TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND FROM: Councilmember Dev Davis
CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: March 15, 2022
Approved Date March 15, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the Mayor’s March Budget Message for FY 2022 – 2023 with the following modification:
1. Direct the City Manager to allocate some of the 15 added sworn police officers to restore the Traffic Enforcement Unit, and strategically deploy them to areas that have seen growing pedestrian deaths.
BACKGROUND
In 2021 our community lost the lives of 23 pedestrians due to traffic accidents, and so far this year we’ve seen 10 roadway pedestrian fatalities. Each one of those lives lost is a tragedy that has ripple effects throughout their family and our community. Last year, I submitted a budget document asking for funding for more traffic enforcement officers, but this request was not accepted.
In the Mayor’s March Budget Message, he is calling for the City Manager to dedicate funding for 15 additional sworn police officers. Pedestrian fatalities are once again on the rise in San Jose. As a Council, we have committed to eliminating all traffic deaths in our city, but more work must be done. Over the last four years we have averaged 24 pedestrian fatalities, and have sadly seen 10 occur so far this year, with the latest incident occurring just two weeks ago near Lake Cunningham. The victim, who was a 68 year-old-man, was struck by a hit-and-run driver reportedly steps away from his home. Adding crosswalks will help, but they will not have the same impact as providing our police department with dedicated resources to enforce traffic laws in order to reduce traffic and pedestrian collisions. These tragedies are occurring at an alarming rate and I call on the City Manager to designate some of the 15 added police officers towards the restoration of the Traffic Enforcement Unit, and to deploy these officers to areas of high pedestrian fatalities.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 3/15/2022
ITEM: 3.3