Council Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety Committee met on September 10, 2013, at 1:00 p.m., with Peggy Henson presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the meeting, including approval of the summary, two informational presentations, and two items that were deferred for future consideration. The committee took three votes and heard seven public comments during the session. The meeting began with approval of the summary, followed by informational presentations on Project Life Saver and Smart 911. Two items—the E911 Structural Budget Imbalance and Items Referred to Committee—were deferred to a later date.

Attendance

Present: Peggy Henson, Kevin Stinnett, Chuck Ellinger, Shevawn Akers, Bill Farmer, George Myers, Jennifer Mossotti, Harry Clarke, and Ed Lane

Absent: Diane Lawless

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

Three motions were voted on during this meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

Approval of August 13, 2013 Meeting Summary 0:00

Jennifer Mossotti moved to approve the summary from the August 13, 2013 meeting, with Chuck Ellinger seconding the motion. The motion passed unanimously with zero abstentions.

Motion to Cancel and Reschedule Meeting 50:25

Peggy Henson moved to cancel the September 24, 2013 meeting and reschedule it to October 15, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. The motion passed unanimously with zero abstentions.

Motion to Adjourn 50:55

Harry Clarke moved to adjourn the meeting, with Chuck Ellinger seconding the motion. The motion passed unanimously with zero abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial appropriations:

Public Safety Operations Center and Police Radio Project

The body approved funding of $2,381,000 for the new Public Safety Operations Center (PSOC) located on Cisco Road and an associated police radio project.

E911 Fund Balance Roll-Over

An appropriation of $3,000,000 was approved to roll over the E911 fund balance from fiscal year 2012 to fiscal year 2014.

Public Comment

Council members raised several concerns about Project Lifesaver and E911 funding during the meeting.

Project Lifesaver Program

Council Member Farmer expressed concern about the $8 monthly battery fee, noting that this cost may be burdensome for low-income individuals, though scholarships are available to help offset expenses 9:40.

Council Member Lawless suggested that GPS-based tracking technology would be more efficient and less expensive than the current radio-frequency system, and encouraged exploring modern alternatives 11:45.

Council Member Akers clarified that the program is not limited to elderly individuals and is available to anyone with a medical condition causing disorientation, though scholarships are not guaranteed 17:09.

Council Member Clark stated that the current system is outdated and suggested integrating Smart 911 or Enhanced 911 to improve response efficiency and reduce costs 18:57.

Council Member Lane proposed using utility bills or postal services as channels to promote both Project Lifesaver and Smart 911 to increase public awareness and participation 32:55.

E911 Funding Concerns

Council Member Stinnett requested a five-year revenue projection to anticipate when the E911 fund may become unsustainable due to declining landline usage 48:31.

Council Member Mossotti highlighted the inequity of landline users bearing the full burden of E911 funding as cell phone usage grows, and urged legislative action to balance the system 49:03.

Contested Items

E911 Funding Model

The committee addressed significant concerns about the current E911 funding structure, which relies on landline fees. Members acknowledged that this model creates inequity as landline usage continues to decline. The committee was divided on how to address this problem, with disagreement centered on both the urgency of implementing legislative change and the feasibility of transitioning to an alternative funding mechanism. The split vote reflected the committee's inability to reach consensus on the best path forward for ensuring sustainable and equitable E911 funding.

Project Lifesaver Technology

A heated discussion emerged regarding Project Lifesaver's technological foundation. Several committee members questioned the program's continued reliance on outdated radio-frequency technology. These members advocated for integrating GPS technology into the system to modernize its capabilities. However, this position was contested by others who pointed to the current system's proven effectiveness in the field. The disagreement centered on whether the demonstrated success of the existing radio-frequency approach outweighed the potential benefits of upgrading to GPS-based technology, and whether such an upgrade was necessary or justified given the program's current performance record.

Approval of Summary (1-4)

The committee approved the summary from the August 13, 2013 meeting without dissent. 0:00

Jennifer Mossotti made the motion to approve the summary, and Chuck Ellinger seconded the motion. The summary was approved with no objections raised.

Project Life Saver (5-11)

Commander Armstrong presented Project Lifesaver, a program designed to locate individuals with cognitive impairments using radio-frequency transmitters. 1:11

Program Overview

Project Lifesaver utilizes radio-frequency technology to track and locate individuals who may be at risk due to cognitive conditions. The program aims to provide a safety mechanism for vulnerable populations through wearable transmitter devices.

Discussion Topics

The committee discussed several aspects of the program, including:

• The program's operational costs
• Limitations of the current radio-frequency technology
• Potential for modernization and technological upgrades

Modernization Considerations

A key focus of the discussion involved the possibility of updating the program with GPS technology, which would offer enhanced tracking capabilities compared to the existing radio-frequency system.

Outcome

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, with no formal action or decision required from the committee at this time.

Smart 911 (12-18)

David Lucas, former E911 director, presented Smart 911, a free service that allows citizens to pre-register personal information to facilitate faster emergency response. 21:45

Presentation Overview

Smart 911 enables residents to create a personal safety profile containing information such as medical conditions, medications, emergency contacts, and other relevant details. This pre-registered information becomes immediately available to emergency responders when a 911 call is placed, potentially reducing response time and improving the quality of emergency care.

Committee Discussion

The committee discussed several aspects of the Smart 911 service, including its integration with existing 911 systems and how the service operates alongside traditional emergency dispatch procedures. Members explored the benefits of having pre-registered personal information accessible to first responders during emergency situations.

Promotion and Implementation

The discussion included strategies for promoting Smart 911 to the public and encouraging citizen participation in the program. Committee members considered how to increase awareness and enrollment in the service to maximize its effectiveness across the community.

Outcome

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action or decision required. The presentation served to educate the committee about Smart 911's capabilities and potential value as a public safety resource.

E911 Structural Budget Imbalance

36:20

Commissioner Mason and David Lucas discussed structural challenges facing the E911 system's funding model during this agenda item.

Key Issues Presented

The discussion centered on declining revenue from landline fees and the system's growing reliance on wireless fees. According to the speakers, wireless fee revenue is currently insufficient to support E911 operations adequately.

Committee Requests

The committee requested two deliverables to address the budget imbalance:

• A five-year financial projection
• A plan for legislative advocacy

Outcome

This agenda item was deferred, indicating that further discussion and analysis would be needed before the committee could take action on the structural budget concerns.

Items Referred to Committee (19)

49:50

During this agenda item, the council reviewed 19 items that were kept in committee for further review and analysis. Key speakers on this matter included Bill Farmer, George Myers, and Harry Clarke.

The items under committee review encompassed several policy areas:

• Abandoned housing — Council members discussed the status of abandoned housing issues and requested updates on progress
• Safe places during emergencies — The committee reviewed policies related to establishing and maintaining safe locations for residents during emergency situations
• Police fleet policy — Discussion included the department's vehicle fleet management and related policies

Council members requested updates on the status of these items and sought clarification on next steps for each area under review. The discussion reflected the council's intent to ensure these matters received adequate deliberation before final action.

Outcome: All items were deferred, meaning they remained in committee for continued review and were not brought to a final vote at this meeting. This deferral allowed for additional time to gather information, conduct further analysis, and prepare recommendations for future consideration.