Public Safety Commission for Encinitas

8/15/2014

Public Safety Commission for Encinitas

As of the first meeting of 2014 what had been the Traffic Commission was expanded to include Public Safety.  The mandate was incorporated in this city ordinance:

2.40.040 Duties of the Traffic and Public Safety Commission.

A. It is the duty of this commission to serve as a liaison between the public and the City Council, and to conduct analyses and provide recommendations to the Council on matters related to the circulation of motorized vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles, and on matters related to public safety.

 The scope of the commission’s role with respect to public safety includes but is not limited to traffic safety, emergency response for fire, medical and other crises, as well as the City’s efforts to control and reduce criminal activities of all types. The commission may conduct informational and educational meetings, prepare reports and analyses, and work with fire, marine safety,ambulance, and sheriff personnel.

The second part represents the additional responsibilities added since I became a member.  At this weeks meeting the other new Commission mentioned, and it was agreed to that we have done nothing at all relating to this new mandate.  She asked for ideas from the attending Sheriff's department representative with no substantive suggestions.  I suggested that we individual Commissioners should research and investigate specific interests such as the societal problem of issuance of sub-misdemeanor citations.  There was no follow up on this suggestion.

As our country is undergoing a sea change in the relationship of police to citizens, prompted by recent unjustified abrogations of justice such as the choking of a man by a group of police in Staten Island N.Y., there is a new sensitivity to unspoken practices that have been going on for decades.  Our city is not immune, as the excessive response to police raiding a private residence that was holding a political meeting several years ago, resulted with a large fine paid by the county.The responsibilities  of the ordinance has even been touched, much less addressed in any substance, during these first seven meetings, and when I had place such issues on the agenda, due to the pressing issues of traffic complaints by the public,  these agenda items faced a tired Commission had no desire to embark on complex issues.

The conclusion is that this is a vital area to be addressed by the city, but must be a separate Commission, but one of a different model.  For this to be effective the relationship with uniformed services must be independent, seeking out practices, both formal and covert, that are not in the benefit of this city.  This challenging responsibility must first have a chosen Chairperson who will state his/her goals, background and orientation.  Once chosen, this chairperson should select the members, to be approved by a super-majority of the council.  There must be a fixed term with specific clear authority, immunities and financial remuneration.  This would require a degree of independence from the council and the staff in writing reports that would be to the public.