CITY OF COMMERCEAGENDA REPORTCITY OF COMMERCEAGENDA REPORT
CITY OF COMMERCE
AGENDA REPORT
CITY OF COMMERCE
AGENDA REPORT
Item No. Item No.
Item No.
Item No.
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Safety White Paper / Community Safety Plan Meeting Date: MARCH 28, 2023
RECOMMENDATION:
Council to review and consider the items set forth. Council may direct staff to prepare future agenda items for Council’s consideration related to the implementation of the Community Safety Plan. Alternatively, Council may approve certain elements of the Community Safety Plan and allocate funds for the implementation of said elements.
BACKGROUND:
Over the last several years, regionally and nationally, there has been an uptick of high profile property crimes, of which Commerce has not been immune. While crime data for Commerce shows a decrease of property crimes in 2021and 2022 and thus far in 2023, the heightened sensationalism and arbitrary nature of these types of crime are of a concern of the community.
The concept of community safety is about people being safe and feeling safe in their own community. At the heart of this policy is the principle that every community has the right to be and feel safe in order to thrive and flourish.
Residents (including commercial and industrial) and visitors must feel secure in our community and confident that the City is a supportive environment that is responsive to their needs. The Community Safety Plan creates a structure for achieving that goal. It calls for the inclusion of several elements that will ensure that all members of the community feel welcomed, respected and protected from harm.
Successful implementation of this plan should be a top priority for the City of Commerce. It’s important to acknowledge that this plan marks the beginning of our collective efforts to lay the groundwork for increased safety throughout the community. Given the complexities involved, this plan should be viewed as a living document that will be refined on an ongoing basis.
ANALYSIS:
The fluid framework to bring together, oversee and drive the delivery of this holistic approach and align it with related strategies will be informed by the implementation and experience of the following areas of focus:
Neighborhood Safety Enhancement Plan
Continued Suppression / Special Operations
Community Safety Officers -- Increased deployment during the day shift Armed or unarmed private security to provide highly visible patrol in targeted areas of city in the late evening hours Implement Automated License Plate Reader camera network throughout city Other camera systems
Enhance mitigating measures at intersections
Enhance current crime prevention public outreach messaging Reinstitute a security camera rebate program
Develop a comprehensive public-private partnership for catalytic converter etching and/or provide a subsidy towards the purchase of a Catalytic Converter theft prevention kit Reigniting the Neighborhood Watch Program and Implementing a Business Watch Program Encourage the use of Facebook and the Nextdoor App
Neighborhood Safety Enhancement Plan
Increased Deputy Sheriff patrols at night in Commerce neighborhoods. These will be added to existing patrols through overtime focused on nighttime hours. Deputy Sheriff’s will be assigned to patrol neighborhoods, shopping centers to deter criminal activity and handle any potential criminal activity they observe. They will also work in conjunction with and respond to calls for service generated by the private security guard patrols noted below. Staff will return for an allocation during the upcoming 2023/24 fiscal year budget process Continued Suppression / Special Operations
The intent is to provide funding to the Sheriff’s Department, allowing for increased law enforcement services related to quality-of-life issues affecting the communities in our city. It is believed and proven that crime can be deterred from occurring through highly proactive enforcement and through directed enforcement following creative problem oriented policing strategies.
In Commerce, we have a group of 4 deputies that make up our LA Sheriff’s Special Problems Team, a team whose purpose is to concentrate on community related problems. This includes an array of special activities, but their focus is suspected criminal activity that requires more attention than our regular patrol units can provide.
In addition, and on a periodic basis, we are afforded the deployment of Special Enforcement Teams that focus on areas that have been deemed problematic. These operations will continue to be funded through our annual COPS grant -- $100,000 Community Safety Officers -- Increased deployment during the day shift Continue with the current 24 hour patrol structure; however, re-Program all current CSOs to day shifts (6 am – 2 pm & 2 pm – 10 pm). This would provide 3 CSOs per shift, allowing one CSO to focus on Street Sweeping and Parking Enforcement duties and the remainder on issues as they arise.
