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ALRIGHT, WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE JUNE 17TH, 2026, UM, MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN, CHRIS OTT, A PROUD MEMBER OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT EIGHT WITH US TODAY, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ALSO DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM AND, UH, AND COMMITTEE MEMBER, UH, CARISSA DUTTON.
AND, UH, SO WE ARE CONVENING THIS WITH, UH, WE HAVE STAFF ALSO MSTY GARDNER, YOU, YOU ARE, UH, SHEPHERDING US THROUGH THIS.
AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THIS STARTED WITH A APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, THE SEPTEMBER 18TH MINUTES.
IT'S THE NOVEMBER 19TH MINUTES.
OKAY, THEN, UH, I GUESS I WOULD BE THE SECOND FOR THAT.
AND SECOND, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE, I DON'T SEE THAT WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC.
BUT, UH, NOT TODAY, NOT NOBODY TODAY.
LET'S SEE, FOR ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, UH, WE HAVE THREE A.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING AN ORDINANCE, ESTABLISHING A QUIET ZONE FOR LOUD VEHICLES AND DOWNTOWN.
THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS REFERRED BY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BEARD AND SECONDED BY, UM, BY MAYOR PROTI.
UH, LUCK AT THE, UH, OCTOBER 6TH, UH, 2025 WORK SESSION.
AND THAT HAS BEEN SCOPED IN NOVEMBER AND TODAY TO PRESENT AS CHIEF BRIAN.
SO I'M GONNA GO BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF WHAT THIS UPDATE IS ABOUT, BUT SIX MONTHS AGO, THIS WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE BY MS. BEARD.
AND IT WAS, IT STEMMED FROM A NEW STORY THAT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN FORT WORTH AND FORT WORTH WAS ANNOUNCING, THEY'RE ESTABLISHING A QUIET ZONE IN DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH.
AND MS. BEARD WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR IN GARLAND, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT FORT WORTH WAS DOING, UH, WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS SIMPLY ENFORCING THE LAWS THAT WERE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.
FORT WORTH HAS A MUCH BIGGER DOWNTOWN THAN GARLAND HAS.
UM, THEY HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARE DEDICATED TO JUST THEIR DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND SO IT WAS MORE OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT, UM, THAT FORT WORTH WAS GONNA CONCENTRATE ON ENFORCING THE LOUD MUSIC LAWS, NOT CREATING ANY ADDITIONAL ORDINANCES OR LAWS.
AND SO WE DISCUSSED THAT IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, BUT WE STILL WANTED A SOLUTION FOR SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE, WHICH WAS WHEN WE'D HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS, WE'D HAVE CONCERT ON THE SQUARE, UM, SOMEONE WOULD COME THROUGH WITH, UH, WITH THEIR MUSIC BLARING OR WITH A LOUD VEHICLE AND IT WAS DISRUPTING THE EVENT.
AND SO, UH, THE, THE COMMITTEE ASKED ME TO COME UP WITH, WITH LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS.
AND THE IDEA WE COME UP WITH WAS TO PUT AN OFFICER DOWNTOWN DURING THESE SPECIAL EVENTS FOR SIX MONTHS AND JUST ENFORCING LOUD VEHICLES AND THEN COME BACK AND REPORT THOSE FINDINGS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO DO TODAY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKGROUND TO, TO HOW WE GOT TO THIS MEETING.
AND SO FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE HIRED ONE POLICE OFFICER OVER TIME DURING OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TO SIT DOWNTOWN AND TO ISSUE CITATIONS FOR ANY TYPE OF LOUD VEHICLE.
I DON'T HAVE JUNE 5TH RESULTS YET, BUT HERE ARE THE RESULTS FOR THE EVENTS WE DID ATTEND, WHICH IS, YOU CAN SEE MUSIC MADE HERE.
WE ISSUED FOUR CITATIONS, ART MADE HERE, ONE CITATION AND SO FORTH.
YOU SEE ONE COLUMN IS LOUD MUSIC OR LOUD NOISE CITATIONS.
THE OTHER COLUMN IS OTHER CITATIONS.
SO IT MAY BE SOMETHING LIKE, UH, NO INSURANCE OR NO DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ANY OTHER.
SO IN SUMMARY, WE WORK THERE FOR SIX MONTHS.
UH, WE WORK 22 HOURS OF OVERTIME.
WE SIGN OFFICER ON A VOLUNTARY OVERTIME BASIS.
WE WROTE 16 LOUD NOISE CITATIONS, SEVEN OTHER CITATIONS IN TOTAL, WE WROTE 23 CITATIONS AND WORKED 22 HOURS.
IT'S ABOUT ONE CITATION PER HOUR.
NOW, IF YOU WERE TO ASK ME IS THAT WORTH OUR ENFORCEMENT, WE WOULD NOT SEND AN OFFICER OUT TO WRITE ONE
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CITATION AN HOUR.BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS PART OF A BIGGER PICTURE, IS THAT WE WANT A NICE, FUN EVENT, UM, UH, WHEN THESE DO OCCUR, AND EVEN ONE LOUD MUSIC DRIVING THROUGH CAN INTERRUPT THAT EVENT OR ONE LOUD VEHICLE.
AND SO I'LL, I'LL PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS, BUT I AM ALSO LOOKING FOR, FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
WOULD Y LIKE FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PUT AN OFFICER OUT THERE OVER TIME, UH, KNOWING THAT IT'S ABOUT ONE CITATION AN HOUR? UM, BUT THE, BUT THE STAFF THAT'S WITH THE, THE OFFICERS, UH, THIS IS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
THERE'S ALREADY OFFICES THAT ARE IN PLACE THERE.
ARE THEY CAP, UH, ABLE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, TO, UH, WITHOUT HAVING THAT OVERTIME ADDITIONAL SPEND, WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS? THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE OFFICERS THAT WE PUT OUT THERE ARE FOR SECURITY.
THEY DON'T HAVE VEHICLES AND THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF CHASING DOWN CARS.
