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behavior, lack of a cohesive /coordinated plan and aspects of the physical space and environment. He said <br />the task team would develop strategies for solving those problems and present them to the Executive <br />Team, which would then consider them in developing the FY 2011 budget and long -range planning. <br />Chief Kerns said the task team heard a presentation about a Portland model in which a security firm <br />established by former police officers worked collaboratively with the Portland Police Bureau, social <br />services and the business community to successfully deal with crime in the downtown area. He said the <br />security firm employed retired police officers who worked as armed security officers. Task team members <br />would travel to Portland to see the program in operation. He used a slide presentation to demonstrate the <br />Eugene Police Department's (EPD) use of data -led policing to identify hotspots for behavior crimes and <br />focus enforcement efforts. <br />Chief Kerns said the task team was working on a range of solutions, some of which could be implemented <br />immediately and some of which were long - range, and exploring models like Portland's for way to improve <br />minor violation enforcement. He said some of the solutions might require additional policy tools. <br />Ms. Piercy said community residents were very concerned about property crime and would be relieved to <br />have strategies to address the problem. <br />Mr. Clark thanked Ms. Muir, Chief Kerns and task team members for their efforts. He distributed a <br />document entitled Downtown Public Safety Info and Worksheet, which he hoped would focus discussions <br />on specific problem behaviors and situations and whether council action would be required to implement <br />solutions. Chief Kerns replied that he was interested in the council's discussion of policy tools such as <br />granting authority to private security firms to assist law enforcement and banning the sale of fortified beer <br />and wine. <br />Mr. Brown felt the use of technology to identify hotspots had great potential. He asked if it could be <br />applied to the entire City and the types of crimes that were committed. Chief Kerns said it required <br />significant restructuring within the department to obtain and map current and accurate data that was <br />actionable; therefore efforts were being focused on reducing property crime and crime in the downtown <br />core. <br />Mr. Brown asked if the private security officers in Portland received pay comparable to police officers. <br />Chief Kerns said he assumed the pay scale was lower for the private security officers, who were "certified, <br />armed security officers," a classification within Oregon Revised Statutes. <br />Ms. Ortiz was supportive of considering an ordinance with would authorize a program similar to the <br />Portland model. She asked if the exclusionary zone was a useful enforcement tool. Chief Kerns said the <br />zone was effective to the extent it had been used, but enforcement efforts could be more assertive. <br />Mr. Poling commented that the problem of downtown safety was not new and thanked Mr. Clark for <br />bringing it forward. He looked forward to recommendations from the task team and was interested in <br />more information about the use of private security officers to augment law enforcement. He thanked <br />business owners in the downtown area who had persevered despite the problems they faced. He said there <br />was a perception throughout the community that public safety was a serious concern downtown. <br />Mr. Zelenka thanked task team members. He was interested in seeing a map of hotspots throughout the <br />City. He asked if there was an analysis of the impact of the exclusionary zone and more officers on the <br />crime rate downtown. Chief Kerns noted that there were more officers downtown only in the summer. He <br />MINUTES Eugene City Council November 23, 2009 Page 3 <br />Work Session <br />