Armed or unarmed private security to provide highly visible patrol in targeted areas of city in the late evening hours Hire armed or unarmed private security guards to also patrol neighborhoods at night, working in collaboration with the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station. The Sheriff’s Department countywide is currently limited in staffing and not allowing cities to add permanent patrol positions to their contracts, so the Security Guards will enable Commerce to increase the number of patrol vehicles during the critical overnight hours, with the goal of nearly doubling the number of patrol cars normally on Commerce streets overnight. The Security Guards will not carry out law enforcement actions, but will observe and report to Deputy Sheriffs for fast response. They will also provide a highly-visible nighttime presence driving through Commerce neighborhoods. The Security Guards will be hired on a three-month contract, and their effectiveness will be evaluated over that time period before a decision is made on continuing their services. Staff will return to the City Council with some recommendations in the near future Implement Automated License Plate Reader camera network throughout city The Flock Safety ALPR System is a deployment of cameras throughout an area to provide greater coverage and more detailed information for law enforcement. The Flock lease proposed here would include 20 cameras which can be spread throughout the City in high crime areas. Flock’s cameras capture date, time, location, license plate (state, partial, paper, and no plate), vehicle details (type and color), as well as objects (bicycle, animals, and people).
Flock Safety presented staff with a desirable approach to deploying ALPR cameras throughout the community. Unlike other fixed or mobile ALPR devices, the Flock system provides the ability to cover more area of the city with system maintenance provided by the vendor rather than City staff. The Flock program is an all-inclusive model for deploying the APLR cameras. Flock Safety is the sole manufacturer and developer of the Flock Safety Camera. There are several other differences between Flock and other ALPR companies. Most notably they are the only manufacturer and service provider that leases ALPR services. Others require the city to purchase equipment. Recommended allocation $120,000 (Professional Services / One-time Purchases / Hardware & Software Products / 2-year Subscription) Purchase a radar trailer with variable message board and ALPR camera. This trailer will be capable of providing speed feedback to motorists, deliver important safety and other messages to the public and detect “wanted” or stolen vehicles. The trailer can be deployed to various locations throughout the city to address crime and traffic related issues, while also displaying important messages. Staff will return for an allocation during the upcoming 2023/24 fiscal year budget process Neighborhood Surveillance Cameras
With today's new reality, it's critical to keep an eye on all actions in a residential / commercial / retail space because no one wants to end up in a dangerous position owing to a malfunctioning or non-existent security system. That is why most retail properties have fully operating remote security systems strategically placed to enhance security. Video & mobile surveillance has emerged as the leading contender for safety in commercial locations and other public spaces in the digital era.
The units we have assessed include fully automated systems which serve as effective on-site deterrents with automatic activity reporting. This includes all statuses of the system and its operation.
Their web-based application provides remote access to the status of the operating systems in addition to generating real-time event notifications and alerts. Remote guarding is far better than passive video systems that only record and provide evidence after the damage has been done. On-site police and security officers can't be everywhere, and they can't be watching all cameras at the same time. With the MP Status system, you can be notified of events as they occur and prevent crime before it happens.