IF, IF, IF WE DID, IF WE DID HAVE A WORLD WHERE WE'RE GONNA TELL OUR OFFICERS TO CHASE DOWN VIOLATIONS, THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THE OFFICERS THERE DEDICATED FOR SECURITY WOULD BE CHASING DOWN CARS.
AND WE'D HAVE NO ONE THERE FOR SECURITY.
AND SO IF WE'RE GONNA ADD, IF WE'RE GONNA ASK OFFICERS TO CHASE DOWN THESE VEHICLES, IT'S PRUDENT TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL OFFICER JUST FOR THIS PURPOSE INSTEAD OF PULLING THEM OFF THE SECURITY DETAIL FOR THAT PURPOSE.
READY? THOUGHTS? UM, CHIEF BRYAN, I, I AM, UH, NOT NECESSARILY A FAN OF, UM, ADDING OVERTIME HOURS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, THE RETURN ON OUR, ON OUR DOLLAR ISN'T VERY HIGH.
UM, LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS A, IT, THERE IS A BIGGER PICTURE TO THIS.
UM, AND I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE, UM, THE DOWNTOWN STOP SIGNS, LIKE THAT WAS A FOCUS FOR A WHILE.
AND I, I, I THINK THAT IT HELPS SOMETIMES.
UM, I, I THINK THAT IT HAS CUT, LIKE WHEN WE DID THAT, IT CUT DOWN PEOPLE RUNNING THE STOP SIGNS.
I WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN JUST SEEING THAT OFFICERS ON NIGHTS WHERE THEY'RE NOT JUST HAMMERED RUNNING CALLS, THAT THAT'S MAYBE SOMETHING THAT THEY KEEP A FOCUS ON, IS LIKE, HEY GUYS, LIKE REMEMBER THIS IS, IT IS AN ORDINANCE.
IF YOU GO PAST, UM, THE 18-YEAR-OLD WITH THE LIFTED TRUCK AND BLARING HIS MUSIC ON THE OUTSIDE OF HIS VEHICLE, WHICH I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THAT IS THE THING, UM, LET'S REMEMBER THAT WE CAN PULL THEM OVER.
UM, AT LEAST GIVE HIM A WARNING OR SOMETHING.
UM, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO, TO MAKE SOMEONE CHANGE A BEHAVIOR THAN IN THEIR POCKETBOOK.
SO, UM, AND, AND I WILL SAY, ASIDE FROM IT JUST BEING AN ANNOYANCE, UM, AND I, I WILL, I AM THAT ONE THAT WHEN THEY DRIVE BY EVERY TIME I'M LIKE, NO ONE LIKES YOU.
BUT I, THE OTHER DAY THERE WAS A, I WAS IN MY FRONT YARD AND THERE WAS ONE A TRUCK GOING DOWN SHILOH.
AND HE, I'M ASSUMING IT'S A HE, 'CAUSE THE GIRLS AREN'T THIS WEIRD THAT THEY PLAY THEIR MUSIC ON THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR CAR.
UM, IT WAS LIKE A CHILD'S VOICE IS WHAT WAS PLAYING ON THEIR SPEAKERS.
AND IT WAS THE MOST INCREDIBLY CREEPY, EERIE FEELING.
LIKE, AND AT THAT MOMENT I WAS LIKE, OKAY, NOW I'M BEYOND LIKE, ANNOYED.
AND SO IT KIND OF MADE MY LITTLE WHEELS TURN ON LIKE THE PROGRESSION OF THINGS.
UM, SO I, I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF DOING A DEDICATED, UM, OVERTIME FOR DOWNTOWN SPECIFICALLY.
I WOULD LIKE IT JUST TO BE A CITYWIDE.
LIKE, LET'S PUT THIS ON, PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE LIKE TOP, TOP ENFORCED THING.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE TOP PRIORITY.
UM, BUT MAYBE JUST A, HEY, REMEMBER THIS IS A SITUATION.
IF YOU SEE IT HERE, IT GET 'EM.
AND THIS, THIS, UH, I'VE GOT INFORMATION ON CITYWIDE TOO.
UM, I LIVE ON SATURN ROAD AND UM, I, I FEEL LIKE LOUD VEHICLES ARE A THING ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST AT EVENTS.
AND I THINK AT EVENTS YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAVE AS MANY CITATIONS AS YOU WILL ON
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A FRIDAY NIGHT SITTING IN, IN THE OUTDOOR AREA AT FORTUNATE SUN.I MEAN, YOU SIT OUT THERE AND YOU HEAR SOMEBODY GO BY EVERY FIVE MINUTES WITH A LOUD VEHICLE OR LOUD MUSIC, EITHER ONE.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW THAT FOCUSING ON EVENTS IS, IS WORTH YOUR TIME AS SHOWN HERE.
UM, BUT CITYWIDE, I THINK THAT IF I SEE SOMEBODY OR HEAR SOMEBODY IN MY CAR AND I SEE AN OFFICER THAT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT IN A, IN A CALL OR WHATEVER, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PULLED OVER.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, WHAT WOULD OUR DIRECTION BE? IT SOUNDS LIKE WE WOULD, UH, BE IN FAVOR OF NOT HAVING THE ENHANCED OR HAVING THE EXTRA SPEND AT THE, UH, AT THE MAJOR EVENTS.
AND AGAIN, I, I'VE GOT ANOTHER TOPIC COMING UP NEXT WITH THE CITYWIDE, UH, LOUD.
UH, SO LET'S HEAR THAT BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION.
WOULD THAT BE THREE B? NO, THAT'S THREE.
YOU WANNA JUMP AHEAD TO THAT ONE? DO WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE.
THINK THAT DOVETAILS WITH IT PERFECTLY.
AND, UH, SO THIS, THE, THE SECOND TOPIC WAS WHAT DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DO TO ENFORCE LOUD VEHICLES, LOUD MUSIC CITYWIDE? AND I CAN GO THROUGH THE ORDINANCES, I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM IN DETAIL.
