HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-27-2017 Public Safety Task Force Agenda Packet
Saratoga Public Safety Task Force Agenda - Page 1 of 2
SARATOGA
PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE
REGULAR MEETING
APRIL 27, 2017
6:00 P.M. REGULAR MEETING
City Hall, Administrative Conference Room | 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
ROLL CALL
REPORT ON POSTING OF THE AGENDA
The agenda for this meeting was properly posted on April 20, 2017.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
Any member of the public may address the Public Safety Task Force for up to three (3) minutes
on matters not on the Agenda. The law generally prohibits the Public Safety Task Force from
discussing or taking action on such items. However, the Public Safety Task Force schedule the
item for discussion at a future meeting.
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. Public Safety Task Force Minutes
Recommended Action:
Review and approve draft minutes from the March 27, 2017 meeting.
Draft Minutes
2. Public Safety Statistics
Recommended Action:
Receive and review public safety information.
Report
City of Saratoga Law Enforcement Data
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Crime Definitions
Santa Clara County Fire Department Calls for Service in City of Saratoga
Santa Clara County Fire Call Definitions
Traffic Safety Commission Presentation
Saratoga Public Safety Task Force Agenda - Page 2 of 2
3. Public Safety Task Force Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Consider development of a proposed work plan for the Public Safety Task Force based on
Council priorities and timeline of the Public Safety Task Force.
Report
4. Future Agenda Items
Recommended Action:
Consider agenda items for upcoming meetings.
ADJOURNMENT
CERTIFICATE OF POSTING OF THE AGENDA, DISTRIBUTION OF AGENDA
PACKET, & COMPLIANCE WITH AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
I, Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk for the City of Saratoga, declare that the foregoing agenda for the
meeting of the Public Safety Task Force was posted and available for review on April 20, 2017
at the City of Saratoga, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070 and on the City's website
at www.saratoga.ca.us.
Signed this 20th day of April 2017 at Saratoga, California.
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk
In accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, copies of the staff reports and other materials
provided to the Public Safety Task Force by City staff in connection with this agenda are
available at the office of the City Clerk at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070.
In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need assistance to participate in
this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 408/868-1269. Notification 24 hours prior to the
meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this
meeting. [28 CFR 5.102-35.104 ADA title II]
Saratoga Public Safety Task Force Minutes - Page 1 of 2
MINUTES
MARCH 27, 2017
PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE
REGULAR MEETING
The meeting was called to order at 5:07 p.m. in the City Hall Administrative Conference Room
at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Members Ray Cosyn, Sudip Ghosal, John Hirokawa, Rebecca
Jepsen, Chuck Page
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: James Lindsay, City Manager
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to City Manager
REPORT ON POSTING OF THE AGENDA
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to the City Manager, the agenda for this meeting was properly
posted on March 23, 2017.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
None
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. Nomination of Chair and Vice Chair
Recommended Action:
Nominate a member of the Task Force to the position of Chair and Vice Chair.
PAGE/COSYN MOVED TO NOMINATE JOHN HIROKAWA AS CHAIR. MOTION
PASSED. AYES: COSYN, GHOSAL, HIROKAWA, JEPSEN, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN:
NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
COSYN/GHOSAL MOVED TO NOMINATE CHUCK PAGE AS VHICE CHAIR.
MOTION PASSED. AYES: COSYN, GHOSAL, HIROKAWA, JEPSEN, PAGE. NOES: NONE.
ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
2. Overview of State and City Laws and Policies
Recommended Action:
Receive brief presentation on the State and City laws and policies that apply to the Public
Safety Task Force.
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to the City Manager, shared information about the State
and local laws and policies that apply to the Public Safety Task Force.
3
Saratoga Public Safety Task Force Minutes - Page 2 of 2
3. Review of Public Safety Task Force Objectives & Development of a Proposed Work Plan
Recommended Action:
Receive overview of Council priorities and timeline for the Public Safety Task Force.
Develop a proposed work plan for the Public Safety Task Force based on Council priorities
and timeline of the Public Safety Task Force.
Task Force Member Ghosal requested data to better understand public safety challenges in
Saratoga.
Task Force Member Cosyn noted that the Traffic Safety Commission did thoroughly review
the issue of public safety in Saratoga. He shared some of the Commission’s insights when
considering public safety recommendations.
