REC _IVED
11. Council Compensation - Politician Security and Personal Safety 202� OCT 21 P 12: 26
The discussion of politician personal safety and security merits its own stand-alone discussion. I appreciate the Council's concerns and am supportive of personal safet.¥-"� �:e,��r%t \?RP. Id not be shoe-horned as a budget line item buried in a Councilmember's com��hsa 1on 1 re\1ew. "fhis would be
unprecedented and a decision not backed by evidence or efficacy.
1. Why is the public paying to protect property and not the person?
2. Was the Police department or other personal safety authority engaged to provide input on personal safety best practices?
3. Why not have taxpayers instead pay for bullet proof vests, body cameras, or bodyguards? Or personal defense classes like Krav Maga, Karate or Kung Fu?
4. Is this for the Councilmembers' primary residence, or also secondary homes and family?
5. Since Councilmember's homes will have better security than their City Hall office, will members of the public be welcomed to meet Councilmembers at their place of residence?
6. Is this only for sitting Councilmembers or will this be extended to candidates, staff, family members?
7. Will taxpayers be on the hook to pay for security false alarms fees (Like the fees the public is subject to)?
8. Will the City be setting the requirements, conducting procurement, open the RFP to the public and vet different vendors? How does the City propose to handle the Public Records Act issues this will trigger?
9. Will this be paired with live feed that Pasadena Police has access to and can monitor?
10. What evidence is there of other California politicians having a security slush fund at taxpayer's expense to pay for a private home security system they get to personally select? CA Insurance Commissioner Lara has CHP Dignitary Protection since he's afraid of Eaton Fire Survivors. New York City Mayoral Candidate Mamdani also has personal law enforcement security.
And frankly, the evidence shows security systems (including home cameras) are limited in the actual protection they provide. Some unfortunate examples of security system failures are the homes of Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro and U.S. Congressmember Pelosi.
A 2009 study published in the journal Evaluation Review found no significant reduction in crime rates after security cameras were installed in two in Manhattan, New York.
A 2017 review published in the Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention looked into seven studies focused on cities around the world and found cameras did not affect the amount of crime perpetrated in parking lots or suburban subway stations. 10/27/2025
Item 11
11. Council Compensation - Politician Security and Personal Safety A 40-year review in the journal Criminology and Public Policy found that cameras they didn't reduce the rate of violent crimes in parking and residential areas.
As of yet, there aren't studies showing that self-monitored residential or commercial surveillance systems are an effective crime deterrent - especially not for violent crimes.
I urge City Council separate out the self-approval of a tax-payer funded security system for Councilmember's private homes and have an independent, unbiased, sound, evidence-based decision making of personal safety.
Yadi
Pasadena City Council Meeting
October 27, 2025
11. Council compensation - Politician security and personal safety