. BUT THAT IS GENERALLY THE IDEA.
>> OKAY. AND THEN I JUST ALSO KIND OF HAD THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT CARRYING THE WEAPON AND THE REQUIREMENTS THERE FOR THE RETIRED OFFICERS. I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT.
THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> KAUR: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO, I THINK JUST TO SUM UP, I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO EXPLORE WHAT AN RFI LOOKS LIKE WITH JUST RETIRED SAPD OFFICERS, KNOWING THAT THERE IS CONCERN FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT THAT WOULD BE LESS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR END, BUT JUST SO WE COULD GET A SENSE OF COST.
AND THEN MAYBE SOME OF THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH ADDITIONAL -- IF PARKING DID GO TO CIVILIANS WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE AND WOULD WE BE ABLE TO BUILD THE CAPACITY FOR THAT IN THIS NEXT BUDGET CYCLE TO HAVE THOSE FOLKS BE ADDRESSED -- OR HAVE FOLKS BE ON STAFF TO BE ADDRESSING PARKING, LOUD MUSIC, ETC. GO AHEAD.
>> WHEN YOU SAID THAT, IT MADE ME THINK. WILL THIS AFFECT OUR POLICE
UNION AGREEMENT AT ALL, OR . . .? >> IT DOES, COUNCILWOMAN.
SLIDE 16 OF OUR PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY, IF I CAN DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE AREAS HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE. SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE WERE TO DEPLOY RETIRED SAPD OFFICERS TO HANDLE MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE TO OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. AND SO ON. IF WE WERE TO DEPLOY CONTRACTOR, IF WE USED CIVILIANS TO ADDRESS MINOR TRAFFIC DE ACCIDENTS OR UD CIVILIAN CRIME INVESTIGATORS TO ADDRESS FOUND PROPERTY THOSE WOULD REQUIRE NEGOTIATION IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
IMPLEMENT THOSE OPTIONS. >> SO, CONSIDERING WE'RE DOING THE CBA RIGHT NOW, WOULD THIS BE SUBSEQUENT NEGOTIATION IF THIS WERE TO ALL GO INTO EFFECT? WE CAN'T DO IT WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, RIGHT? SO WE'D NEED TO REVISIT IT LATER?
>> SO, I GUESS FOR POTENTIAL FUTURE DISCUSSION, IF THE SENSE OF THE COMMITTEE IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER SOME CHANGES TO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, THEN THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DISCUSS IN THE UPCOMING NEGOTIATIONS, THAT AND PERHAPS A
DISCUSSION WITH THE FULL COUNCIL. >> IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD
DISCUSS IN EXEC, OR IS THAT A PUBLIC DISCUSSION? >> EXEC.
>> KAUR: SO MAYBE TO THE COUNCILMEMBER'S POINT, THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD BRING UP TO EXEC COMMITTEE. FROM WHAT I HEARD THERE'S A LITTLE UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW
ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS -- SORRY, LIZ. >> NO.
JUST FOR PURPOSES OF -- IT WOULD JUST GET A SENSE OF, RIGHT, THE LEGAL ISSUES THAT ARE OF PRIORITY FOR US AND HOW WE INTEND TO ADDRESS THEM. AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU WANT US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH FULL COUNCIL, THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO KNOW NOW.
>> KAUR: OKAY. >> AND THEN WE CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.
>> KAUR: I THINK WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT IN FULL COUNCIL. I'LL PAUSE THERE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER -- COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: IF SOMEONE COULD
[01:10:05]
FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES COULD WALK ME THROUGH THE HISTORY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY USED TO RESPOND TO THE NOISE COMPLAINTS. WAS THERE A CHANGE? I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THATHISTORY WAS. >> IF I MAY PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, BACK IN 2021-2022 WE DID A PROJECT CALLED POLICE SERVICES REVIEW. AND AS PART OF THAT RESULT OF THAT PROJECT WE DID A PILOT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WORK OVERNIGHT AND GO TO ADDRESS CALLS THAT WERE COMING TO OUR 911 SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, THEY WERE ONLY ABLE TO DETERMINE IF A VIOLATION EXISTED AND THEN THEY WOULD CALL SAPD TO ISSUE THE CITATION. SO THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE DID. WE CAN SHARE THE EVALUATION.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC RESULTS. BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS BENEFICIAL AT THE END. THE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS WASN'T THERE.