Task Force Member Jepsen suggested that the overall goal could be to make Saratoga the
safest city in California and the United States.
Chair Hirokawa recommended that in addition to law enforcement data, the Task Force could
also consider data from County Fire and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
Task Force Member Ghosal suggested that data from neighboring cities would also be
helpful.
Public Comment:
Chuck, Saratoga resident
4. Task Force Meeting Schedule
Recommended Action:
Decide on a regular meeting schedule for the Public Safety Task Force.
The Task Force agreed to hold monthly meetings on the 4th Thursday of the month at 6:00
p.m. in the City Hall Administrative Conference Room. The frequency of meetings may be
reduced in the future if monthly meetings are not necessary.
5. Future Agenda Items
Recommended Action:
Consider agenda items for upcoming meetings.
The Task Force agreed to consider the public safety data at the next meeting in order to
understand areas that should be the focus for the work plan. Captain Urena also agreed to
share some anecdotal information about recent trends.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Hirokawa adjourned the meeting at 6:35 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Asst. to the City Manager
City of Saratoga
4
CITY OF SARATOGA
Memorandum
To: Public Safety Task Force
From: Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
Date: April 27, 2017
Subject: Public Safety Statistics
During the March Public Safety Task Force, members requested that staff provide some statistics and
data related to public safety in an effort to help the Task Force understand which areas should be a
priority or focus. Consequently, staff has collected the attached information from the Sheriff’s Office
and Santa Clara County Fire Department.
Law Enforcement:
As part of this memo staff has provided several different breakdowns of crime in Saratoga. This
includes a breakdown by crime type and year for 2014 through 2016, residential burglaries and identity
theft (two of the most common types of crime) by month from 2014 through March 2017, and property
and violent crimes per 1,000 residents for 2012 through 2015 for Saratoga and its closest neighboring
cities. Definitions of the different crime types is also included.
The majority of crimes that occur in Saratoga are property crimes. This includes burglary, where
someone forcibly enters a car or vehicle, as well as identity theft, fraud, and vehicle theft. Violent
crimes, are generally crimes against a person and include murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape
and other sex crimes, robbery, and assault.
Captain Rich Urena with the Sheriff’s Office will provide further information about crime trends and
his observations during the meeting.
Fire:
In the attachments, staff has provided a summary of calls received by Santa Clara County Fire for 2014,
2015, 2016, and up to March 2017. The data is also shown by year. This includes all calls made within
the Saratoga City Limits, including those in both the Saratoga Fire Protection District and Santa Clara
County Fire District.
The vast majority of calls are for emergency medical services or assistance, such as life support services
or medical transportation. Emergency medical services are followed distantly by calls related to false
alarms. Descriptions of the different call types is provided in the attachments.
Monetary loss resulting from fires for 2014, 2015, and 2016 is also shown by fire type.
Emergency Preparedness:
In addition to the information related to the Sheriff’s Office and County Fire, there are approximately
70 residents are registered with the City as a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Member
5
or Disaster Service Worker. Saratoga CERT is a key part of the City’s disaster response strategy. In
the event of an area wide disaster, critical infrastructure and emergency services will be impacted.
Members of CERT are trained to mobilize neighborhood resources, deliver immediate assistance to
victims, organize emergency communications and provide support to first responders. During the April
meeting, staff will share additional information about the City’s CERT members and Disaster Service
Workers.
Traffic Safety Commission Crime Prevention Recommendations:
In 2016, the Traffic Safety Commission was asked to provide recommendations to address growing
concerns regarding increases in property crimes. The Traffic Safety Commission’s recommendations
were presented to the City Council in the fall of 2016. The PowerPoint slides describing their
recommendations is attached to this memo. Public Safety Task Force Member Ray Cosyn also serves
on the Traffic Safety Commission and may also be able offer insights into the focus and
recommendations of the Traffic Safety Commission.
