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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Public Safety (Committee) - 08/19/1997 1, MINUTES FROM PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE METING AUGUST 19, 1997 f PRESENT: Jim Bennett, Chair Leona Orr Tim Clark Ed Crawford Numerous unidentified individuals in audience Meeting called to order by Chairman Bennett. Bennett asked if thethe,were anything to be added to the agenda at this time. Tim Clark advised that he had aquestion about the jail. Acceptance of Law Enforcement Eduction PartnershiI2Prograr ( P) Grant Chief Ed Crawford asked for approval of the LEEP Grant in the amount of$29,355 for the Youth Conference. It would be for a two year period and would carer staff time, professional services and teacher stipends for the Youth Conferee . Leona Orr moved to accept the grant. Tim Clark seconded the motion, indicating this is truly a wonderful training exercise and its wonderful to see so manor kids involved. Orr also commented that it is very good. Crawford advised that they am, -excited about the Youth Conference which is held in November and as it get closer, 'logy will provide an overview of what's happening. Orr further commented that she attended one of the first conferences that was held about three years ago and it was very,a ll,attended. Motion passed unanimously (3-0). Acceptance of Washington Traffic Suety Commission Grant Chief Ed Crawford advised that this is the 15th year that Kent has men active with the Drinking Driver Task Force which was originally sponsored by then ashington Traffic Safety Commission. Each year the cities that are involved with dr! king driver task forces receive state support. This year'Kent will receive $28,012 and Cr hWord asked that the Committee continue to support the program. Leona Orr moved for acceptance of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission grant in the amount of$28,012 for the Kent Drinking Driver Task Force. Tien Clark seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously (3-0). Approval for Transfer of Funds - Police Chief Ed Crawford advised the police department was approv ugh Criminal Justice Funding last year to repair the firing range and do some other , nance. There was $10,000 left over which they would like to move to another fug deal with range bullet trap installation. Crawford explained that this is a different type innstallation to garner the lead and other things from the bullets and is actually mad®ffi ground-up tires. Crawford asked for approval to move the left over moneis from orb fund to another to cover this. i Minutes from Public Safety Committee Meeting August 19, 1997 Page 2 of 4 i Tim Clark recommended transfer of the funds. Leona Orr seconda4 the motion. Motion passed unanimously (3-0). Questions about the Jail Tim Clark explained that he had received an inquiry from some poli ,personnel concerning the number of prisoners in the jail. Clark indicated that:,O talking earlier about the number of prisoners coming through the facility, the assumption,;,Iwas we were going to lose some of those prisoners because of the opening of the new feral facility. Clark advised that it was his understanding that the facility was still not open. Chief Crawford advised that was correct, and that it would probably be September jar October before that happens. Clark explained that one of the concerns expressed wasjl pacifically that there were only three people on duty in the final lock down shift. Crawf explained that minimum staffing is three people on shift, but numerous times therO,u,are four or five people on shift. Clark further explained that there was, in fact, a fear that Ibis was going to become common practice. Clark asked how many cells there weraj. Crawford indicated on what he classifies as the hard side there are beds for approximately 100 to 108 people. Clark asked if they are currently double bunking. Crawford answered yes. Clark asked • what the total occupancy is right now. Crawford advised that total c;,'Poupancy usually averages between 140 and 160, but that includes work release and i0ectronic home detention. The hard side, where there is more security and more o trol, has been running approximately 108 to 125. There have been people on theloor. Clark asked if he was operating on the correct assumption that when the federal ficllity opens those numbers are going to drop. Crawford answered yes, but indicated Ie thought the City Council wanted him to run the corrections facility in an economical, cost-benefit fashion. Crawford indicated that he has told the Council and the Mayor that,llfie would insure that the facility is a benefit to the City of Kent. Clark advised that he u , tdod that, but he was hearing expressions from staff that they feel uncomfortable wi the facility being over capacity --temporarily is one thing, but if its a consistent pattern, that becomes yet another problem. Clark indicated that he lacks a sense of what tha ,does to staff, but clearly the sense portrayed was that you've got one person in monitoring........Crawford explained that with minimum staffing there is one person in boo in *ne�officer in control and one floor officer. Clark stated the issue was with only one on tqgqoqr, you have a number of people double-bunked and you're stretching the limit .t 'ting they feel the stress even if it doesn't exist. Crawford explained that there is a that's the nature of the business. Corrections officers are in a stressful a ttt and they're working around people that by their nature have some difficulties.'" 