02-02-1976 - Regular Meeting - MinutesMINUTES OF ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 2, 1976.
The adjourned regular meeting of the City Council called to order
. at 7:32 P.M. in the West Covina Council Chambers by
Mayor Ken Chappell. The Pledge of Allegiance was given.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Chappell; Councilmen: Shearer,
Miller, Browne, Tice
CJ
Others Present: Leonard Eliot, City Manager Pro tem
Michael Miller, Acting Public Serv. Dir.,
Allen Sill, Police Chief
Craig Meacham, Deputy Police Chief
Ross Bonham, Administrative Ass't.
Kevin Northcraft, Administrative Ass't.
Bill Freemon, Staff Reporter — S.G.V.D.T.
Mayor Chappell stated due to the small audience attendance the
meeting would be transferred to the City Manager's Conference
Room. City Council meeting reconvened at 7:39 P.M.
DISCUSSION WITH POLICE
DEPARTMENT ON IDEAS TO
HELP REDUCE CRIME
WITHIN THE CITY
ings Chief Sill came.up
crime and reduce it in
this meeting tonight.
Mayor Chappell: Councilman Browne and
myself have been meet—
ing with various staff
people and the City Manager and from these
meetings it appeared that a Study Session
.with Council was in order. At these meet —
with some ideas on how to perhaps combat
our community. So this is the reason for
Allen Sill, Police Chief I appreciate the opportunity for this
1444 W. Garvey Avenue Study Session to discuss with you some
West Covina of the problems relating to crime in
our City. As you know, it is difficult
to project into the future without first
looking back at where you have been so we have some charts for your
viewing which shows what has been happening in our City.
(Summarized) Chart — Part I Crimes,
that have occurred in the City from 1970 to 1975: Homicide, Rape,
Robbery, Burglary, Assault w/deadly weapon, Larceny over $50.,
Grand Theft Auto. These are the crimes which are used by the FBI
and determine really the crime health of. a City. These are the
seven most reported crimes. In West Covina in 1970 there were
2410 reported crimes; 1971 — 2862; 1972 — 2872; 1973 — 3601;
1974 — 4105; and 1975 — 3996. In 1975 there was a small reduction
amounting to about 3% which we are very pleased with because the
last FBI report which carried the United States from January
through September in cities of our size showed an increase of 12%.
So we are pleased we are showing a reduction and we hope it is
from good police work and good citizen cooperation.
Chart — Part II Crimes — (All other
• crimes) Malicious Mischief, Liquor Law Violations, Child Neglect,
Weapons Laws, Drunk Driving. It is generally felt that not all
crimes are reported because the people in the communities perhaps
feel the loss wasn't very great — I could call but I don't know
a thing about who took these things so I won't bother reporting it,
or it may be because these type of crimes are the lessor type
crimes.
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ADJ. CITY COUNCIL MEETING Page Two
PRESENTATION BY POLICED EPT. 2/2/76
Chart - Calling For Services - such as
police being called to somebody's home perhaps for keeping the
peace, quieting a barking dog, settling some neighborhood problem
all of which demand the officer's time. We hopefully feel these
calls are in direct relationship to the communty's feeling of the
law enforcement agency - so we feel it is good they call for -this
kind"of service. -.'in 1970 we received 26,748 calls, steadily
increasing each year and in 1975 we received 48,000 calls or a
79.4% increase.
Chart - Arrests - not including traffic
citations. 1970 - 2,597 arrests steadily increasing to 1975 -
4,600 arrests or. 77.1% increase.
the
Chart - Manpower - 1974: 10 sworn
personnel including 41 police officers., 11 detectives; 1971 - 77-
sworn personnel including 43 police officers,'ll detectives;
1972 - 78 sworn personnel, including 44 police officers, 11 de-
tectives; 1973 - 78 (same distribution); 1974 - 80 sworn
personnel (one,position unfilled), 46 police officers, 11 detec-
tives; 1975 - 79 sworn personnel, 46 police officers, 11 detectives.
(Explained in further detail that generally all positions are never
filled due to. someone retiring, disability, leaving a position, etc.)
Chart - Property Loss - 1970 - 951M
steadily increasing to 1975=-1593M. 'We have noted a drop off in
bu'rgl.aries but the loss in burglaries is greater. We feel more
burglari.es'are.now being committed by the professionals.
Chart - Detective Cases - 1970 - 5289
with a steady increase t.o 1975 with 7585, where as manpower in
detectives remains the'same. The job of the detective is time
consuming and because of the number of cases and the inadequate
number of detectives many such cases go unsolved. None of the
figures shown include carry overs from year to year. Explained
in further detail some of the various crimes - how many were
committed - how they were handled, pointing out the increase in
all types of crimes. In Calls for Services, it is interesting
to note on fire follow ups which includes rescue.calls, we are
also seeing an increase, perhaps because the paramedics are in
action and people are more aware of the availability of this
service. Warrants are on the increase, special services are
going up and up, which includes robbery and burglary alarms,
assistance to citizens, 3,451 citizens assist in 1975; reports
Of suspicious persons - 13,800 calls; keep the peace - 5,971;
responses to false burglaryor robbery calls - 1,608. Those are
really all legitimate calls for a police officer but it does take
the officer away from possibly more important types of things
and these calls do take 2 cars out of service on each such call.