Attachments
- City of Saratoga Law Enforcement Data
- Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Crime Definitions
- Santa Clara County Fire Department Calls for Service in City of Saratoga
- Santa Clara County Fire Call Definitions
- Traffic Safety Commission Presentation
6
City of Saratoga Law Enforcement Data
98
66
24
32 34
21 26
20
8 6 1
123
103
36
29 33 29 24 20
13 9
1
130
107
31
24
15
31
16
9
21
9 6
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
CRIMES 2014 -2016
2014 2015 2016
Burglary, Residential, 98,
29%
Identity Theft, Forgery,
Fraud, 66, 20%
Vandalism, 24, 7%
Grand Theft, 32, 10%
Burglary, Vehicle, 34,
10%
Domestic Violence, 21,
6%
Burglary, Commercial,
26, 8%
Auto Theft, 20, 6%
Simple & Aggravated
Assaults, 8, 2%
Sex Crimes, 6, 2%Robbery, 1, 0%
CRIMES 2014
7
Burglary, Residential,
123, 29%
Identity Theft, Forgery,
Fraud, 103, 24%
Vandalism, 36, 9%
Grand Theft, 29, 7%
Burglary, Vehicle, 33, 8%
Domestic Violence, 29,
7%
Burglary, Commercial,
24, 6%
Auto Theft, 20, 5%
Simple & Aggravated Sex Crimes, 9, 2%Robbery, 1, 0%
CRIMES 2015
Burglary, Residential,
130, 33%
Identity Theft, Forgery,
Fraud, 107, 27%
Vandalism, 31, 8%
Grand Theft, 24, 6%
Burglary, Vehicle, 15, 4%
Domestic Violence, 31,
8%
Burglary, Commercial,
16, 4%
Auto Theft, 9, 2%
Simple & Aggravated
Assaults, 21, 5%Sex Crimes, 9, 2%
Robbery, 6, 1%
CRIMES 2016
8
4 5
11 11
8 8
13
6
3
12
8 9 10
13
20
9
13
10
8
11
5
2
8
14
7
10
18
12 11
19
13 12
2
4
15
7 7 6
4
0
5
10
15
20
25
January 2014February 2014March 2014April 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014Nov 2014Dec 2014Jan 2015Feb 2015Mar 2015Apr 2015May 2015Jun 2015Jul 2015Aug 2015Sep 2015Oct 2015Nov 2015Dec 2015Jan 2016Feb 2016Mar 2016Apr 2016May 2016Jun 2016Jul 2016Aug 2016Sep 2016Oct 2016Nov 2016Dec 2016Jan 2017Feb 2017Mar 2017RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY 2014 -MARCH 2017, BY MONTH
4
2
5
9
6
1
8
9
8
5
1
8
9 9
10
18
11
6
7
8
4
7
5
9
3
8
17
14
4
7 7
11
6
9
11
10
6
8
5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
January 2014February 2014March 2014April 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014Nov 2014Dec 2014Jan 2015Feb 2015Mar 2015Apr 2015May 2015Jun 2015Jul 2015Aug 2015Sep 2015Oct 2015Nov 2015Dec 2015Jan 2016Feb 2016Mar 2016Apr 2016May 2016Jun 2016Jul 2016Aug 2016Sep 2016Oct 2016Nov 2016Dec 2016Jan 2017Feb 2017Mar 2017ID THEFT 2014 -2016, BY MONTH
9
41
39
34 34
13 13
17 15
21
18
20
23
8 7
9 11
29
26 24 24
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2012 2013 2014 2015
PROPERTY CRIMES PER 1,000 PEOPLE 2012 -2015, BY CITY
Campbell Cupertino Los Gatos Saratoga San Jose
2.2
2.6
2.0 2.1
1.0
0.7 0.7
1.0
1.3
0.8 0.8
1.0
0.3
0.5
0.6 0.6
3.6
3.2 3.2 3.3
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
2012 2013 2014 2015
VIOLENT CRIMES PER 1,000 PEOPLE 2012 -2015, BY CITY
Campbell Cupertino Los Gatos Saratoga San Jose
10
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Crime Definitions
Burglary, Residential The criminal offense of breaking and entering a residence illegally
for the purpose of committing a crime.
Identity Theft, Forgery,
Fraud
Identity Theft: Knowingly transferring or using, without lawful
authority, a means of identification of another person with the
intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity
Forgery: The creation of a false written document or alteration of a
genuine one, with the intent to defraud
Fraud: A false representation of a matter of fact—whether by
words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by
concealment of what should have been disclosed—that deceives
and is intended to deceive another so that the individual will act
upon it to her or his legal injury.