UH, BUT THERE ARE ORDINANCES AND THERE ARE PENAL CODE LAWS OUT THERE THAT WE ENFORCE.
THE MAIN THING THAT WE ENFORCE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAS LAWS THEY CAN ENFORCE.
THE MAIN THING THAT WE ENFORCE IS WHAT WE CALL THE BOOMBOX VIOLATIONS OR, OR ORDINANCES RELATED TO LOUD VEHICLES.
UH, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS SPECIFIC NOISE THAT ARE PROHIBITED, AND THOSE ARE NOISES THAT CONSTITUTES NOISE DISTURBANCE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST FOR US, IT'S BOTH THE ORDINANCES AND THE, UM, PENAL CODE LAWS THAT WE ENFORCE.
THERE'S ALSO, UH, LIMITED SOUNDS ON VEHICLES.
UH, I FORGOT TO MENTION TOO THAT, UH, THIS IS OUR SCOPING MEETING.
AND SO I, I'VE GOT A BRIEF PRESENTATION.
I'M GONNA KIND OF GIVE YOU WHAT WE DO ON LOUD MUSIC AND LOUD, UH, VEHICLES, IF IT'S NOT WHAT, I'M JUST TRYING TO GUESS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
UM, BUT THIS IS KIND OF OUR SCOPING MEETING.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT SAYS ANYONE THAT MAKES AN UNREASONABLE NOISE IN A PUBLIC PLACE OTHER THAN A SHOOTING RANGE OR NEAR A PRIVATE RESIDENCE, THAT HE HAS NO RIGHT TO OCCUPY.
THAT'S PART OF THE, UH, OR LAWS THAT WE'VE BEEN FOR.
NOW, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU, I'VE TALKED TO CITY COUNCIL SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT NOISE DISTURBANCES.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A, A LONGER PICTURE THIS TIME.
THIS IS A 10 YEAR PICTURE OF NOISE DISTURBANCES, UM, THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A TREND UPWARDS FROM 2016 TO 2026.
BUT YOU SEE THE BIG SPIKE DURING COVID THAT WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES.
BUT OVER THE 10 YEAR PERIOD, WE'VE RESPONDED TO ROUGHLY 50,000 NOISE DISTURBANCES CALLS.
AND AS AN OFFICER MYSELF THAT WORK THE STREET, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, WHICH IS WHEN MOST OF THESE NOISE DISTURBANCES OCCUR, OCCUR, YOU MAY RESPOND TO FIVE OR SIX NOISE DISTURBANCES IN A SINGLE NIGHT.
IT IS, IT PROBABLY DRIVES, WELL, IT DOES DRIVE THE MAJORITY OF OUR CALLS ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS IS NOISE DISTURBANCES.
AND SO THESE OFFICERS ARE GOING FROM CALL TO CALL TO CALL.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, THEY'RE TRYING TO HANDLE THINGS LIKE NOISE DISTURBANCES.
THEY ALSO KNOW THAT, THAT, UM, 90% OF THE TIME WHEN WE SHOW UP AND WE ASK 'EM WHEN TO TURN THE MUSIC DOWN, THEY TURN THE MUSIC DOWN.
90% OF THE TIME WE GET VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.
AN OFFICER KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR, KNOCKING ON THE WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE, ASKING YOU TO TURN YOUR MUSIC DOWN AND WORKS.
AND, UH, OFFICERS ALSO HAVE ISSUED DURING THAT TIME 401 CITATIONS.
WE ALSO LOOK AT REPEAT LOCATIONS, AND WE HAVE SEEN, UH, THREE OR MORE COMPLAINTS AT 308 REPEAT LOCATIONS.
AND THOSE ARE USUALLY THE LOCATIONS THAT, OKAY, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH AND WE ISSUE CITATIONS.
AND I KNOW WE WANT OFFICER WRITE CITATIONS.
WE ENCOURAGE OFFICERS TO WRITE CITATIONS.
THE REALITY IS I CANNOT MAKE OFFICERS THE RIGHT CITATION.
WE STRONGLY SUGGEST IT TO 'EM, BUT IT, BUT IT IS THEIR DISCRETION WHETHER THEY ISSUE A CITATION OR NOT.
AND WHEN THEY, WHEN YOU'RE AN OFFICER THAT HAS CALLS STACKED UP, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL ISSUE A WARNING
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HOPING THAT SOLVES A PROBLEM INSTEAD OF ISSUING A CITATION.NOW, IF WE DO HAVE THE REPEAT LOCATION, WE'LL FOLLOW THAT UP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICER AND WE WILL ISSUE CITATIONS AFTER THE FACT.
WE HAD A CONCERT, A COUPLE OF, UH, BAND THAT SHOWED UP AT RICK ODEN PARK LIKE A WEEK AGO.
UH, WE'VE ISSUED THAT GROUP NINE CITATIONS SO FAR.
SO IT'S, WE DO A LOT OF FOLLOW UP FOR THOSE BIG PROBLEM, UH, INCIDENTS.
IF THE OFFICER DOESN'T WRITE A CITATION AT THE TIME, THEY DO CAPTURE THE VIOLATION ON THEIR BODY-WORN CAMERA AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITATION.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION SOMETIMES ABOUT DO WE NEED A COMPLAINANT OR NOT? THE ANSWER IS IF THE OFFICER HEARS THE VIOLATION, THEY DO NOT NEED A COMPLAINANT.
THEY CAN ISSUE THE CITATION THEMSELVES.
HOWEVER, IF THEY DON'T HEAR THE VIOLATION, THEN THEY'LL NEED SOMEONE TO THAT WITNESSED THE VIOLATION TO, TO ISSUE A CITATION.
OR IF THE OFFICER HEARS SOME FROM SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO BE THE COMPLAINANT, EVEN IF THE OFFICER CHOOSES NOT TO RUSS WRITE THE CITATION, HE'LL HE OR SHE WILL WRITE THE CITATION WITH THE COMPLAINANT WANTING TO BE THE COMPLAINANT.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S A 10 YEAR OVERVIEW.