Neighborhood video surveillance systems enable users to view stored footage, making it easy to identify criminals and pursue justice in the case of crime. Real-time video enables property managers and security guards to respond quickly to incidents and stop them in their tracks. Staff will return with recommendations in the near future Reinstitute a security camera rebate program
Offer a rebate program to residents for the purchase of home security camera devices. These cameras have proven valuable in deterring and spotting criminal activity and in the evidence they provide Sheriff’s investigators to find criminal perpetrators. The recommendation is to continue with a $500 rebate per household, regardless of the number of devices. With the new rebate program, Commerce hopes to add as many 150 cameras in the upcoming fiscal year to those already in operation (approximately 360) throughout the city. Staff will return for an allocation during the upcoming 2023/24 fiscal year budget process -- Estimated allocation of $75,000 Enhance mitigating measures at intersections (Continental vs Creative Crosswalks) Continental crosswalks are longitudinal stripes designated where to walk across the road. These high visibility markings provide a visual cue for people who drive and bike of where to expect crossing pedestrians. Continental crosswalks create higher-visibility spaces for people crossing the street. These designs, which consist of wide white stripes running parallel to the curb, have been shown to increase yielding behavior among drivers and can play a key role in a suite of streetscape improvements to create safer conditions for pedestrians. Near schools, crosswalks are painted yellow.
Creative crosswalks: Street art meets safety enhancement -- Bright colors and unique designs in crosswalks can create a sense of community while keeping pedestrians safer and drawing drivers’ attention to them. Cities often install creative crosswalks as an artistic community enhancement, or even a municipal branding effort, but they also can have safety benefits over the standard white stripes. Drivers tend to notice patterns and bright colors more than the tried-and-true white paint on asphalt. In addition to being fun, they can raise awareness of pedestrian safety.
Pilot Program – Implement Creative Crosswalks (footprint overlay below) at the following intersections (Estimated Cost -- $200,000):
Commerce Way and Harbor Street
Commerce Way and Jardine Street
Harbor Street Crosswalk that spans from Rosewood Elementary to the BVAC Illuminated Stop Signs
Analyze, and implement where needed…LED Traffic signs have much greater visibility than traditional traffic signs to help ensure traffic and pedestrian safety. Drivers always need to be paying attention to road signs, even if they don't flash, but it's a sad reality that humans don't have a perfect record when it comes to spotting traffic signs.
Traffic Speed Control Systems: Bumps, Humps, Tables and Strips Sometimes, a "slow traffic" sign or low posted speed limit only does so much to slow down traffic — it's easy for drivers to ignore or miss these types of signs altogether. Unfortunately, they're posted for a reason: usually because there's a risk of harm associated with higher speeds, such as in a school zone, parking structure or construction area, where there's very little time to react.
In these types of situations, it's a good idea to also have a physical alert system on the road to let drivers know they need to reduce their speed. Speed bumps, speed humps, speed tables and rumble strips are all an ideal way to get the attention of drivers and alert them to a reduced speed. Each option has its own purpose and benefits once applied. Take a look at what sets them apart and when each should be used to help alert drivers, to keep speeds low.
Speed Bumps -- Speed bumps are the most commonly recognized of all speed-reduction pavement installations. These abrupt sections of interference (bumps) on the road are typically used in environments where space is limited—such as a parking structure or a parking lot—to quickly take speeds down to about 2mph to 5mph.
The average speed bump is raised about 2" to 3" in contrast to the surrounding pavement and usually doesn't exceed 12" in width, to create an abrupt disturbance for drivers who might be travelling a bit fast. The bottom line is that a speed bump is impossible to ignore, especially at higher speeds.
Speed bumps are usually used to reinforce very low speed zones and are often prevalent in enclosed areas, such as parking structures. Because they help to keep speeds so low, they're great for improving pedestrian safety, reinforcing stop signs and reducing auto accidents on private streets and driveways.
The drawback of speed bumps is that they tend to impede low-clearance automobiles, such as snow plows and emergency response vehicles.
Speed Humps -- Rather than abruptly jostling drivers like a speed bump will, speed humps are a more passive way to reduce traffic speeds. Speed humps are actually designed to encourage lower speeds naturally, thanks to the undulating pattern they create—they gradually rock a vehicle up and down, to reduce its speed to about 10mph to 20mph.
Speed humps are generally only raised about 1" to 3" higher than the regular pavement, but the average hump installation can stretch to widths from 24" to 42" wide, making it a much larger application as compared to a speed bump! The concept behind them is to slow speed throughout an entire area, rather than just encourage abrupt speed reductions at critical points.