Vandalism Deliberate defacing or destruction of property
Grand Theft Unlawful taking in any of the following, with the intent to steal:
Money, labor, or property with a value of over $950
Farm products including domestic fowl and crops with a value of
over $250
Ocean and agricultural products taken from a research facility with a
value of over $250
Money, labor, or property taken by an employee from their direct
employer over a 12 month period with an aggregate value of over
$950
Property taken from the person of another
When the property taken is a car, firearm, horse, or any other farm
animal, regardless of value
Burglary, Vehicle The criminal offense of breaking and entering a vehicle illegally for
the purpose of committing a crime.
Domestic Violence Abuse or threats of abuse when the person being abused and the
abuser are or have been in an intimate relationship (married or
domestic partners, are dating or used to date, live or lived together,
or have a child together)
Burglary, Commercial The criminal offense of breaking and entering a commercial
building illegally for the purpose of committing a crime.
Auto Theft Unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle
Simple & Aggravated
Assaults
Simple Assault: Unlawful attempt, coupled with a present ability,
to commit a violent injury on the person of another
Aggravated Assault: Assault with an "aggravating circumstance" to
elevate the charges against the defendant. For example, use of a
deadly weapon is often considered an aggravating circumstance
that can elevate a charge to aggravated assault.
Sex Crimes Criminal acts involving but not limited to rape, indecent exposure,
lewd conduct, sexual assault, child pornography, child sex abuse,
and violations of sex offender registration requirements pursuant to
PC 290.
Robbery The taking of money or goods in the possession of another, from hi
s or her person or immediate presence, by force or intimidation.
11
Santa Clara County Fire Department Calls for Service in City of Saratoga
1167 1143
1257
319318348387
101
209 222 264
66
203 224 262
70353940 20132318 0001 4012 0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
2014 2015 2016 2017 (Jan - Mar)
COUNTY FIRE CALLS FOR SERVICE 2014 -MAR 2017
Emergency Medical/Rescue Good Intent Call False Alarm/Call
Service Call Hazardous Conditions Fire
Severe Weather Overpressure/Explosion (no fire)
Emergency
Medical/Rescue
60%Good Intent Call
16%
False Alarm/Call
11%
Service Call
10%
Hazardous Conditions
2%
Fire
1%Severe Weather
0%
Overpressure/Explosion
(no fire)
0%
COUNTY FIRE CALLS FOR SERVICE 2014
Emergency Medical/Rescue Good Intent Call False Alarm/Call
Service Call Hazardous Conditions Fire
Severe Weather Overpressure/Explosion (no fire)
12
Emergency
Medical/Rescue
57%
Good Intent Call
18%
False Alarm/Call
11%
Service Call
11%
Hazardous Conditions
2%
Fire
1%
Severe Weather
0%
Overpressure/Explosion
(no fire)
0%
COUNTY FIRE CALLS FOR SERVICE 2015
Emergency Medical/Rescue Good Intent Call False Alarm/Call
Service Call Hazardous Conditions Fire
Severe Weather Overpressure/Explosion (no fire)
Emergency
Medical/Rescue
56%
Good Intent Call
17%
False Alarm/Call
12%
Service Call
12%
Hazardous Conditions
2%
Fire
1%Severe Weather
0%
Overpressure/Explosion
(no fire)
0%
COUNTY FIRE CALLS FOR SERVICE 2016
Emergency Medical/Rescue Good Intent Call False Alarm/Call
Service Call Hazardous Conditions Fire
Severe Weather Overpressure/Explosion (no fire)
13
$18,010 $62,020
$1,847,522
$0 $7,100
$23,350
$59,000 $0 $0 $220
$220,200
$0 $0 $333 $0 $0
$3,540 $3,520
$320 $0
$0
$200,000
$400,000
$600,000
$800,000
$1,000,000
$1,200,000
$1,400,000
$1,600,000
$1,800,000
$2,000,000
2014 2015 2016 2017
MONETARY LOSS FROM FIRES 2014 -MAR 2017
Structure Fire Vehicle Fire Natural Vegetation Fire Outside Rubbish/Dumpster Fire Special Outside Fire
14
Santa Clara County Fire Call Definitions
Emergency Medical Services/Rescue Calls for emergency medical services, such as life
support, for medical transportation, and for medical
alarms.