UH, LOUD MUSIC IS, IS JUST A MAJOR CALL DRIVER, NOT JUST FOR OUR CITY, BUT FOR EVERY CITY.
I'VE TALKED TO IRVING AND TO GRAND PRAIRIE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES.
THEIR CHIEF HAS GONE TO COUNCIL SEVERAL TIMES THAT TOO.
AND WE, WE TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, BUT THIS, THIS IS HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS AT THIS TIME.
UM, CHIEF, AND WOULD IT MAKE ANY SENSE TO HAVE, LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
WOULD IT BE FEASIBLE TO HAVE LIKE A CITIZENS ON PATROL GROUP THAT COULD VOLUNTEER TO RESPOND TO NOISE COMPLAINTS LIKE ON A FRIDAY, SATURDAY? OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO WRITE CITATIONS, BUT MAYBE IF THEY WENT TO A HOUSE TWICE, THEN THEY COULD LET OFFICERS KNOW AND THEN AN OFFICER COULD GO OUT THERE TO HELP EASE SOME OF THAT BURDEN FROM, FROM YOU GUYS.
I, I WOULD NOT BE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND THE REASON I WOULDN'T BE COMFORTABLE IS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THESE LOUD MUSIC LOCATIONS ARE HAPPENING, IT MAY COINCIDE WITH A ALCOHOL AND A LOUD PARTY, AND I WOULD NOT PUT A CIVILIAN IN A POSITION TO CONFRONT SOMEONE ABOUT THEIR MUSIC UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.
WHEN, WHEN AN OFFICER SHOWS UP WITH A BADGE, BADGE AND A GUN, THERE'S AUTHORITY THAT COMES WITH IT, AND THERE'S USUALLY A LITTLE MORE RESPECT THAT COMES WITH IT.
BUT IF YOU SEND A CIVILIAN INTO THAT SITUATION WITH NO AUTHORITY, WITH NO BADGE, WITH NO GUN, UH, THAT, THAT, IT'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT'S RECOGNIZED AND IT ENDS UP IN A CONFRONTATION AGAINST SOMEONE THAT'S NOT READY TO FACE THAT CONFRONTATION.
SO WE DO USE CITIZENS ON PATROL FOR THINGS LIKE, UH, HANDICAP ENFORCEMENT, BUT EVEN THEN THEY DO NOT ENGAGE IN ANY TYPE OF CONFRONTATION WITH THEM.
SO TO PUT THEM IN A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE ENGAGING IN SOME TYPE OF CONFRONTATION, I, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND, I'D RECOMMEND AGAINST.
CAN I, CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT JUST BRIEFLY? AND WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS EVEN WITH CITY EMPLOYEES AND CODE OFFICERS WHO ACTUALLY HAVE A BADGE BUT NO GUN.
THE REASON WE WENT FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT DOING PARKING TO THE MARSHALS IS BECAUSE THE CODE EN ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WOULD GET ACCOSTED AND SURROUNDED IN THE EVENINGS JUST TRYING TO WRITE A PARKING TICKET ON A STREET.
AND THE REASON THEY WERE NOT WRITING TICKETS LATE AT NIGHT IS BECAUSE THEY WOULD GET SURROUNDED AND ACCOSTED BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO WRITE A PARKING TICKET.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT NONE OF MY MARSHALS WHO HAVE A GUN AND A BADGE EVER GOT SURROUNDED, UH, BY CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY WERE WRITING A PARKING TICKET.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE POINT.
THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES CERTAIN TOTAL SENSE.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE ON MARSHALS RIGHT NOW, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THAT COULD BE SOMETHING IF WE HAD ENOUGH MARSHALS, UM, THAT MAYBE THEY COULD HELP OUT WITH ON A FRIDAY, SATURDAY TYPE OF SITUATION.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, IS BECAUSE OF 1 43, YOU CAN'T USE CITY MARSHALS TO DO WHAT'S CALLED TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THEY CAN DO CRIMINAL STUFF, THEY JUST CAN'T DO TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
NOW SURE, THEY WERE DOING PARKING ENFORCEMENT AND HEARD ALLOWED PARTY AND WANTED TO TELL 'EM TO STOP.
THEY CAN DO THAT WHILE THEY'RE DOING A NON-TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IF THEY DO TRADITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT HAS TO BE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER CHAPTER 1 43.
I THINK THE ANSWER IS A PUSH FOR OUR OFFICERS TO WRITE.
UH, I MEAN, WE ARE, OFFICERS NEED TO BE OUT THERE WRITING TICKETS
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ON THIS, AND WE WE'RE GOING TO PUSH, WE'LL PUSH, UM, THEY'LL WRITE TICKETS, BUT THEN EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HUMAN NATURE TAKES OVER BECAUSE IF YOU'RE, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE AN OFFICER WORKING NIGHT SHIFT AND YOU'VE GOT A STACK OF CALLS AND FIVE OF THOSE ARE LOUD MUSIC AND YOU SHOW UP AND YOU WRITE A TICKET THAT'S, THERE'S A PROCESS, HEY, GIMME YOUR ID, YOU WRITE THE TICKET.AND AS IT TAKES TIME, THOSE CALLS CONTINUE TO STACK UP.
IT'S ABOUT RESOURCES AND HOW WE WANNA PUSH THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE ANSWER TO IT, IS WE, THOSE ARE THE OFFICERS OUT THERE.
THEY NEED TO WRITE THE TICKETS, UM, AND, AND WE NEED TO PUSH 'EM TO WRITE TICKETS.
WE DO PUSH 'EM, BUT THEN THEY SEE CALLS STACKING UP, THEY, THEY'RE HANDLING THE CALLS ECONOMICALLY, HEY, YOU NEED TO TURN THE MUSIC DOWN.
I'VE GOT A FAMILY DISTURBANCE I GET TO, I GOTTA GET TO.
AND, UM, JUST THE NATURAL EVOLUTION, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY START ALLOCATING THEIR PERSONAL RESOURCES, THEIR PERSONAL TIME, THE BEST THEY CAN TO HANDLE THE CALLS IN THEIR DISTRICT.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S WARNINGS.