BUT HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE COMMITTEE. >> CASTILLO: WRITE CITATIONS,
OR WOULD THEY ALSO HAVE TO CALL SAPD? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN. I DON'T KNOW IF LIZ CAN ADDRESS THAT.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. A CODE OFFICER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ISSUE A CITATION. WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL SAPD OUT THERE WITH US TO DO THAT.
>> DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER IF THEY HAVE A LICENSE STILL? WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY?
>> THE QUESTION WAS IF THE CONTRACTOR COULD DO IT. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
WE'LL FOLLOW UP. >> OKAY. >> DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS FOR ME? >> THE FOLLOWUP QUESTION, WHICH MARIA ALREADY ASKED.
I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANKS, COUNCILWOMAN. WOULD ANYBODY BE OPPOSED -- I KNOW NOT EVERYONE SAID THIS AND I REALIZE I MADE THAT STATEMENT WITHOUT GETTING FULL CONSENSUS.
WOULD ANYBODY BE OPPOSED TO DOING A REQUEST FOR INTEREST FROM POTENTIAL FOLKS? JUST TO SEE WHAT WE GET BACK? I KNOW THAT WASN'T . . . THE THING THAT I WANTED TO -- FOR MARIA TO DO WAS DO A REQUEST FOR INTEREST FROM FOLKS TO RESPOND TO SEE WHAT THEY WOULD SAY THEY COULD DO IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC, NOISE, ETC. TO BASICALLY GET BACK POTENTIAL PROPOSALS.
JUST SO WE COULD EVALUATE COSTS FOR SAN ANTONIO. IF NOT, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE SINGLE-HANDED PERSON THAT'S LIKE ASKING FOR CITY STAFF TO DO THIS WORK.
AND THIS IS A COMMITTEE DECISION. SHOULD WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION AT FULL COUNCIL BEFORE WE MAKE THAT DECISION? OKAY.
WE'LL HAVE THE DISCUSSION AT FULL COUNCIL AND THEN DECIDE IF WE WANT TO DO IT.
JUSTINA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? >> THE CONTRACTOR WOULD NOT ISSUE A CITATION. THE POLICE OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO ISSUE A CITATION IF ONE WAS
NEEDED. >> KAUR: EVEN IF THEY'RE RETIRED?
>> YES. SO A POLICE OFFICER, UNIFORM POLICE OFFICER WOULD NEED TO
ISSUE THE CITATION. >> KAUR: INTERESTING. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL HAVE A FOLLOWUP DISCUSSION IN EXEC ON THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR LAST ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 3.
AND THIS IS A FOLLOWUP ON OUR SAPD DATA FROM LAST MEETING TO TALK ABOUT DRUG AND M NARCOTICS
CRIME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, ASSISTANT CHIEF JUSTICE. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.
WANT TO DO A DEEPER DIVE ONTO THE CRIME STATS, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT NARCOTICS.
I'LL START WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW. GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHY THE NARCOTICS THREAT IS SIGNIFICANT TO OUR CITY. WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CRIME TRENDS SPECIFIC TO DRUGS AND NARCOTICS. WANT TO TALK -- KIND OF GIVE SOME BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT ABOUT HOW DRUG ACTIVITY APPEARS IN CRIME STATS AND WANT TO BRAG A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COVERT RESPONSE UNITS. AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ANONYMOUS REPORTING AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO GET SOME OF THESE THINGS REPORTED. LET'S JUST START WITH NARCOTICS AND WHY IT'S SIGNIFICANT TO SAN ANTONIO. THE REALITY, WE ARE 150 MILES FROM THE MEXICAN BORDER.
AND THAT PROXIMITY TO THE BORDER MAMAKES US A HUB FOR NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING.
