PasadenaPoliceDepartmentFY2024ProposedOperatingBudget
ThePasadenaPDFY2024RecommendedOperatingBudgetreadsmorelikeaglossyannualreportthananactualbudgetproposal.ItshouldbemorelikeaForm10-Kwhichoutlinesacomprehensivereportingofthestateofthedepartment’sfinances,andamongotherthings,riskfactors.Otherwise,thepublicandCityCouncildonothavetheadequateinformationtoobjectivelyassesstheoperatingbudgetandensureitalignswithstatedgoals.
ShotSpotter(AKASoundThinking
1 )isineffectiveandneedstobecanceled“ThePasadenaPoliceDepartment deployedtheShotSpottergunshot detectionsysteminFebruary2022.Thetechnologyismeant tocombat theincreasingproblemofillegal firearmuseandisdesignedtohelplawenforcement officialsidentify, locateanddetergunviolence. Thereal-timealertsnotifypolicepreciselywhenandwheregunincidentsoccur, resultinginafaster, moreaccurateresponsetothescenetoprovidemedical attentiontogunshot victims, recoverevidenceandinterviewwitnesses. Theoverall goal istoreducegunviolenceandimprovethesafetyofthecommunity. TheCityofPasadenaiscommittedtoreducingillegal gunuseandhavepartneredwithShotSpottertoprotect thequalityoflifeofthoselivingintheimpactedcommunities. Thegunshot detectionsystemcreatesanenvironment ofenhancedpublicsafetyandsecurity.” “Thesystemwasinstalledinaportionofthecitythat ismost impactedbygunviolence. Duringthefirstyearofuse, incidentsofgunfireorprobablegunfireweredetectedmorethan100timesofwhichevidenceofashootingwaslocatedfor49oftheseshootingincidents; a32%decreaseinconfirmedshootingsthatwereinvestigatedbyPPDDetectivesforthepreviousyear.” ● 100+Shotspotteralertsin2022● 49alertsledtoevidenceofgunshot(s)● <50%accuracy Shotspotterislessthan50%accurateinitsfirst yearofuseinPasadena. ● InFebruary2022,thefirstShotspotteralertwasreportedtohavebeenafalsealarmwithnoevidenceofashooting. 2 ● InFebruary2022,thesecondShotspotteralertsentofficersaftersomeonehadalreadybeenshot,andtheshooter(s)hadalreadyfledthescene. 3 ● InMay2022,apersondiedofgunshotwoundswithinShotspottercoveragearea. 4 ● InOctober2022,apersondiedofgunshotwoundswithinShotspottercoverageareabuttherewasnoShotspotteralert. 5 5
https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/man-found-in-street-shot-to-death-investigation-underway 4 https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/man-fatally-shot-in-pasadena 3 https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/police-arrive-at-sunday-shooting-scene-60-seconds-after-shotspotter-alerts-them-find-injured-woman 2 https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/monday-morning-bullpen-shotspotters-first-time 1 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bay-area-crime-tech-firm-shotspotter-rebrands-as-stock-tanks-with-new-chicago-mayor/ar-AA19JDbq 1 Shotspotterfailstoserveasadeterrent against shootingsinPasadena.Shotspotterfailstohelpapprehendmost perpetratorsofgunviolenceinPasadena.Shotspotterfailstokeeppeoplefromgettingshot andkilledbygunsinPasadena.
InOctober2021theCityCouncildirectedstafftoconductareportonShotspotterin12months, 6 howeverweneednotwaitonasignificantlyoverduereport.PasadenashouldcanceltheShotspottercontractimmediately.Moreover,Pasadenashouldalsodemanda>50%refund.