SO, UM, I BROUGHT THIS ONE FORWARD BECAUSE I HAD A, UM, AN INCIDENT WHERE A HOUSE, LIKE IT WAS PROBABLY 150 FEET AWAY FROM MY HOUSE ACROSS SATURN ROAD, DOWN KEARNEY.
AND THEY WERE HAVING A HUGE PARTY.
I COULD HEAR THEIR DJ IN MY BACKYARD, LIKE PLAIN AS DAY, BUT EVERYTHING HE SAID, I COULD HEAR.
AND A LADY CALLED ME THAT LIVED ON KEARNEY, AND SHE WAS LIKE, THIS IS INSANE.
SO WE BOTH CALLED NON-EMERGENCY, THEY SENT AN OFFICER OUT, THEY TURNED THE MUSIC SLIGHTLY DOWN, AND THEN I GUESS A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE WHILE LATER THEY TURNED IT BACK UP.
SO WE CALLED AGAIN, BOTH OF US OFFICER WENT OUT AGAIN, THEY TURNED THE DJ PART DOWN, BUT THE MUSIC AND THE BASS WAS STILL GOING.
SO THEN WE CALLED A THIRD TIME, AND I ACTUALLY WENT DOWN AND, AND MET THE OFFICER AT THAT TIME BECAUSE I WANTED, I WANTED TO SIGN A COMPLAINT.
UM, AND THE LADY WAS A LITTLE, SHE LIKE DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUT THERE.
SO, UM, I MET WITH HIM AND AS WE WERE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS LEAVING THE, THE HOUSE AND HE CAME DOWN THE STREET A LITTLE BIT AND I DIDN'T GO ONTO THE PROPERTY OR ANYTHING AND I'M, I WAS LIKE, OFFICER, AND I'M, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CALLED AND, AND HE GOES, YEAH, I'VE BEEN OUT HERE TWICE.
AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, WHY, WHY WOULD YOU COME? I, AFTER THE FIRST TIME, I WOULD'VE COME BACK AND BEEN LIKE, HEY, Y'ALL, TURN IT DOWN.
I'M WRITING MORE TICKETS TO EVERYBODY HERE.
I MEAN, I WOULD'VE BEEN SO UPSET.
IT WAS A SATURDAY NIGHT AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW HE HAS BETTER THINGS TO DO AND HE IS COME TO THIS DUMB HOUSE HAVING A STUPID PARTY THREE TIMES.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF, THAT'S A LOT OF EFFORT AND THAT'S A LOT OF TIME.
AND I MEAN, HE WAS VERY NICE AND, AND UNDERSTOOD.
UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING SINCE.
BUT, UM, I, I FEEL LIKE I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT AN OFFICER GOING TO A A, A PLACE THREE TIMES IN A ROW WOULDN'T BE JUST INFURIATING FOR THEM.
I I, I WOULD WANT TO WRITE A TICKET.
I MEAN, I WANNA WRITE A TICKET ON THE FIRST ONE.
SO
AND, AND LET, LET ME TALK, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE TALKED TO COUNSEL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT TO ADDRESS THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE, BUT TO ADDRESS SIMILAR ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OFFICERS, LET'S SAY IT'S NIGHT SHIFT.
WE HAVE OFFICERS WORK IN THE STREETS AND WE HAVE SUPERVISORS SUPERVISING THE OFFICERS.
THOSE OFFICERS ARE CALLED TO CALL, TO CALL.
THE SUPERVISORS ARE BACKING THEM UP OR CHECKING REPORTS OR CHECKING THE JAIL.
I, I'M TRYING TO CHANGE THAT AND ADD A LAYER OF SUPERVISION TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT'S ON CALL AT ALL TIMES.
THAT'S, THAT'S AT THE STATION AT ALL TIMES.
THAT'S OVERSEEING OUR OPERATIONS FROM A MUCH BROADER PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE ONGOING ISSUE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS NOT GETTING RESOLVED.
YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S WATCHING THE CALL LOAD FROM A THOUSAND FOOT PERSPECTIVE HAS RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAVE GONE TO THIS LOCATION THREE TIMES.
AND IT MAY NOT BE LOUD MUSIC, MAYBE IT'S A FAMILY DISTURBANCE OR A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WORLD FROM A, NOT JUST FROM CALL TO CALL TO CALL, BUT FROM A BIGGER PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO WE'VE PUT, WE'VE JUST DONE THIS, THIS IS WHY WE'RE, WE'RE CREATING THE DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION IS TO PUT THOSE CAPTAINS ON SHIFT SO THAT THEY ARE OVERSEEING THESE OPERATIONS.
AND SO THAT COUNCIL CITIZENS, EVERYONE HAS SOMEONE TO CONTACT THAT IS IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE CITY, NOT JUST IN CHARGE OF THAT CALL.
SO IT'S STUFF, IT'S CALLS LIKE THAT THAT WE'RE TRYING
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TO ADDRESS THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE.YES, THAT'S A WASTE OF RESOURCES.
YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE THREE TIMES NOW.
ONE TIME WOULD'VE BEEN SAVING RESOURCES.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THE RESTRUCTURE OF OUR, OR THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.
UM, BUT I DO, I THE NEIGHBORS ARE ANNOYING.
ALL BE ALIVE FOR THE PROTECT YOUR, YOU STAND ON FACEBOOK, WASTE YOUR TIME, DO IT MAYBE, AND JUST SOMEONE ELSE, YOUR, YOUR ON YOUR CLOSE COMPLAINT IS THIS PERSON CALLED, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SOMEONE OTHER THAN BOOMBOX IS THE SLING I USE.
BUT THAT, UM, THAT GOES TO MUSIC NOW, LOUD VEHICLES, LIKE THE ONES WHERE YOU HEAR BACKFIRING POPPING, THERE IS A VIOLATION FOR THOSE AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S NOT IN THE ORDINANCE OF THE BOOMBOX VIOLATION.