Because they offer more of a finesse when it comes to lowering speed, you'll commonly find speed humps used in areas where speed needs to be continually controlled. School zones, hospital areas and industrial drives all frequently employ speed humps, which gently handle vehicles of all sizes and clearances, keeping speeds controlled without risking undercarriage damage or the prospect of an overturned vehicle.
Speed Tables -- Recycled rubber speed tables are flat-topped speed humps with room for the entire wheelbase of a passenger car to rest on top. The flat top design allows cars to maintain slightly higher speeds than they would on speed humps, slowing cars to around 20-25 mph.
Made of interlocking units that simply snap together, Traffic Logix speed tables are quick and easy to install. Typically 3” high and 14’ or 21’ long, speed tables are an effective solution for safer neighborhood streets.
Slowing traffic the right way
As you can see, each type of speed reduction installation has its own way of reducing automobile speeds and is designed to maximize the effectiveness of speed signs or caution markers. Depending on the desired speed reduction, the area of installation and the intended purpose of each, it’s important to know which is best for the job: speed bumps, speed humps or speed tables.
Catalytic Converters -- Etching event and Catalytic Converter theft prevention kits We are well aware that Catalytic converter theft is on the rise nationwide. Over the last three years, catalytic converter thefts have soared nearly 2,200%.
Thieves are slipping under cars to swipe catalytic converters, those pollution-control gadgets that contain precious metals that are in growing demand because of car emissions rules.
Catalytic converters can be removed with a battery-operated saw in minutes. They are then sold for a few hundred dollars to scrap recyclers.
For ripped-off car owners, the pain has just begun. Replacing the catalytic converter can cost between $1,500 and $5,000, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. And insurance may not cover it.
Which cars are targeted for catalytic converter theft? Thieves tend to target large pick-ups and delivery vehicles that have higher clearance, making it easier to remove the catalytic converter, according to the insurance crime bureau.
Hybrids are another major target because they have two catalytic converters and the converters tend to have less corrosion, making them more valuable.
How to prevent your catalytic converter from being stolen -- The bottom line, there is no surefire way to prevent catalytic converter theft, but data shows that prevention kits and/or devices do act as deterrents.
Install a catalytic converter anti-theft device such as a shield, strap or alarms.
Cat Shield -- A cat shield is a strong-build aluminum plate designed to deter catalytic converter theft. Range anywhere between $160 and $500 Cat Strap – A cat strap consists of a series of cables of dissimilar metal lying parallel to one another contained with a high-temperature aluminum shell. Range anywhere between $200 and $500 Fast Guard Alarm – predominantly designed for high-riding vehicles such as trucks, SUVs, vans, motorhomes, commercial vehicles, and busses. It surrounds the catalytic converter in a protective manner making it difficult to steal without first triggering the alarm.
Range anywhere between $35 and $125
Install an alarm, either for the whole car or just for the catalytic converter, or increase the sensitivity level of your car alarm to alert you if anyone tampers with your car.
Engrave your vehicle vehicle identification number and phone number on your catalytic converter. It could help law enforcement track and identify the stolen part.
Other steps in the plan include holding extra catalytic converter “etching” events (putting ID on converters and making them harder to sell if stolen) through a partnerships with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
Reigniting the Neighborhood Watch Program and Implementing a Business Watch Program Neighborhood Watch Program -- Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that stresses education and common sense. It teaches citizens how to help themselves by identifying and reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. In addition, it provides citizens with the opportunity to make their neighborhoods safer and improve the quality of life. Neighborhood Watch groups typically focus on observation and awareness as a means of preventing crime and employ strategies that range from simply promoting social interaction and "watching out for each other" to active patrols by groups of citizens.
All Neighborhood Watches share one foundational idea: that bringing community members together to reestablish control of their neighborhoods promotes an increased quality of life and reduces the crime rate in that area. Neighborhood Watch strives to find alternative ways to strengthen informal social control and to restore a 'sense of neighborhood'.