THE MEXICAN DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS USE SAN ANTONIO AS A NATIONAL-LEVEL DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR WHOLESALE QUANTITY OF COCAINE, HEROIN, METHAMPHETAMINE, AND MARIJUANA.
ORGANIZED DRUG GROUPS OPERATE IN AND PASS THROUGH OUR CITY EVERY DAY.
BECAUSE WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY CLOSEST TO THE BORDER, WE ARE AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR BASE
[01:15:01]
DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS TO MAINTAIN DRUG AND MONEY STASH HOUSES.MID-LEVEL AND RETAIL DRUG OPERATIONS TAKE PLACE ALL AREAS OF THE CITY.
AND THAT BRINGS WITH THAT THE CRIMES AND THE ISSUES OF DRUG ABUSE AND CRIMES IN THOSE AREAS.
WE ALSO HAVE A SIZABLE STREET AND PRISON GANG POPULATION HERE. MANY GANGS, INCLUDING THE MEXICAN MAFIA, RELY ON DRUG DISTRIBUTION AS THEIR PRIMARY INCOME SOURCE.
BUT THEY ALSO COMMIT CRIMES IN THE COURSE OF THEIR DRUG DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES.
AND I'M GOING TO MENTION THE HOTSPOT INITIATIVE, UTSA SAPD VIOLENT CRIME PLAN.
WE DID ASSIGN A SMALL ROTATING TEAM OF COVERT DETECTIVES LAST YEAR USING THE DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH. AND I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEIR BUSTS HERE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION. SO, THE 2025 CRIME TREND SPECIFIC TO NARCOTICS.
WE SAW LAST YEAR THAT CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY INCREASED 16.7% COMPARED TO 2024, DUE IN LARGE PART TO DRUG AND NARCOTIC OFFENSES GOING UP 21.9% IN 2025. THOSE ARE OFFENSES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THROUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES TO REPORTING, TO THE DRUG LAWS LAST YEAR. SO WE'RE ATTRIBUTING THAT RISE TO AN INCREASE IN PROACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT. THE PHOTOGRAPH YOU SEE HERE FEATURED IN THE PRESENTATION WAS IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. SAPD DETECTIVES AND TASK FORCE OFFICERS SEIZED 179 KEY KILOS OF METH AS A RESULT OF A LONG-TERM INVESTIGATION.
TALK ABOUT THE CRIME STATISTICS AND HOW THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN. WE KNOW THERE'S THREE CATEGORIE, AND SOCIETY. FOR THE PURPOSE OF TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DRUGS, FALLING UNDER THE CRIME AGAINST SOCIETY CATEGORY. THE NUMBERS WE N REFLECT OFFENS, NOT JUST ARRESTS. DRUG AND NARCOTICS OFFENSES HAVE INCREASED YEAR OVER YEAR SINCE 2023, DUE TO AN INCREASE IN ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTIGATIONS. WE LOOKED AT THE REVIEW OF THE 2025 OFFENSE REPORT SPECIFIC TO DRUGS AND NARCOTICS. 90% OF THE DRUG CASES FELL WITHIN THE FOLLOWING THREE CATEGORIES -- POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA, AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. LET TALK ABOUT DRUG OFFENSES WITHIN CRIME STATS. THERE'S A TENDENCY TO ROMANTICIZE DRUG CULTURE IN MUSIC, MOVIES AND THE MEDIA. BECAUSE DRUG CRIMES FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF CRIME AGAINST SOCIETY, WE REFER TO THEM AS VICTIMLESS CRIMES. BUT DRUGS -- PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE LISTED AS VICTIMS IN THE OFFENSE REPORT.
WE'RE VERY CLEAR THAT THERE ARE REAL VICTIMS OF DRUG-RELATED CRIMES.
DRUG TRAFFICKING, DRUG SALES, THAT FUELS VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIMES, COCAINE SPECIFICALLY.
DISTRIBUTION IS TYPICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LARGEST SHARE OF VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY. METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE DRIVES RESIDENTIAL BUR BURGLARIES AS US STEAL TO SUSTAIN THEIR ADDICTION. AND THE IMPACT SPREADS FAR BEYOND USERS -- HOME INVASION, GANG ACTIVITY, DRUG NETWORKS PUT ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS AT RISK.
