08/17/1992 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Mr. Nicholson moved, seconded by Mr. MacDonald, to add communi- ty policing to the core at the cost of $500,000 the first year, with an additional $500,000 for each subsequent year until $2 million in FY97 is achieved, the dollars to be taken from operational efficiencies. Responding to a question from Ms. Ehrman, David Whitlow, Director of Public Safety, said that the long-range plan called for funding for human services agencies as a first priority. He anticipated that staff would recommend that $400,000 be directed toward contracts with those agencies to provide the types of services the CAHOOTS program provides at the present time. After that, he said staff would recommend that the council institutionalize such programs as Safer Schools and bicycle patrols, which occur now on an ad hoc basis. Mr. Robinette said he would like staff to respond to the realism of Mr. Nicholson's proposal before he supported the motion. Mr. Boles agreed. He pointed out that the total program costs were $4 million, not $2 million, noting that the $2 million was a compromise figure reached by the council in discussion of the community-oriented policing portion of the plan. Mr. Rutan indicated his agreement with the remarks made by Mr. Robinette and Mr. Boles. He said that the council should identify specific funding for the entire program rather than attempt to implement it on a piecemeal basis. Mr. MacDonald said that the issue was not one of funding alone, but the need to build community support for the program. He said for community policing to e work, the community must work with the police. Mr. MacDonald suggested that Mr. Nicholson's proposal would allow the City both to implement the program and educate the community about the program. Mr. Nicholson said he shared all the concerns that had been raised. He said there was a large majority of people who were not affected by community degradation to the degree that others were. Mr. Nicholson said that if the City did not implement the program and make progress in improving the day-to- day life of the community, it would have difficulty in "selling" an abstract concept like community policing. Further, Mr. Nicholson said he wished to illustrate the council's commitment to "doing things differently." He maintained that there were many areas the council could look to in order to realize $500,000 annually. He maintained that the council would have a more "sellable" package using such an approach. Mr. Boles said he would support the motion if it was the best the council could do. However, he disagreed that the issue was one of the "salability" of the final strategy, but rather about the council having the information to make the best decision for the community. Mr. Green indicated his opposition to the motion because he did not think the amount proposed would result in a high quality product. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 17, 1992 Page 8 5:30 p.m.