Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety Committee met on October 7, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., with Henson Chair presiding. During the meeting, the committee took 3 votes, heard 5 public comments, and addressed 6 agenda items. The committee approved the September 16, 2014 committee summary and received informational presentations on sky lanterns, community corrections staffing matters, ridesharing services, and referred items. The committee deferred action on a taxicab ordinance.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on October 7, 2014:

• Peggy Henson
• Kevin Stinnett
• Chuck Ellinger
• Shevawn Akers
• Bill Farmer
• Harry Clarke
• Ed Lane

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The committee took three votes during this meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

Approval of the September 16, 2014 Committee Summary

A motion to approve the September 16, 2014 Committee Summary was made by Stinnett and seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Approval of the Substance Abuse Coordinator Position Proposal

A motion to approve the Substance Abuse Coordinator Position proposal was made by Stinnett and seconded by Clarke. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Removal of Division of Police Home Fleet Policy from Committee Items

A motion to remove the Division of Police Home Fleet Policy from the list of Items in Committee was made by Stinnett and seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included one financial action regarding staffing support.

Substance Abuse Coordinator Position

An appropriation of $15,000 was approved for initial funding of a Substance Abuse Coordinator position.

Public Comment

The meeting included public comments on two primary topics: a proposed Substance Abuse Coordinator Position and ridesharing services regulation.

Substance Abuse Coordinator Position

Clay Mason discussed the need for a Substance Abuse Coordinator Position and its proposed integration within Public Safety, to be housed in the Social Services Commissioner's Office.

Beth Mills addressed the same position, noting that it would focus on prevention, treatment, and enforcement options.

Ridesharing Services

Three speakers addressed the regulation of ridesharing services, presenting differing perspectives on how these companies should be treated.

Greg Kujawski argued that ridesharing drivers should be regulated similarly to taxicab drivers, characterizing ridesharing as a vehicle for hire service subject to the same standards.

Jonathan Miller countered that Lyft operates as a technology company and should be distinguished from traditional taxi companies.

James Andrea described Uber's approach to safety and driver selection processes. He noted that Uber retains 20% of passenger fares and does not allow hailing through the platform.

Contested Items

Regulation of Ridesharing Services

A significant disagreement emerged regarding how ridesharing companies should be regulated. The core dispute centered on whether these services should fall under existing taxicab ordinances or be treated under a separate regulatory framework.

One perspective emphasized the need for parity between ridesharing companies and traditional taxicab services, arguing that similar business models should face similar regulatory requirements. The opposing view stressed the unique characteristics of technology-based platforms, suggesting that their distinct operational models warranted different regulatory treatment rather than application of existing taxicab rules.

This disagreement resulted in a split vote among the body, indicating that the meeting participants were divided on the appropriate regulatory approach. The vote did not produce a unanimous decision, reflecting the substantive differences in how members viewed the relationship between ridesharing innovation and existing transportation regulations.

September 16, 2014 Committee Summary

The committee reviewed and approved the summary from the prior meeting held on September 16, 2014. Key speakers during this agenda item included Stinnett, Mason, Mills, and Clarke.

The summary covered two main topics from the previous meeting:

• Substance Abuse Coordinator position — Discussion regarding this staffing matter was included in the prior meeting summary
• Taxicab Ordinance — Review of ordinance-related matters was also part of the prior meeting's agenda

The committee voted to approve the September 16, 2014 meeting summary as presented.

Sky Lanterns – Clarke

This agenda item was listed on the meeting agenda but was not discussed or addressed during the meeting. No presentation was made, no debate occurred, and no action was taken regarding sky lanterns or matters related to Clarke.

Community Corrections: Staff Turnover; Staff Inmate Ratio; Exit Interviews

This agenda item presented data on staff turnover and staffing ratios within community corrections spanning from 1996 to 2010. The presentation was informational in nature.

Key Findings

The data revealed a significant increase in staff turnover over the period examined, with particularly notable increases occurring in 2009 and 2010. Turnover reached a peak of 45.8% during this timeframe, indicating substantial personnel changes within the community corrections workforce during these years.

The presentation also addressed staff-to-inmate ratios and included information gathered from exit interviews, though specific details about the ratio findings and exit interview themes were not detailed in the available information.

Outcome

This item was presented for informational purposes to provide the meeting attendees with an overview of staffing trends and personnel retention challenges in community corrections during the period studied.

Taxicab Ordinance – Lawless

The council discussed proposed amendments to the taxicab ordinance during this agenda item. The key speakers included Stinnett, Henson, and George.

The proposed amendments included the following changes:

• Reduce the number of taxicabs to ten
• Allow for incremental additions to the taxicab fleet
• Eliminate the 24/7 dispatch requirement

The discussion resulted in the item being deferred, as there was a lack of action taken on the proposal at this time.

Ridesharing Services – Henson

The meeting included a discussion of ridesharing services, exploring whether companies like Uber and Lyft should be regulated under the existing taxicab ordinance.

Key Speakers

The discussion involved Henson, George, Kujawski, Miller, and Andrea.

Main Issues Debated

Stakeholders debated regulatory parity between ridesharing companies and traditional taxicab services. The central question was whether ridesharing platforms should operate under the same regulatory framework as existing taxicab ordinances.

Concerns Raised

Two primary concerns emerged during the discussion:

• Inconsistent enforcement: Stakeholders raised concerns about the potential for uneven application of regulations between ridesharing services and traditional taxicabs.
• Service obligations: Questions were raised about whether ridesharing companies should be subject to the same service obligations required of regulated taxicab operators.

Outcome

The agenda item was classified as informational, indicating that the discussion served to explore the issue without reaching a binding decision or recommendation at this time.

Items Referred

Matters related to the Department of Public Safety and its divisions are referred to the Public Safety Committee in accordance with Council Rules & Procedures. This item was presented for informational purposes.