THERE ARE TRUE VICTIMS OF CRIMES. THE FAMILIES, THE VICTIMS OF THE VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIMES, THE ADDICTED USERS THEMSELVES AND OUR OVERALL COMMUNITY SAFETY IS IMPACTED BY DRUGS. THAT BUST YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE, THAT WAS ALSO LAST YEAR WITH TAG. WE HAD OFFICERS IN OUR COVERT UNIT.
THEY SEIZED $10,000 IN CASH, 14 POUNDS OF METH, A POUND OF FENTANYL, 12 FIREARMS, A STOLEN CLASSIC CAR AND ONE FLAMETHROWER. WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW DRUG ARRESTS ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER TEXAS LAW. WHEN OFFICERS TYPICALLY MAKE ARREST FOR THE CRIMES WE USE THE TEXAS PENAL CODE TO FIND THE APPLICABLE LAW THAT WAS BROKEN.
FOR DRUGS, WE USE A HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, THIS IS A TEXAS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ACT THAT DEFINES THE ILLEGAL DRUGS AND THE OFFENSES THAT GO WITH IT. FOR ANY OFFICER TO MAKE AN ARREST ON ANY KIND OF DRUG OFFENSE THEY'VE GOT TO ESTABLISH A LAWFUL STOP OR CONTACT.
THEY'VE GOT TO CONDUCT A LAWFUL SEARCH OR SEIZURE, AND ESTABLISH PROBABLE CAUSE FOR POSSESSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY OF THE NARCOTICS. ONE -- THAT PICTURE ABOVE IS A HOTSPOT LOCATION, THEY GOT METH, MARIJUANA, AND A HANDGUN. AND THE INDIVIDUAL THEY ARREST HEAD A PAROLE VIOLATION AND WAS DEALING BULK QUANTITY OF DRUGS IN THAT HOTSPOT, DRIVING UP THAT
[01:20:07]
CRIME SINGLE-HANDEDLY ALMOST. WE'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW FACNARCOTICS INVESTIGATIONS BEG.THEY OCCUR THROUGH ROUTINE POLICE WORK, A ROUTINE STOP, OR AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION BASED ON INFORMATION THAT'S RECEIVED BY THE FOLLOWUP UNIT. AGAIN, EVERY ARREST IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE DRIVEN BY LAWFUL ACTION SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT CHARGE.
TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND PENALTY GROUPS IN TEXAS.
TEXAS BREAKS THE GROUPS UP ONE THROUGH FOUR. THE HIGHEST RISK SUBSTANCES ARE GROUP ONE. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST COMMON EXAMPLES -- HEROIN, COKE, METHENAMINE, FENTANYL. OTHER PENALTY GROUPS ON DOWN, PENALTY GROUP TWO, HALLUCINOGENS, SYNTHETIC. GROUP THREE, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. AND SO THE PENALTIES INCREASE BASED ON THE QUANTITY, THE INTENT TO DELIVER. IF YOU'VE GOT PRIOR CONVICTIONS OR YOU'RE DEALING DRUGS IN A DRUG-FREE ZONE. MARIJUANA IS STILL ILLEGAL IN TEXAS. CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH. THERE WAS A LOT OF CHANGES TO THE LAW AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AROUND IT, BUT WHAT CHANGED THAT WHAT OFFICERS MUST NOW ESTABLISH THAT SOMEBODY HAS A USABLE QUANTITY AND NOT JUST RESIDUE.
AND THEY CAN NO LONGER -- WE CAN NO LONGER USE THE ODOR OF MARIJUANA AS PROBABLE CAUSE BECAUSE OF THE LEGALIZATION OF HEMP IN TEXAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK THAT AIDED IN SOME OF THE CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT WAS LEGAL AND WHAT WASN'T.