IT'S A DIFFERENT, UH, LAW THAT WE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD BAN EXTERIOR SPEAKERS.
I MEAN, THE VIOLATION ISN'T THE FACT THAT THERE'S NOISE BEING EMITTED FROM THE MOTOR VEHICLE OR FROM A STATIONARY, UM, SPEAKER SYSTEM.
THE VIOLATION IS, IT'S AT A CERTAIN LEVEL THAT DISTURBS THE PEACE.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU COULD BAN AN EXTERIOR SPEAKER WITHOUT RUNNING FIRST AMENDMENT PROBLEMS. YEAH, IT'S WHEN THEY TURN THE SPEAKER, WHEN THEY TURN THAT SPEAKER ON BLAIR AND THE MUSIC, THEY, THEY HAVE COMMITTED THE VIOLATION.
SO WE HAVE SOMETHING, WE DO TRUCKS, WELL, WE DON'T BAN, BUT THEY HAVE SIGN LIMITATIONS, JUST LIKE WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIGN LIMITATIONS ON MOTOR VEHICLES.
AND SO THEY'RE LIMITATIONS, BUT THEY'RE NOT BANDS.
WELL, THAT'S NOT THE YEAH, THAT'S NOT WHAT THOSE PER PERMITS ARE FOR.
SO ON THAT SLIDE WHERE YOU SAID THAT I THINK WAS LIKE OVER 50 PERSON PEAK AT THE SAME END OF YOU SEE NOISE? NO, THERE'S 308 WERE REPEAT OFFENDERS, 308 OUTTA ROUGHLY, UH, 10,000 CALLS.
[00:30:01]
CORRECT FOR SURE.THAT'S WHEN, THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE RUNNING TECH.
NOW, CAN I SAY FOR SURE? NO, IT'S STILL OFFICER DISCRETION.
I CANNOT, I CANNOT BY LAW TELL AN OFFICER YOU SHALL WRITE A CITATION.
IT IS THEIR DISCRETION WHETHER THEY WRITE A CITATION.
NOW, I ALSO HAVE DISCRETION TO FOLLOW UP AND MAIL THEM A CITATION THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROGRAM, WHICH WE DO.
BUT THE OFFICER SHOWING UP AT THE SCENE, UH, I CANNOT TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE TO WRITE A CITATION OR THAT, UM, PRESENTED ARE WE KEEPING TRACK WENT TO THIS HOME THREE, YOU KNOW, THIRD TIME, THE THIRD IS THAT PART OF THAT, UM, REPEAT OFFENDER? SO YEAH, SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE AN OFFICER ON THE STREET AND YOU GET A CALL AND LET'S SAY YOU WEREN'T THE OFFICER THAT RESPONDED TO THE HOUSE FOR THE THIRD TIME, BUT YOU GET A CALL IN THE NOTES, IT WILL HAVE HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE BEEN THERE.
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S THE SAME NIGHT, THEY WOULD BE NOTIFIED.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE TONIGHT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA INDICATE THAT OFFICERS BEEN HERE.
AND WHEN I SAY REPEAT OFFENDERS, I DON'T MEAN THE SAME NIGHT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A, WE KEEP TRACK OF HOUSES THAT WE'RE HAVING ONGOING MUSIC, SO MAYBE IT'S ONE WEEKEND AND THEN TWO WEEKENDS LATER, UH, WE KEEP TRACK OF THOSE HOUSES AND WE TRY TO DIRECT THE NPOS TO ADDRESS THOSE.
ARE THOSE HOMES ASSOCIATED TO TERM RENTALS? UH, I DIDN'T PULL THAT STATS.
I I WOULD SAY IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S EVERYBODY.
IT COULD BE SHORT TERM RENTAL, IT COULD BE, UM, IT COULD BE, UM, A RENT HOUSE.
IT COULD BE A HOMEOWNER, IT WOULD BE ALL, I THINK MOST SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE PRETTY STRICT ABOUT LOUD MUSIC.
BUT CERTAINLY WE DO HAVE ISSUES AT SHORT TERM.
OKAY, WELL COMMITTEE, WHAT ARE WE THINKING? WELL, I'VE GOT SPUR NOISE
BUT THEY, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A HORRIBLE IDEA.
I I, I DON'T MEAN YOU PERSONALLY, BUT, UH, SUM TOPA INTERNAL CAMPAIGN THAT WE CAN REALLY PUSH FOR OFFICERS.
AND WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND IT'S WORKED.
UH, BUT THEN AGAIN, IT, IT IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY DO.
IT ALLOWED ME, AND AFTER THE RICK ODIN PARK INCIDENT, WE DEFINITELY GOT THEIR ATTENTION ON THIS BECAUSE THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO COMMAND STAFF THAT WE HAD CONCERT OUT THERE, A BAND PLAYING FOR FOUR HOURS.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE, AND, AND WE TALKED TO THOSE OFFICERS, VERY GOOD YOUNG, STRONG OFFICERS, FUTURE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEY, THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, WE DID THE BEST WE COULD.
WE'RE GOING TO A MILLION CALLS.
THIS WAS ONE OF, OF A MILLION CALLS.
WE TRIED TO RESOLVE IT, WE THOUGHT IT WAS RESOLVED.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST EMPHASIZING THE RIGHT DEBT CITATION.
UH, BUT WE ARE ISSUING TICKETS ON THAT, UH, I'LL SAY ON RICK ODEN PARK TOO.
WE DO HAVE THOSE, THOSE LOCATIONS THAT ARE CHRONIC PROBLEMS. AND RICK ODEN PARK HAS TURNED INTO A CHRONIC PROBLEM.
AND THE REASON IT'S TURNED INTO A CHRONIC PROBLEM IS BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF TURNED INTO A HANGOUT, NOT JUST A SKATE PARK WHERE PEOPLE COME TO SKATE.
IT'S WHERE TEENAGERS WANNA HANG OUT.