AXONBODY3/Signal Sidearmcanandshouldhavebeenimplementedyesterday“ThePoliceDepartment currentlydeploys295AxonBodyWornCamerasforbothswornandprofessionalstaffwhoroutinelyencounterpublicwhileworkinginfield. Thedepartment completedanddeployedtheupgradetoAxonBody3CamerainApril 2022. Thistechnologyisnot just acamera, it'saruggedcommunicationsdevice. Theenhancedtechnologynowfeaturesenhancedlow-light performance, reducedmotionblurandanLTEconnectionthat enablesreal-timefeatureslikelivestreamingandautomaticrecordactivationwhenanAXONConductedEnergyWeapon(CEW) orTaserisarmedwithinimmediatevicinity.” “ByNovember2022, wesuccessfullycompletedseparatetrial andevaluationperiodsfortheAXONproductsSignal SideArmandPerformancemanagement tool. Signal Sidearmisasmart sensorthatinteractswithabodyworncameraandattachestoanofficer’sgunholster. It allowsanactivationandalerttheprimaryuser’sAxoncameraandothernearbycamerastoinstant recordingthemoment thefirearmisremoved.” “TheimplementationoftheseAxonproduct toolshaveaproject start dateofApril 2023.” Whatisthehold-upindeployingSignalSidearmwhichhasbeentestedforayearandpurchasedwell-overayearago?DidPPDpurchaseaproductthatisstillintheBetatestingphase?Becauseitsoundslikewearepayingforaproductthatisnotfullyliveyet.PasadenaPDhasknownaboutAxon’sSignalSidearm(amongothercapabilities)sinceatleastDecember2021whenitrequestedtoupgradetoBody3Camera. 7 Furthermore,PPDsoughtabudgetincreaseinJanuary2022specificallyfortheSignalSidearmcapability. 8 UseofSignalSidearmcommencedlastSpring-asa‘test’,andthisbudgetproposalstatesSignalSidearmwillbeimplementedinApril2023(lastmonth).AttheMay2023CommunityPoliceOversightCommissionmeeting,PasadenaPoliceChiefHarrisconveyedthatSignalSidearmhadbeentestedalready…butisstillnotreadytobepurchased! Cell SiteSimulators(CSS/IMSI Catcher)shouldnot beacquiredPasadenaPDinformedthePSCinApril2023thattheywouldbepurchasingacellsitesimulator(CSS).Intheirpresentation,PPDindicatedthattheyhavepreviouslyusedCSSequipmentthattheyborrowfromotherneighboringlawenforcementagencies,butaCSSisnotalwaysavailableforusewhenPPDrequestsit.DespiteindicatingthattheCSSwouldbepurchasedusingassetforfeiturefunds,PPDdidnotdisclosethatitwouldcostalmostamilliondollars.Idiscusstheuseofassetforfeiturefundsfurtherbelow.Furthermore,PPDdidnotdisclosemuchinformationaboutCSS,forexample,whytheequipmentissoexpensiveandifanyadditionalequipmentwillhavetobepurchased-suchasavehicleonwhichtomountsaidCSS. 8 https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2022%20Agendas/Jan_24_22/AR%208.pdf 7 https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2021%20Agendas/Dec_13_21/AR%2013.pdf 6 https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2021%20Agendas/Minutes%202021/2021%2010%2004%20CC%20MIN.pdf 2 DespitePPDclaimsfortransparency,publicrecordsonCSSaremostlyredacted.Inaddition,althoughPPDstatedinitspresentationthattheyshareCSSequipment,nocorrespondingpublicrecordshavebeenproduced.ThismakesitextremelydifficultforthepublictolearnaboutPPD’suseofaCSS,andprovidemeaningfulinput.
AutomaticLicensePlateReader(ALPR)efficacyneedstobeevaluatedDespitespendinghundredsofthousandsofdollarsonALPRs,thepublicandthePSCdoesnotreceivereportingontheefficacyoftheequipment.Thepublicisnotprovidedwithadequateinformationtoevaluatethisequipmentandprovidemeaningfulinput.
Moreover,in2020CityCouncildirectedstafftobeefuptheVigilantSolutionscontractto:
“Includeprovisionsinthecontract prohibitingdatasharingbyVigilant Solutionsformonetaryreasonsandtolimit anydatasharingtolawenforcement agenciesonly” 9 Especiallynowinapost-Dobbsenvironmentthathasturnedtheactofobtainingreproductivecareintoaprecariousendeavor,PPDandCityCouncilshouldensuredataminimizationanddatasharingrestrictionsloopholeswiththeuseofALPRsareclosed.
Dronesandothermilitaryequipment annual report overdueByMay1,2022,alllawenforcementagenciesinCaliforniawererequiredtoitemizeandpublishausepolicyformilitaryequipmentasdefinedinAB481. 10 Beginningin2023,agenciesmustpublishannualpublicreportsonusesandacquisitionsofmilitarizedequipmentwithanapprovedusepolicy.Manyagenciesacrossthestatehavealreadycompiledandsharedreportswiththepublicearlierthisyear.PasadenaisoverdueinitscompliancewithAB481statelaw.