THE PENALTIES VARY BY QUANTITY. A COUPLE OF OUNCES WILL BE A MISDEMEANOR ALL THE WAY UP TO POUNDS WILL BE FELONIES. GIVE ANOTHER SHOUTOUT TO THE HOTSPOT POLICING USING THAT DATA. THEY SEIZED 64 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA, 13 GRAMS OF COCAINE, $24,000 IN CASH AND TEN FIREARMS, TWO OF WHICH WERE STOLEN, IN THAT PICTURE, LAST YEAR. DRUG PARAPHERNALIA -- KIND OF THAT'S ANY ITEM USED TO MAKE, PACKAGE, HIDE, OR USE ILLEGAL DRUGS. EVERYDAY ITEMS CAN QUALIFY IF WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT THE INTENT IS TO BE USED TO STORE, PREPARE, OR INGEST DRUGS.
YOUR PIPES, BONGS, VAPES, SYRINGES, NEEDLES, SCALES -- ALL CAN QUALIFY AS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND WE MAKE A LOT OF ARRESTS FOR THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DRUGS THAT WE SEIZE. WE'LL TALK ABOUT OR COVERT RESPONSE UNIT.
WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF UNITS WITHIN THE COVERT RESPONSE DETAIL.
AND A LOT OF THEM SUPPORT NARCOTICS DISTRIBUTION, NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING, AND ALL THE RELATED OFFENSES THAT GO WITH THEM WHETHER THEY'RE WANTED FELONS, WHETHER FOLKS HAVE A FOE WEAPONS VIOLATIONS. YOU SEE A NUMBER OF UNITS ARE COVERT, RETAIL CRIMES, HUMAN EXPLOITATION. I'LL TALK ABOUT THE HIGH-INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS. THAT UNIT PRIMARILY CONDUCTS THE LONG-TERM INVESTIGATIONS THAT TARGET THE NATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY COORDINATE WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS. AND THEN THE TEXAS ANTI-GAG UNIT, TAG, IS A SPECIALIZED TEAM. AND THEY FOCUS ON STOPPING VIOLENT CRIME, BREAKING UP GANGS, TARGETING DRUG TRAFFICKING, AND USE INTELLIGENCE AND COORDINATED INTELLIGENCE TO REDUCE GANG ACTIVITY TO MAKE US SAFER. AND BEEF GOT -- WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF FEDERAL TASK FORCES, OFFICERS ON FEDERAL TASK FORCES. THEY COMBINE RESOURCE, INTELLIGENCE, AND AUTHORITY ACROSS THE AGENCIES WHICH ALLOW US GREATER ENFORCEMENT TO TARGET THESE COMPLEX NETWORKS OF GANGS AND SOPHISTICATED ORGANIZATIONS. TAKE A LOOK AT LAST YEAR.
IN THE UNIVERSE OF SEIZURES, OUR COVERT UNIT, THIS IS WHAT THEY TRACKED LAST YEAR.
BY AND LARGE, PATROL MAKES UP A BULK OF THE DRUG CASES BUT THE COVERT UNIT BRINGS IN THE WEIGHT OF THE DRUGS. THEY MAKE THE BIG DRUG BUSTS THAT WE SEE AND OFTEN HIGHLIGHT.
METHENAMINE WAS 73% OF ALL THE DRUGS THAT WE SEIZED LAST YEAR. METH IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
IT HAS FLOODED THE MARKET NOT JUST IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT EVERYWHERE.
WE SEIZED 1.4 MILLION GRAMS OF NARCOTICS. THAT'S EQUAL TO OVER 3,000 POUNDS OR JUST OVER 1.5 TONS, ROUGHLY THE WEIGHT OF A SMALL CAR.