As far as manpower, several years ago
we went into the 10 plan, which means that the officers are on
duty 10 hours a day, 4 da s a week. (Chrt shown explaining
how the 10 plan operates. (Chart also shown indicating
number of police officers per 1000 population.and stated in
West Covina we have kept very close to one officer per 1000
population from 1970 to 1975.)
• The reason we are here this evening is
to talk about some of the things that can be done and are being
done to help cut down on crime. The goals of any Crime Prevention
Program is to reduce the amount of crime and improve the police
community relations. There isn't any problem, I don't believe,
in the realm of criminal justice that couldn't almost completely
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ADJ. CITY COUNCIL MEETING Page Three
PRESENTATION BY POLICE DEPT. 2/2/76
be resolved by -an alert citizenry. Organized law enforcement
is fairly new - it was in 1840 when first organized. Until that
period it was done by various citizens (explained). The job of
maintaining the peace and keeping crime down in any community
is really basically the job of the citizenry. One of the things
we have to remember is the job of community protection really
rests with the people. Crime is not police oriented, it is
social oriented; the police are there to maintain peace. Over
the years we have seen the drawing away of the citizenry. I think
it is time for the citizens of a community to help their law
enforcement agency reduce crime and work together. We are ready
to do that kind of work which requires taking barricaded suspects
out of a building - - that we cannot expect the ordinary citizen
to do, but in most other areas we are going to need more coopera-
tion from the citizens.
In the past we have done a number of
programs in this City, such as Safety Town, which was first
originated by the Eastland Shopping Center and then we had an
opportunity to get a grant and take it around from school to
school, and I think you will find that the number of children
involved in accidents is very low and .this I think is directly
related to the showing of Safety Town to the children.
We have an Officer Dan Program. Our
community relations officer goes out to the third graders each
year and basically tells them how law enforcement got started
and what is expected of them, etc., and this is all done to
hopefully counteract the things parents say to their children
along the lines of - if you don't be good we will call the
policeman, etc. etc. We have been involved with the Cop on
Campus Program and had to abandon that because of lack of
personnel. The officer went on campus and talked to the
students at the lunch hour. We are continuing to conduct Child
Molestation Programs in which we make the young children aware
on what to do if they are approached or molested and what they
can do about it. We have a film that shows the young child on
how to go from school to home and report in to his parent.
We have recently become involved in
the Mid Valley Mental Health Clinic. Prior to this we had
difficulty in telling children's parents where they could take
their child for counselling. Mid Valley provides this service
now to both children and parents and does it almost immediately.
We have also been able to get a County Probation Officer assigned
to the Station which has helped us tremendously in handling
young people. When they are brought in he can review their
case and guide us in handling it.
Since 1972 we have computerized our
Criminal Statistics so we could get our reports readily.
(Explained how this is carried out and how it helps.) Along
this same line because we now have this capability we reanalyze
the entire city constantly with regard to the placing of man-
power, so we can constantly keep in balance the workload of the
entire force in the city. We try to balance the workload out so
it is equalized.
We have had Rape Trauma Clinics and we
have a film that will be shown in the Council Chambers on
February 24, which is an excellent film and.should be viewed by
both men and women. The young man involved in this program is
simply terrific. He has analyzed rapes and has some very good
suggestions on what women can do if faced with that particular
problem.
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CITY.COUNCIL - ADJ. MEETING
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We have also established a Planning
Unit within the Police Department. With this BO,000 grant from
the Law Enforcement Assistance Act we have now been able to hire
a Criminal Research Planner and some of the figures you have.
seen this evening are available because he is there. We are
trying to develop a program and anticipate the needs of the city
in the future and bring to you what we think is necessary to
bring our community to a safe level.
Soon we will be involved in another
grant program, the Multi Jurisdictional Burglary Grant, which
will include all cities from the San Gabriel River to the East
San Gabriel Valley line with the exception of Pomona. These
cities will.contribute manpower - Covina, Glendora,the Sheriff's
Station,.we will contribute two men, 1 lieutenant and l agent.
This group will analyze and attempt to identify known burglarirs
and in effect watch them.very carefully. (Explained)
We are now reactivating the"CEASE
Program. We will be seeking help of the citizens in our
community to join together and meet with us while`we.explain
steps they can take to prevent serious crimes: If..we can get the
people of the community to think along with us in the same way
we will then have a very positive effect on -the statistics.we
have shown you this evening. Are there any questions?