The reason for this effectiveness is rather simple: Involving community members in watch programs decreases opportunities for criminals to commit crime rather than attempting to change their behavior or motivation.
Today's Neighborhood Watch Program is an effective means of crime control and neighborhood cohesiveness -- Neighborhood is the key to maintaining successful relationships." Business Watch Program -- Modeled after Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch takes the “neighbors looking out for neighbors” concept to the commercial level, creating a partnership between business, law enforcement, and other organizations that represent business interests. The Business Watch philosophy is straightforward—Take control of what happens in your business community and lessen your chances of becoming a victim.
Business Watches actively reduces and prevents crime through cooperation and education. Programs vary according to need; however, successful groups adhere to these fundamental steps:
Promote communication and understanding between law enforcement and business.
Encourage and enhance cooperation among merchants.
Teach merchants to crime-proof their own properties, watch over neighboring businesses, and document and report suspicious activity.
Develop a telephone tree and/or email distribution list to quickly disseminate information about area crime.
Develop signals to activate in adjacent businesses when someone needs help.
Business Watch Manual - Join National Neighborhood Watch for access to this manual.
Program Benefits
When you start a Business Watch program on your street or block, or within your shopping center or mall, you take an important step toward a safer environment for yourself, your employees, your customers—and your community as a whole. In addition to reducing crime, Business Watch offers many other benefits, including opportunities to… Network with other area businesses.
Foster a good working rapport with area law enforcement.
Offer employee training and education.
Garner publicity and community goodwill or your establishment.
Virtual Community Engagement
The hope is that virtual platforms will be especially useful for the organization and community in implementing planning processes where public input is an essential component of the effort, when the primary goal is to ensure ongoing shared support for final outcomes – in this case, community health and safety.
While these virtual channels (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor App, Whatsapp, etc) are important additions to the toolbox of community engagement, they are not meant to replace physical meetings, but rather to supplement in-person meetings with other accessible options. These platforms offer the following:
Share multimedia information, having two-way dialogues, streaming live video meetings, receive input.
Provide content for community partners and influencers to share to existing audiences.
Utilize videos with short messages – videos often get more views than photos.
One platform that has proven to be a great platform for virtual neighborhood watch and emergency preparedness groups, and Nextdoor neighbors highly value crime and safety related posts from their local police and fire officials has been the Nextdoor App.
Neighbors around the world turn to Nextdoor daily to receive trusted information, give and get help, get things done, and build real-world connections with those nearby — neighbors, businesses, and public services.
The new Nextdoor for Public Agencies app enables police and fire departments, public schools, and City Hall agencies to post updates, push out alerts geo-targeted to reach specific neighborhoods, and read their messages on the go. It allows the public agency folks to be in the field, be engaged in an incident, and share info quickly as needed.
For Nextdoor, the feature brings another tool to what has proved to be one of the social network’s most compelling use cases: crime monitoring. The site is becoming well known as a clearinghouse for neighborhood drama: Nextdoor’s many eyes-on-the-street fill the site with reports of car break-ins, suspicious characters, and other local-level threats.
ALTERNATIVES:
Approve staff recommendation
Decline staff recommendation and provide further direction FISCAL IMPACT:
None at the present time. Staff will return with specific funding requests sometime in the future. Alternatively, the City Council may wish to move to allocate funding for any elements it so desires in order to allow staff to move more expeditiously.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC GOALS:
This activity is related to 2016 Strategic Goal, Community Quality of Life, and Guiding Principle 4, Support and evaluate community services, programs and events that promote healthy and quality lifestyles for our residents. Enhance public safety and social services through innovative programs that meet the needs of residents and business communities.
Recommended by: Vilko Domic, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Noel Tapia, City Attorney
Respectfully submitted: Edgar P. Cisneros, City Manager