PasadenaAsset ForfeitureFund&HomelandSecurityGrant Fund(inthousands) FY2024(proposed) FY2023 FY2022 FY2021 FY2020
Asset ForfeitureFund
801(+45.6%)
550(+4.3%)
527(+61.2%)
327(+6.8%)
306
HomelandSecurityGrant
213(-72.2%)
767(+141.2%)
318(+113.4%)
149(-1.3%)
151
PasadenaPD’sever-growingdependenceonassetforfeiturefundsandhomelandsecuritygrantsperfectlydemonstratesthattheassetforfeitureprocessisalucrativeendeavorforlawenforcement,incentivizesbadpolicingpractices,andharmseverydaypeople.Despiterecentreforms,lawenforcementdepartmentsacrossthestatearesupplementingtheirbudgetssignificantlywithassetforfeiture.Lawenforcementisleftwiththetaskofunilaterallydecidingwhatis“nicetohave”.Insteadofsupportingcommunityprograms,lawenforcementutilizethesefundforotherpriorities,suchas:
10 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB481 9 https://ww2.cityofpasadena.net/2022%20Agendas/Jan_24_22/AR%207%20SUPPLEMENTAL%20CORRESPONDENCEpdf.pdf 3 ● Acquiringmilitaryequipment
11 ● Acquiringsurveillanceequipment
12 ThePasadenaPDwillsoonbepurchasingacellsitesimulatorthatwillcostbetween$600,000and+$1,000,000withassetforfeiturefunds. 13 Theabilityforlawenforcementtobenefitfromassetforfeitureincentivizeslawenforcementtoseizeandtrytokeepmoreofprivateindividual’sassets.Thisisevidencedbytheoverwhelmingamountofassetsbeingseizedfromregulareverydaypeopleandnotdrugorcriminalrings.Accordingtoa2022report,researchsuggeststhatlawenforcementagencieswhocollecthighersharesoftheirrevenuefromfines,fees,andforfeituressolvecrimeatsignificantlylowerratesandcanhaveadetrimentaleffectoncommunityandpolicerelations. 14 Thegeneralpublicdoesnotagreewithlawenforcementbeingabletokeeppropertythathasbeenseized.Accordingtoa2016YouGovsurvey,84%ofpeopleopposetheabilityforpoliceto“seizeaperson’smoneyorpropertythatissuspectedtohavebeeninvolvedinadrugcrimebeforethepersonisconvicted”.Inaddition,76%donotthinklawenforcementshouldnotkeepseizedassets,instead,48%thinkthefundsshouldgotothestate’sGeneralFund. 15 Assetforfeiturefundsarenot“penniesfromheaven”
16 andshouldnotbesupplementingPasadenaPolice’sslushfundtoacquiresurveillanceequipmentorarmourlocallawenforcementtotheteeth.
PoliceGeneral LiabilityInsuranceisballooningandPasadenaneedstobettermanagerisk 16 https://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/columbia-life/crime/932-100714 15 https://www.cato.org/survey-reports/policing-america-understanding-public-attitudes-toward-police-results-national# 14 https://americansforprosperity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AFP-Sheriff-Ret-Currie-Meyers-White-paper-The-impact-of-fines-fees-and-forfeitures-on-policing.pdf 13 https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2023-04-19-Public-Safety-Committee-Meeting-Agenda.pdf?v=1684879256557 12 https://www.normantranscript.com/community/agenda-item-pulled-amid-concerns-about-armored-vehicle-purchase/article_cf8f5954-5ef5-11ed-8d74-2fa1e8fa0b01.html 11 https://afsc.org/sites/default/files/2022_Equipped_for_wa_CA_web.pdf 4 FY2024(proposed) FY2023 FY2022 FY2021 FY2020
PoliceDepartment
2,963,906(-9.7%%)
3,285,750(+109.8%)
1,565,875(+30.7%)
1,197,197(+89.7%)
631,116
FireDepartment
66,378(+27.3%)
52,139(+7.6%)
56,456(+25.2%)
45,093(+5.3%)
42,811
PasadenaPD’sgeneralliabilityinsuranceisballooningsignificantly.WhilePPDportraysanoptimisticFY2024decrease,aFY2024budgetpresentationattheLegislativeCommitteeonMay10,2023portrayedamoresomberreality.ItisanticipatedthattheCityshouldexpecttoseemorethana30%increase-possiblydouble.Vaguely,itwasstatedthatunderwritersarebeingmoreselectiveandscrutinizingriskprofiles,andthatPasadenamayhavetoseekoutstand-aloneinsurance(outsideofrisk-sharingpool).PPDisanoutlierwiththeamountofincreasinginsuranceyearoveryear.InconjunctionwiththeCityAttorneyOffice,PPDshouldprovideCityCouncilandthepublicwiththeunderlyinginformationthatisattherootoftheseincreasingpremiums.PPDshouldarticulatewhyitanticipatesadecreaseincostsfor2024asitisnotinlinewiththetrendofincreasingratesinthelastseveralyears.Theissuesleadingtothesesignificantratehikesshouldbeaddressedforfiscalanddutyofcareresponsibilities.
Pasadenaneedstoestablishprivacycultureandformal accountabilityandtransparencyprocessTherearetoomanyprivacy-relatedelementsthatneedtobebuttoneduphereandtheCityneedstostarttoestablishamoreformalprogramtovetsurveillancetechnologies,ensureadequateoversight,andformallyandfrequentlyconductevaluationsabouttheefficacyofequipmentandprocesses.Itneedstoincludecommunityengagementandthecommunity'svoiceneedstobeheardandbearealpartofthedecision-makingprocess.Withsuchaprocess,itislikelythatShotspotters’sdeficiencieswouldhavebeenexposedearlieranditsusediscontinued.Whileothermunicipalitiesareproactivelybanningfacialrecognition 17 ,itisnotevenaconversationinPasadena.
Itisconcerningtoseethedepartment’sbudgetsignificantlyincreasewhenithasyettoshowtheresultsandeffectivenessofthefundsithasalreadyreceived.Furthermore,therationalefortheincreasingcostsareseverelylacking. ___________________________________
YadiPasadenaPublicSafetyCommitteeMeetingMay24,20231.A.PoliceFY2024ProposedOperatingBudget 17 https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/tech/portland-facial-recognition-ban/index.html 5