WITH THAT COMES THE BURNOUT VEHICLES, UH, THE LOUD MUSIC, UM, UH, MORE OF A CHRONIC PROBLEM.
SO THOSE LOCATIONS, WHICH WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WILL HIT VERY HARD.
WE'LL PUT, WE'LL ASSIGN AN OFFICER, NOT JUST EXTRA PATROL, BUT WE'LL SIGN AN OFFICER OR TWO OR THE NPOS TO VERY, TO HIT THAT WE'LL REALLY PUT SOME RESOURCES TO HIT THAT LOCATION HARD TO SEND THE MESSAGE.
AND WE, WE USUALLY SEE GOOD RESULTS FROM THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AT ARE INSTALLED.
THAT AND THE SOFA DOWN, THEY'RE IN TROUBLE.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT SENDING THE MESSAGE TO, TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT, HEY, THIS IS NO LONGER A HANGOUT.
THIS, THIS IS A PARK, THIS IS A SKATE PARK.
WE WANT YOU TO ENJOY IT, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST HANG OUT ALL HOURS OF NIGHT.
AS SOON AS THE KNOCK BOXES ARE IN THE MARSHALS WILL BEGIN TO LOCK THOSE GATES AND HOPEFULLY RESOLVE SOME OF THESE NOISE ISSUES.
[00:36:14]
SURE.IT'S A CITYWIDE CAMPAIGN, INCREASING ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL, UH, ENCOURAGING OUR OFFICERS AND, UH, THE OFFICERS KNOW WE WE'LL EMPHASIZE THAT AND THEY SHOULD BE DOING THAT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THAT, LIKE CHIEF, JUST, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR THAT UH, ALTHOUGH THESE TWO ISSUES WERE FOR SCOPING, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE RESOLUTION, WE DON'T NEED TO COME BACK WITH COMMITTEE.
NO, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, YES.
WE'LL JUST UPDATE THE COUNCIL ON IT.
AND BACK TO THREE B, WHICH IS REVIEW POLICIES AND POSSIBLE POSSIBLE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS RELATED TO COMPLAINTS OF RANDOM GUNSHOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW LOUD MUSIC IS A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.
UH, THE GUNFIRE WE CONSIDER MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE.
IT IS A HIGHER PRIORITY, A CALL FOR US.
IT'S A HIGHER PRIORITY INCIDENT.
IT'S A MORE DANGEROUS INCIDENT, UM, WHEN WE RESPOND TO 'EM.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT'S PROBABLY MORE MADDENING TO ME AS POLICE CHIEF AND TO OUR OFFICERS IS IS WHAT YOU CALL CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE OR TERRORIST GUNFIRE OR WHATEVER NAME YOU WANT TO GIVE IT.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE THAN CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE.
BUT LET ME GO THROUGH THE LAWS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS SCOPING AND SO I, I'M JUST ANTICIPATING INFORMATION AND GIVING IT TO YOU.
BUT IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WE CAN COME BACK AND DISCUSS IT.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THE PENAL CODE SAYS FOR DISCHARGING A FIREARM IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES.
AND I WANTED TO POINT THIS OUT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME IMPORTANT NUANCES HERE, BUT A COMMER, A PERSON COMMIT AN OFFENSE IF THE PERSON RECKLESSLY DISCHARGES A FIREARM INSIDE THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF A CITY OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
AND I POINT OUT AN UNDERLINE THE WORD RECKLESSLY BECAUSE AN OFFICER HAS TO PROVE THAT ELEMENT OF THE CRIME IN ORDER TO ARREST AND CHARGE THEM FOR DISCHARGING
[00:40:01]
A FIREARM.SO IF YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM DALLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IF YOU HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S IN THEIR BACKYARD SHOOTING A GUN IN THE GROUND, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IS NOT RECKLESS.
AND THAT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFENSE UNDER THIS PENAL CODE, WHICH IS THE COUNTY LAW.
AND I'LL GET TO THE ORDINANCE IN A MINUTE.
UM, BUT EVEN IF WE, WE CAN FIND SOMEONE THAT IS SHOOTING A WEAPON, WE HAVE TO PROVE HOW THEY WERE FIRING THAT WEAPON TO PROVE THEY WERE FIRING IT IN A RECKLESS WAY.
AND THAT'S NOT OFTEN EASY TO DO.
IF WE GET A CALL, THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE WOODS, HE'S SHOOTING A GUN, WE GET OUT THERE, WE FIND THE INDIVIDUAL, HE ADMITS THE SHOOTING OF THE GUN, WE GOT HIM THERE WITH THE GUN, WE STILL HAVE TO PROVE THAT HE FIRED THAT GUN RECKLESSLY IN ORDER TO ARREST HIM AND CHARGE HIM WITH THE PENAL CODE VIOLATION OF THIS OFFENSE.
THERE IS A CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS NO PERSON MAY DISCHARGE A FIREARM RIFLE, SHOTGUN, RIFLE, REVOLVER IN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT THAT IS A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.
SO THAT IS A CITATION, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S NOT IN OUR VIEW.
SO IT'S JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE OF THE LAWS AND, AND JUST COMPLICATES HOW DIFFICULT IT IS ON THIS ISSUE.
EVEN WHEN WE DO CATCH 'EM, WE HAVE TO PROVE HOW THEY WERE SHOOTING THE WEAPON.
NOW, SOMETHING WE DID RECENTLY, WHICH IS GOING TO HELP, IS WE ADDED A PIECE TO OUR ORDINANCE THAT SAYS, ALSO, WE DON'T HAVE TO PROVE WHO EXACTLY WAS SHOOTING THE GUN.
IF YOU OWN RENT, LEASE POSSESSION, CONTROL OF PROPERTY, AND YOU SUFFER OR PERMIT THIS VIOLATION, THEN WE CAN ISSUE THE CITATION TO THE HOMEOWNER OR THE PERSON THAT'S IN CONTROL OF THE PROPERTY.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE EXACT PERSON THAT WAS SHOOTING THE FIREARM.