Good Intent Call Response to reports of suspicious conditions, such as
the appearance or smoke or unusual odors.
False Alarm Response to false alarms, including fire alarms, carbon
dioxide alarms, and prank calls.
Service Call (Non-Medical) Miscellaneous calls for service that are non-medical in
nature, such as assistance shutting off water valves,
animal rescues, or helping individuals with mobility
issues who need assistance getting out of bed.
Hazardous Conditions Response to reports of hazardous conditions, such as
arcing electronic equipment or hazardous chemicals.
Fire Includes all types of fires, from structural fires, grass
fires, or trash fires.
Severe Weather Response to weather-related issues, such as downed
power lines.
Overpressure/Explosion (no fire) Response to reports of ruptures, overpressure, overheat,
or explosions that are not related to a fire.
15
Saratoga Public Safety Initiative
September 7, 2016
16
Public Safety Initiative Background
•Property crime rate has increased since Proposition 47 was passed
•The Saratoga City Council will move forward with a community action Plan
to buck this trend in Saratoga
•The Traffic Safety Commission was recognized and appointed by the City
Council to prepare a proposal for this Plan
•The Saratoga City Manager will own the Plan once approved by the Saratoga
City Council
•The primary objective of the Plan is to provide Saratoga residents with the
education and tools to assist law enforcement in deterring property crime
thereby maintaining the identity that drew us to Saratoga
•Inputs to Plan were collected from Saratoga citizens, our Sheriff’s
department, Sunnyvale Police and San Francisco Police departments
17
Public Safety Plan Agenda
•Charter, Goals and Scope
•Community Action Plan
•City and Sheriff’s Resources
•Measuring Results
18
Charter, Goals and Scope
Charter
•Provide a cohesive effort across our city leaders, sheriff’s
department and Citizens to demonstrate exceptional public safety
practices to reduce property crime
Goals
•Maintain and improve public safety within our community
•Prioritize current public safety issues in Saratoga and develop
execution strategies to address them
•Develop and communicate best safety practices for our community
Scope
•The Traffic Safety Commission will present an execution plan to City
Manager and City Council by Sept 2016
19
Community Concerns
•What are the police doing to keep our neighborhoods safe?
•When can we see a Plan from the city?
•What can we do to keep our neighborhoods safe?
•Is the social media accurately representing the situation?
20
Our Current Situation
Saratoga Citizens
•Hold long spans when not at residence
•Expects police to eliminate crime
•Questions city officials commitment to resolve the problem
•Wants effective tools to improve home safety
Sheriff's Department
•Wants to be a lock-step partner with Citizens to address crime
•Can’t be everywhere all the time
•Needs Citizens to communicate, “See Something Say Something”
City Leadership
•Communicating to Citizens through media outreach
•Wants to address problem head-on with proactive and
sustainable plan 21
Community Partnership for Safety
Saratoga
Citizens
Sheriff’s
Office
City
Leadership
22
A Plan that Builds Upon Itself
Citizen Needs
•Safe Home Education and Resources
Neighborhood Needs
•Support from Sheriff’s department
•Support from the City Leadership
•Familiarity with their neighbors
Saratoga Needs
•Full community participation
•House by House
•Neighborhood by Neighborhood
•Citizens, Sheriff’s Department and City Leadership Working Together
Citizen
Neighborhood
Saratoga
23
Stakeholder Resourcing
Traffic Safety Commission
•Develops Plan that can be scaled beyond 2016
Sheriff’s Department
•Prioritizes safety concerns and identifies Best Practices to
mitigate such concerns, continues community outreach
City Council
•Approves Plan and facilitates public outreach forums
City Manager
•Owns, resources and executes the Plan
Citizens
•Actively participates in Plan as an integral part of the solution
24
Household Defensive Actions
Home Defense
•Lock doors, gates, windows
•Enable Sensor lights and security systems
•Deploy camera network
•Lock side gates
•Turn on light timers, inside and out
•Consider a dog-best security according to police survey
•Notify police vacation patrol (408) 299-3233
Delivery Theft Defense
•Schedule deliveries when at home (or route to alternative location)
•Locked mailbox (RFQ to share cost box and installation with City)
Auto break-in Defense
•Keep valuables out of sight
•Doors locked, windows closed
