Item C: Downtown Public Safety Zone Ordinance

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Downtown Public Safety Zone Meeting Date: October 25, 2010 Agenda Item Number: C Department: Eugene Police Staff Contact: Pete Kerns, Chief of Police www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5102 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session provides an opportunity for the City Council to discuss recommendations from the Eugene Police Commission on the future of the Downtown Public Safety Zone (DPSZ) and the civil exclusion process. Police Chief Kerns and Judge Allen of the Eugene Municipal Court will provide additional information for the City Council regarding the exclusionary process. The ordinance creating the Downtown Public Safety Zone is scheduled to sunset on January 8, 2011. BACKGROUND Following several work sessions and a public hearing, the City Council adopted the Downtown Public Safety Zone (DPSZ) Ordinance No. 20419 on August 11, 2008. The ordinance was established with a sunset date of August 11, 2010. Subsequently, City staff developed the necessary procedures for the exclusion process and the first arraignment date of a DPSZ exclusion occurred six weeks later on October 31, 2008. On August 9, 2010, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 20462 to maintain the exclusion process until the Police Commission could review the staff’s activity report, hold a public comment session, and provide a recommendation to the City Council. Eugene Police Department (EPD) staff needed additional time to prepare the activity report and due to the extended time required by the Police Commission to process other policy work there was insufficient time to review the DPSZ activity report and receive public comment before sunset of the DPSZ ordinance. The extended sunset date of January 8, 2011, was requested to allow time to process any amendments to the DPSZ Ordinance if, after this or future work sessions and reviewing the Police Commission’s recommendation, the council asks for amendments to the ordinance. In addition, council break occurs in December and the number of available meetings is typically somewhat limited. Following council direction, a staff report of the activity recorded in the Downtown Public Safety Zone was provided to the Eugene Police Commission. This report is available at the following link (DPSZ Activity Report) and is available in hard copy for the council if desired. The Police Commission reviewed the report and held a public forum on September 1, 2010, to obtain public input regarding the effectiveness of this ordinance in reducing targeted incidents in the DPSZ. The council received the Police Commission’s recommendation (See Attachment A) regarding continued enforcement of the ordinance on October 8, 2010. Z:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M101025\S101025C.doc