SO, LOOK DOWN AT FENTANYL. IT MAKES UP A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF THE WEIGHT, BUT IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE THAT WE DEAL WITH. IT IS 50 TIMES STRONGER THAN
[01:25:01]
HEROIN, 100 TIMES STRONGER THAN MORPHINE AND EVEN THE SMALLEST QUANTITIES WHICH ARE MEASURED IN MILLIGRAMS CAN CAUSE A SEVERE REACTION OR DEATH. WE DON'T TYPICALLY SEE IT BY ITSELF. IT'S MIXED WITH OTHER DRUGS -- HEROIN, COCAINE, METH, EVEN COUNTERFEIT PILLS. AND THE REAL CONCERN IS THAT IT'S OFTEN DONE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PERSON THAT'S USING IT, WHICH IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.TEXAS HAS ENACTED SEVERAL LAWS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT HAVE CREATED DIFFERENT PENALTIES -- ENHANCED PENALTIES, MANDATORY SENTENCING AND DIFFERENT OFFENSES TO TRY TO TARGET THE ISSUE OF FENTANYL. TALK LASTLY ABOUT HOW WE CAN TRY TO GET A HANDLE ON THIS TOGETHER. THE ANONYMOUS REPORTING SYSTEM FOR US -- YOU CAN SUBMIT TIPS ANONYMOUSLY THROUGH TIP 411. YOU CAN GO TO THE SAPD WEBSITE. ANYONE CAN TIP -- CAN TEXT SA TIP TO THEN PROVIDE INFORMATION TO US. AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD THE SA TIP APP, IT'S AVAILABLE ON IOS AND THE ANDROID PLATFORMS. YOU CAN PUT ANYTHING IN THERE. YOU CAN PUT VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION, LICENSE PLATES, VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS, ADDRESSES, NAMES. WHEN YOU DO SUBMIT A TIP YOU'LL GET A SIX-DIGIT CODE BACK. WE CANNOT TRACK WHO SUBMITS THE TIPS.
A DETECTIVE CAN -- HAS THE ABILITY TO TEXT BACK, BUT WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PASS ALONG TO PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, CHIEF.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, THIS IS A PASSION FOR YOU. DID YOU WANT TO START?
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IN TERMS OF THE COVERT RESPONSE UNITS, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF HOW ARE THE OPERATIONS PRIORITIZED? FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU EXPECT X AMOUNT OF TIPS REPORTED, OR X AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS STOPPED AND YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED BREAKDOWN. WE HAVE 125 PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THE DIFFERENT UNITS WITHIN THAT DIVISION. 97 ARE DETECTIVES, TEN ARE OFFICERS AND THE REST ARE SUPERVISORS, SERGEANTS, LIEUTENANTS, AND A CAPTAIN. THEY PRIORITIZE CASES BASED ON TIPS, BASED ON INFORMATION THEY RECEIVE FROM THE PUBLIC, BASED ON INFORMATION THEY RECEIVE FROM SAFE OFFICERS WHO ARE A PRIMARY RESOURCE FOR THEM. AND THEN THEY WORK THOSE SPECIFIC TIPS, THOSE INVESTIGATIONS. WE GET A TIP THERE'S A DRUG LOCATION. WE WATCH THE HOUSE. SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY OBVIOUS WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. SOMETIMES IT TAKES DAYS. SOMETIMES IT TAKES MONTHS.
DEPENDS ON HOW CAREFUL THEY ARE. IN ADDITION TO TARGETING THE DRUG AREAS, THEY ALSO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THE HUMAN SMUGGLING.
THEY ALSO DO THE WANTED INDIVIDUALS. SO, PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTED ON FELONY WARRANTS, THAT ARE COMMITTING VIOLENT CRIMES BECAUSE THEY OPERATE IN AN UNDERCOVER CAPACITY. WE CAN USE THEM ANYWHERE AND FOR ANYTHING, NOT JUST DRUGS.
IT ALL SEEMS TO COME BACK TO DRUGS FOR WHATEVER REASON, BUT THAT'S HOW THEY PRIORITIZE IT.
A LOT OF THEIR WORK IS JUST PROACTIVE AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH OTHER PARTNERS AS WELL.
>> CASTILLO: AND I'M FORGETTING WHICH SLIDE, BUT THERE'S A SLIDE THAT HAS GAMBLING INSTANCES. WOULD Y'ALL SAY THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN SOME OF DRUG
ARRESTS AND SOME OF THE GAMBLING INCIDENCES? >> I THINK IT'S SLIDE 5.