'the past two years they have been given radios so they have immediate com ition with the control room, they have trained and carry appropriate spray, and r ate rules and orders as to how one proceeds into a dangerous situation. Clark i ated that he is ipersonally feeling a little uncomfortable with the numbers. He cono,tred with the earlier decision, but is starting to look at it harder, expressing that he doea,Nwt the facility appropriately used and doing what we can to help our neighboring Oi tricts because that's an obligation we have. He just wants to make sure that we're matcl'tiing up what staff can 4,�r' Minutes from Public Saf0ty Committee Meeting August 19, 1997 Page 3of4 ' do comfortably. Crawford advised that he monitors this consistel rd over the past year they have promoted two additional sergeants and put another, *son on staff. ' Crawford further stated that if he thought for one moment there waIa'problem, outside of the normal risks that corrections officers have to take, he would be pack to Council in a heartbeat. Leona Orr expressed that her concern has been that we not over i at'Id ourselves with contracts with other districts. Crawford indicated that the bigge4toble�m is with our own prisoners. Orr indicated that she didn't need the numbers right nobut asked to be provided with how many prisoners are from the outside and how my from inside. Orr further stated that she understands and respects what is being don ,to generate funds and to try to run the facility in the most efficient manner possible, b from her perspective, safety has to be the top priority. So, if at any time there is the feeli��th�# safety is in jeopardy, Orr advised Crawford to please come back to them be0 she would be ti willing to make some adjustments, if need be, to make sure all parts involved, from the person walking by or the person inside, whether its an inmate or one of our own officers, that their safety not be compromised or jeopardized. Orr further s that dollars and cents are great, but personal safety is the most important factor. • Clark advised that he would like to revisit this issue once the fedfacility fully up and running. Bennett asked if the prisoners are locked down in their cells when Oe facility is in normal operation. Crawford explained that may not necessarily be so. Th " ;have day rooms, the recreation room and the library, and each of the different living arrgements have different times out. Bennett asked if the officer on the floor has any sign of trouble do they call the control officer who then locks it down or what would happe ,Crawford explained that they can do various things -they can control the area by locki4l;down immediately, and, of course, they can call the police department and have backup. Bennett stated that was his next question, asking if they could have backup there withirs, a couple minutes if there were any type of problem. Crawford advised yes. Bennett inioafied that he was a fan of the double bunking, has been down there on a few occasionj Hours and this is the first he's heard of any situation like Clark is talking about. Bennett' oted that its getting to be almost like a business --you've got the Regional Just Center, the new facility up at Seatac and our facility --the federal people go to S and other ones go to other places and we may not have the amount of prisoners that �d like to have to do double bunking because there will be other avenues for them to goo„ Crawford indicated that was true. Crawford explained that for the past six years his commitment has ys been to run the i corrections facility in an efficient and effective way that allows ther1have o receive a benefit for having their own jail. Crawford further stated that the city does to be in the jail business. But, through the work time credit program, the garden, the volunteers and the other programs that the corrections facility has been able to de clop, plus the Minutes from Public Safety Committee Meeting August 19, 1997 Page 4 of 4 opportunity for officers to get into the facility and back out into their- `ol district in a quick manner, he feels it is in our best interest to have a jail. H r, if at anytime Council starts feeling that the facility is a burden for the city, either"; ndally, safety-wise, or personnel, then the city should not be in the jail business. Crawl1ord explained that he has asked that after the Regional Justice Center is in business for ,couple of years that the city do a cost benefit analysis, but for it to be done correctly we,pqedl to maximize the benefit of our city jail. � t Bennett asked if that answered all Clark's questions. Clark advise#!'pit says to him that we are still in discussion. Meeting adjourned by Chairman Bennett at 5:30 p.m. kir j� F 4 x , Ni Y !t 4 �1'If 9i I