“ See Something Say Something”
25
A Refrigerator Magnet in Every Home
•Empowers the homeowner
•Reduces situational confusion
•“See Something, Say Something”
•Builds household solidarity for the
next level of security:
The Neighborhood
26
Neighborhood Watch Program
City Commitment
•Resources and administrates Program
•Allocates support from Sheriff’s department
•Funds Neighborhood Watch grant program (e.g. $/$ match)
•Sponsors annual Neighborhood Watch celebration & promotional event
Sheriff’s Commitment
•Supports neighborhood visits and discussions
•Trains Neighborhood Watch Regions
Neighborhood Commitment
•Look out for each other, an opportunity
to know our neighbors
•Signage: Puts incoming criminals on notice
•“See Something Say Something”
27
City Outreach to the Community
“See Something Say Something” Campaign reinforces
household safety best practices and Neighborhood
Watch
•Saratoga City website
•Facebook, Twitter
•Nextdoor
•Saratogan
•Saratoga News Feature Article with the Sheriff
28
City Leadership-Community Outreach
•Ambassadors Program: City Council, Commissioners,
Sheriffs department, City staff, Chamber of
Commerce, AYSO, CYSA, Scouts, Seniors
•Forum Coordination: HOAs, Churches, CERT (Fire),
Realtors, Senior Center, Lions, Rotary, Schools
•Merchandising:Refrigerator Magnet (numbered for
prize incentives-“ride along”), Postcard, Posters
•National Night Out: Community education and
celebration event. Neighborhood Watch promotion
and recruitment
•Plan Deployment Status: Share updates and results
at annual City Forum 29
Measuring Results
4Q16
•Plan acceptance by City Council
•City manager resources and initiates Plan
•City outreach programs engaged
•Assign resources to manage Neighborhood Watch programs
2Q17-June
•Review sheriff’s safety metrics/data (resident calls, break-ins)
•Assess effectiveness of Plan with stakeholders
•Increase Neighborhood Watch Regions (target 60% growth)
Saratoga
Citizens
Sheriff’s
Office
City
Leadership
30
CITY OF SARATOGA
Memorandum
To: Public Safety Task Force
From: Crystal Bothelio, City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager
Date: April 27, 2017
Subject: Public Safety Task Force Work Plan
When forming the Public Safety Task Force, the City Council did not provide specific duties or tasks
for the Task Force to accomplish. Alternatively, the Council chose to leave development of the work
plan in the hands of the Task Force. Consequently, the Council’s first assignment for the Task Force
was to consider some of the work plan ideas generated by the City Council and return to the Council
with a proposed work plan to achieve the Task Force’s broad purpose of developing recommendations
to enhance public safety in Saratoga for the City Council to consider.
Some of the work plan ideas generated by the City Council were discussed at the February 1, 2017
Council Meeting. Video of the meeting is available at www.saratoga.ca.us/ccagenda and a summary of
discussion is included below.
Summary of City Council Discussion on Public Safety Task Force from February 1, 2017 Meeting:
- Coordination of National Night Out or similar event where public can exchange ideas, become
more familiar with resources available from the Sheriff’s Office for the public, and foster
relationship between Sheriff’s Office and community. This event could be held after summer
school breaks and on a weekend to encourage attendance.
- Enhance and expand the number of Neighborhood Watch groups in Saratoga through a variety
of means, such as development of best practices to support development of Neighborhood
Watch, events, and training
- Study local government use of surveillance technology
- Provide public outreach on crime prevention
- Review and recommend content for City website
Since some of the work plan ideas involve public outreach and communications, attached to this memo
are some recent examples of Neighborhood Watch outreach. The City has a Neighborhood Watch email
list of almost 270 people and sends periodic information and updates. Information about Neighborhood
Watch and public safety can also be found on the City’s website at www.saratoga.ca.us/stayingsafe.
Additionally, the City created an online forum for Neighborhood Watch groups to share ideas,
experiences, and resources. Visit www.peakdemocracy.com/portals/228/forum_home?phase=open to
access the forum.
After the Task Force develops a proposed work plan, staff will coordinate a time for the Public Safety
Task Force to present its proposal to the City Council for consideration and direction on moving
forward.
31