>> CASTILLO: I KNOW IT'S . . . FOR GAMBLING, IT'S A SMALLER NUMBER.
BUT WOULD YOU SAY THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN GAMBLING AND DRUG USE, SUBSTANCE USE?
>> THERE COULD BE SOMETIMES. IT DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING.
A LOT OF THESE THINGS, THE WEAPONS LAW VIOLATION, THE PROSTITUTION -- SOME OF THOSE -- THEY'RE THE RESULT OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DRUGS. AND SO I WOULDN'T RULE IT OUT.
I CAN SAY THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A CORRELATION. >> CASTILLO: IN TERMS OF THE REPORTS YOU RECEIVE FROM THE ANONYMOUS TIPS, DO YOU TRACK HOW MANY HAVE BEEN CLOSED WITH AN
ARREST, OR DRUGS REMOVED? >> I CAN CHECK AND GET BACK TO YOU.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY TRACK ON THAT, BUT HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU.
>> CASTILLO: I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIRWOMAN
FOR AGENDIZING THIS ITEM. >> KAUR: ABSOLUTELY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> YES. I, TOO, APPRECIATE YOU AGENDIZING THIS.
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TO ME, I WENT ON A TAG RIDE ALONG. AND IT'S SHOCKING WHERE THEY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. THEY MOVE IN CONCERT. THEY COMMUNICATE ON YOUTUBE, WHICH BLEW MY MIND. BLEW ME AWAY. BUT I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS Y'ALL MAKE TO GET MORE DRUGS OFF THE STREET.AND I HAVE TO SAY, THE AFFECT THAT THIS HAS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS TREMENDOUS, BECAUSE SO MANY WON'T COME FORWARD BECAUSE THEY'RE HOOKED ON DRUGS OR AFRAID THEY'RE GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE FOR A LESSER CHARGE. AND THEY JUST GET TRAFFICKED MORE AND MORE. AND IT'S JUST SUCH A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
SO I CAN REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING. AND . . . CAN YOU TELL ME HOW LONG -- YOU SAID THEY DO THE COVERT OPS. DO YOU HAVE KIND OF A GUESS ON A DRUG-RELATED OPERATION HOW LONG IT TAKES TO SET IT UP? I MEAN, I WENT ALONG ON A RIDEALONG LAST WEEK AND THEY WENT TO SO MUCH TROUBLE. AND THEN -- THE GUY DIDN'T GET UP. I GUESS HE WAS UP TOO LATE THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HE DIDN'T HAPPEN TO LEAVE THE HOUSE THAT DAY. AND THERE'S SO MUCH EFFORT.
AND SO I'D LIKE YOU TO KIND OF EXPAND ON HOW MUCH EFFORT IT TAKES Y'ALL TO PULL THIS OFF.
AND THEN IT MUST BE VERY REWARDING WHEN YOU DO, RIGHT? >> NO, FOR SURE.
THAT'S A COMMON THING OVER THERE. DRUG DEALERS NEVER -- THEY DON'T MAKE THEIR APPOINTMENTS, FOR SURE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHERE YOU'RE JUST CONVINCED THE B BUST IS GOING TO GO DOWN T THAT DAY D THE GUY DOESN'T SHOW UP.
YOU'RE LIKE MAYBE HE'S SPOOKED. NO, HE OVERSLEPT OR HE WAS PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.
THESE ARE LONG-TERM, COMPLEX INVESTIGATION. I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE MORE SOPHISTICATED, THE MORE THERE'S BOUNDARY LINES WHERE YOU'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE EITHER INTERNATIONAL OR ACROSS STATE LINES, THEY TAKE A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
SOME OF THE ONES THAT ARE A LOT QUICKER IS THE COMPLAINTS WE GET FOR AN ACTIVE DRUG HOUSE.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'LL SEND SOMEBODY OUT THERE, WE'LL WATCH FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. WE'LL MAKE SOME BUSTS, FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE.
THEN WE CAN GET A WARRANT WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS. PBUT IT COULD BE A COUPLE MONTHS OR LONGER. IT IS THAT COMPLEX, THAT SENSITIVE.
