Item 5: Ordinance Extending the Sunset Date for the Downtown Public Safety Zone

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Action: An Ordinance Extending the Sunset Date for the Downtown Public Safety Zone; Amending Sections 4.875 and 4.876 of the Eugene Code, 1971; Providing for Court- Appointed Attorneys; and Providing for an Effective Date Meeting Date: October 8, 2012 Agenda Item Number: 5 Department: Eugene Police Staff Contact: Pete Kerns, Chief of Police www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5102 ISSUE STATEMENT The Downtown Public Safety Zone is scheduled to sunset November 30, 2012. This proposed ordinance will extend the Downtown Public Safety Zone until November 30, 2014, and provide court-appointed attorneys upon request by defendants receiving a notice to show cause. BACKGROUND The City Council adopted the Downtown Public Safety Zone (DPSZ) in August 2008. Most recently, the City Council extended the ordinance until November 30, 2012. The 12-Point Downtown Safety Improvement Plan was adopted by the City Council in January 2010. Inherent in the recommendation was the understanding that the lack of jail beds as a sanction remains a critical component to the persistent problems occurring downtown. The civil exclusion process is a tool to offset the lack of jail sanctions, to create an alternative to incarceration for chronic violators, and to improve the safety in the downtown core. As long as there is inadequate jail bed capacity to meet the demand, the Downtown Public Safety Zone has functioned as a stop-gap measure, to hold offenders accountable, and reduce the number of re-offenders in the downtown core. Other services to support individuals in crisis like CAHOOTS and youth services are also critical to improving safety downtown. A work session was held September 10, and a public hearing held on September 17, 2012. Testimony was received in support and opposition to the Downtown Public Safety Zone. Analysis Available Since the last council discussion about the Downtown Public Safety Zone, staff has implemented several measures to improve timely and thorough access to increased analysis for all new cases since March, including information from Municipal Courts about the disposition of the case. Additionally, staff has hand-tabulated this information back to January 1, 2012. Moving forward, these new reports will continue to be created and distributed to the City Council. S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M121008\S1210085.doc