(Councilman Tice indicated before the next Budget Session he
would like to go into more detail in regard to the manpower
situation; Councilman Shearer asked if there were any studies
made that would attempt to relate the<overal economic situation
of the country with the crime as related to burglaries and
thefts having heard theories advanced to the effect that as
unemployment goes up burglaries go up? Chief Sill :said such
.studies are going on all the time but looking at West Covina
only in our recent research on Part I Crimes it is noted they
have not risen although in periods of"bi'gf employment we saw
it rising steadily. Our recent reports indicate When they go
into a home they walk off with eight or nine thousand dollars
of goods now rather than just a small-time burglary. So we
are witnessing not so -many burglaries but bigger hauls.)
(Mayor Chappell asked if the program mention9d for citizen
involvement is the one where the trailer will!',be used and
Chief Sill answered - yes, and to a great measure this will depend
on what happens in July - to properly coordinate that program and
get people together someone has to be there all the time to make
sure the program is put on when it is requested, so our budget
will indicate whether we can do this or not. We will need
additional personnel to put this program on but in the meantime
we will continue to operate as we have in the past. This program
was originally implemented in 1967 but we did it through the
PTA's in the.grade schools and we missed a lot of people.
We did get to the parents of the children enrolled in that
school but if they had children in other schools such as high -
schools, etc., the parents didn't get the word. At that time we
were given individual personnel for that program but other con-
straints made us drop the program. (Explained what that program
entailed in the way of instructing citizens with regard to
various locks and things that could be installed for their own
protection. )
Mayor Chappell: Chief, I do notice in your conversation
that it is one of communication again
to our citizens to maintain and protect
their own property. We all know that the would-be burglar uses
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CITY COUNCIL ~~ AQ3° MEETING Page Five
PRESENTATION BY POLICE DEPT. 2/2/76
different devices to find out when you are home or are not
home, such as making a telephone call, also kids going around
ringing doorbells and selling items or asking for -donations
and thereby finding out when the people are home -and these
things are very hard to overcome because we have the various
'organizations requesting permission for the 8rouniga* Cub
Scouts, etc., to sell things. These are thingswe cannot stop.
Whatever happened to the program ue,had started with the School
District and our officers picking up truants? '
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Db'oty��Chi,ef Meacham: It takes an all but effort on the part
.' of everyone involved, not only the
City but the School Districts -and the
the.
Oiatriot Attornoy«n office. .The Sohoo+ District*�uhb'initisIly
started the program* provided the counsellors but a the program
evolved they felt they could no longer keep their counsellors
involved so they shut down the center. Butv we haVb on three. or
four occasions notified the School District that we were going
to �bring in a raft of them and to be prepared. Laot .ueek we.
put out as many pgopIe as we could spare for o oonoehtr6tdd»p��idd
to pick up truants and strangely enough we didn't find many
children on the streets.
Councilman Browne: While on.the subject of the schools
and their.600porotive efforts with the
City,, at the'present time at one of our
intermediary schools there are a group of parents meeting to study
the 'uwbh�l-e problem, trying to prevail upon the parents their
responsibility in relation to handling their children and hope- '
fully within two or three ugako the Committee will present a pro-
gram based on ther,c�ahcIusiom�to their research on this and they
will then ask the City Council, School District and Police Depart-
ment to cooperate in implementing this program. The final meeting
is February llth and I will bring back a report to Council.
(Coonoilman Shearer made mention of reading of a program being
,carried out in a County in Florida where the officers were allowed
to drive their vehicle home at night and use it on various
errands, etc., and in return was expected to respond if needed
when using the oarw also it gave more exposure of the officers
and one of the effects was the maintenance cost on the vehicles
went down because the same officer had the responsibility for the
maintenance of that particular oar. Chief Sill said he was
aware of that type of program and in small oi,tieo it has been done
many times - pooling cars is certainly one way of running main-
tenance costs up.)
Councilman Tice asked how the new UHF communication channel is
working out and Chief Sill said it is much better than what we
had before ~ we recently madeo survey which indicated another
location would be even better.but the system is for far better
than what we had before but therm are still areas of improvement.
The cost factor of moving the location was questioned and Mr. Eliot
said it was o relatively small amount in cost to move it.)
Mayor Chappell: We thank you and your staff for putting
this project together.
Chief Sill: I would like to publicly thank the
members of the Police Department Staff
for really digging in and pulling these
charts together and making them very attractive and understandable.
Deputy Chief Meacham andftd'grve Officer Kathy Howard put in a
great deal of time.
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CITY COUNCIL — ADJ. MEETING Page Six,
PRESENTATION BY POLICE DEPT. 2/2/76
Audience Participant: Mr. Mayor, you touched upon peddlers
and people going door to door. I was
one of the people that called in with
regard to this and it is my understanding that the City requires
• �someone.,to take out a form and then they carry a card permit.
This person didn't have the card on him but the Police Officer
advised,me*he was okay, but I was wondering if it was possible
to pass an ordinance requesting the people getting this permit
card to have to wear it so we wouldn't have to ask to see the
card.
Mayor Chappell: We will relay that to our City Clerk
who can advise those taking out a permit
that it is a requirement that they wear
the card.
ADJOURNMENT There being no further business,
Councilman Shearer moved for adjourn—
ment at 8:55 P.M., seconded by
Councilman Browne and carried.
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