AND ALSO WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAY BE PROVIDING INFORMATION.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT COULD GET SOMEBODY HURT IN OUR OBJECTIVE OF TRYING TO SHUT
DOWN A HOUSE OR ARREST A DRUG DEALER. >> SO THERE ANY ADDITIONAL TRAINING OR SPECIFIC TRAINING YOU GO THROUGH TO BE IN ONE OF THESE UNITS, OR AN AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE FORCE SORT OF THING, OR CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT'S REQUIRED TO BE IN THIS?
>> A LOT OF THE OFFICERS THAT END UP PROMOTING AS DETECTIVES, WE DO HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED THERE. A LOT OF THEIR EXPERIENCE COMES PRIMARILY FROM WORKING THE STREETS. AND THEY -- SOME FOLKS HAVE A KNACK FOR CHASING THOSE THINGS DOWN AND SEEING DRUG ACTIVITY AND BEING ABLE TO ARTICULATE STOPS AND MAKE ARRESTS BASED ON THAT. SO THAT IS -- OUR TRAINING GROUND PRIMARILY IS PATROL.
BEFORE YOU GET PROMOTE, YOU'VE GOT TO SPEND FIVE YEARS ON PATROL.
YOU CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD, PROACTIVE WORK. IF YOU'RE PROACTIVE ON PATROL YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO A SPECIALIZED UNIT. ONCE YOU GET THERE, THEY PROVIDE UNIT-LEVEL SPECIALIZED TRAINING, THEY GET SOME REALLY INTENSE TRAINING THAT MAKES THEM REALLY
EFFICIENT AND REALLY GOOD AT THEIR JOB. >> IT WOULD SOUND LIKE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE PATROL PIPELINE RUNNING PRETTY STRONG SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO REDUCE
DRUGS IN OUR COMMUNITY. >> YES, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU. >> KAUR: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SPEARS. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO HAD TO DROP OFF.
SO, I'LL JUST END OFF BY SAYING THE ONE THING I'VE SEEN IS COMMUNICATION.
HOW WE CAN IMPROVE COMMUNICATION WITH OUR S.A.F.E. OFFICERS AND FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND THAT ARE SEEING TO OUR OTHER TEAMS. ONE EXAMPLE, WE HAD SOMETHING WE PUSHED FORWARD IN OUR DISTRICT, THE NORTHEAST PART OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND IT WAS AN ADDRESS THAT WE HAD BEEN MONITORING IN SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS.
BUT WHEN -- IT WAS TRYING TO GET PRIORITIZED FROM THE TRADITIONAL WAY.
AND I THINK IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TWO OR THREE MONTHS OUT. BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TAG OFFICER WHO'S ON THE TEAM, I GOT A PHONE CALL AND SHE SAID YOU NEED TO PROI THIS. A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN THIS WAY. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO HAVE CROSS-COMMUNICATION FROM OUR TEAMS AND THEN ALSO MAKE SURE TO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S
[01:35:10]
POINTS, ENSURING THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE ON THOSE TEAMS. DO THERE NEED TO BE HOMICIDE DETECTIVES ON CERTAIN TEAMS TO BE ABLE TO CROSS-COLLABORATE. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM FOLKS ON THE GROUND WHO I TALKED TO AND CONNECT WITH, THE TEAMS THAT WORK ACROSS STATE-LEVEL FEDERAL ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD IN COLLABORATION WITH EACH OTHER. THEY DO A GOOD JOB OF PARTNERING AND WORKING WITH EACH OTHER. BUT HOW CAN WE IN ALL OF THE OTHER AREAS SUPPORT THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED AND THEY ARE SUFFICIENTLY STAFFED.SO, THAT'S FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN FROM QUALITATIVE COMMUNICATIONS. BUT I DO THINK THOSE FOLKS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM BECAUSE THIS IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS TOPIC? OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEARING THROUGH THE LONG AGENDA TODAY.
HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE DAY. THE TIME IS 4:00 P.M. ON THE DOT.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.