SO THAT'S GONNA, THAT'S GONNA HELP, THAT'S A RECENT ADDITION TO THE ORDINANCE.
UH, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON TOO, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVING GUNS IS RELATIVE THIS TO THIS DISCUSSION.
AND IF YOU GO BACK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG OFFICER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, YOU COULD NOT DRIVE AROUND THE CITY WITH A PISTOL.
UNLESS YOU WERE DOING SOME SPECIFIC THINGS LIKE GOING TO A SHOOTING RANGE OR TRAVELING OR DOING SOMETHING SPECIFIC, YOU COULD NOT CARRY A PISTOL ON YOU.
NOW THAT CHANGED, THAT CHANGED WITH THE, UM, THE PERMITS.
SO THEN IT CHANGED TO, YOU COULD HAVE A PERMIT AND CARRY A PISTOL ON YOU AND YOU COULD CARRY A PISTOL ON YOUR, YOUR PERSON.
THAT THEN EVOLVED TO CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY.
AND NOW PEOPLE CAN CARRY, UH, FIREARMS OR PISTOLS, HANDGUNS SPECIFICALLY FOR CAN HANDGUNS IN THE OPEN.
SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE EVOLUTION OF, OF WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HANDGUNS, WHICH IS WHERE WE GET MOST OF THESE, THESE, UH, OFFENSES.
BUT WHAT HAS REALLY CHANGED AND, AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN SOME RESULTS ON IS THE CHANGE ON THE AGE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS THE MOST RECENT CHANGE.
NOW THIS IS I THINK FOUR YEARS AGO NOW.
BUT TO UNLAWFULLY CARRY A WEAPON, UH, YOU HAVE TO INTENTIONALLY, KNOWINGLY OR RECKLESSLY CARRY ON OR ABOUT HIS OR HER PERSON A HANDGUN.
AND AT THE TIME THE OFFENSE IS YOUNGER THAN THAT WENT FROM 21 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE OR IS CONVICTED OF, OF SOME OF THESE FELONIES.
BUT THEN THERE WAS AN ADDITION TO THAT, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU AND IS NOT, AND I'LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS MEANS 'CAUSE THIS IS VERY COMPLICATED.
SO IF YOU'RE CARRYING A HANDGUN AND YOU'RE NOT ON THE PERSON'S PREMISES OR PREMISES UNDER THE PERSON IN CONTROL OR INSIDE OR DIRECTLY EN ROUTE TO A MOTOR VEHICLE OR WATERCRAFT THAT IS OWNED BY THE PERSON OR UNDER THE PERSON'S CONTROL.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF YOU ARE A 16-YEAR-OLD KID AND YOU'RE DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH A DRIVER'S LICENSE, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A HANDGUN.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, TO ENFORCE.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW KIND OF THE LAW HAS EVOLVED.
AND WE ARE SEEING MORE YOUNG MEN, YOUNG WOMEN, MAINLY YOUNG MEN, TO YOUR POINT EARLIER WITH HANDGUNS 15, 16, 17 YEARS OLD NOW, NOW THE UCW LAW HAS BECOME SO COMPLICATED FOR US AS OFFICERS, EVEN ME AS A CHIEF, I HAVE TO READ A CHART TO UNDERSTAND WHEN WE CAN ENFORCE UCW AND WHEN WE CANNOT.
SO WE HAVE PROVIDED OUR OFFICERS WITH THIS EXACT CHART.
I THINK MIKE BETSON MAY EVEN HAD A PIECE IN PLAYING IN CREATING THIS CHART,
[00:45:02]
THIS MATRIX TO FINALLY GET TO UCW.UH, THE UCW LAWS HAVE GOTTEN SO COMPLICATED FOR OUR OFFICERS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN SOMEONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO, TO WALK AROUND WITH A GUN ON 'EM, HANDGUN ON THEM.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A LONG EXPLANATION, BUT AWESOME.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS BACK, BACK IN MY YOUNGER OFFICER WAS GETTING GUNS OFF THE STREETS, BUT NOW IT'S, WE HAVE TO KIND OF FOCUS DIFFERENT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT ENGAGING IN DISCUSSION ON WHAT THE LAW SHOULD BE OR WHAT IT SHOULD NOT BE.
THAT'S NOT MY PLACE AS POLICE CHIEF.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT THE LAW IS AND SOME OF THE RESULTS WE'RE SEEING OF THAT LAW.
AND SO OUR, HERE'S OUR GUNSHOT DISTURBANCES AGAIN, FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
UH, BUT TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE, 13,000 IN 10 YEAR PERIOD.
UH, DISCHARGING, UH, REPORTS WE DID, WERE ABOUT 1300.
WE'VE MADE 82 ARRESTS FOR DISCHARGING A FIREARM.
UH, OUR, OUR CRIME ANALYST AL ALSO PUT TOGETHER THE RESULTS OF THOSE ARRESTS.
UH, IS THAT 10 JUVENILE, 10 ARE JUVENILE CASES, WHICH ARE HANDLED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
AND DON'T TAKE DISMISSED AS THEY ARE DISMISSED.
A LOT OF TIMES THERE MAY BE OTHER CHARGES THAT WE FILED AT THE SAME TIME, AND SO THEY MAY DISMISS SOME CHARGES AND KEEP THE OTHER CHARGES.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY JUST WENT AWAY.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE 80, 82 OFFENSES, 10 OFFENSES IN A YEAR.
UH, I THINK WE'VE, I GOT SOME MORE STATS HERE.
EVERY, WE HAVE A, UM, A CRIME MEETING ONCE A MONTH IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE TALK ABOUT GUNSHOT CALLS AND TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE SEEING THOSE CALLS.
I CAN TELL YOU THE MAP LOOKS LIKE THIS EVERY TIME, WHICH IS EVERYWHERE.
EVERY, ALL OVER THE CITY WILL GET GUNSHOT DISTURBANCE CALLS.
SO LET ME GO THROUGH SOME EXAMPLES TO KINDA SHOW YOU WHY THIS IS SO DIFFICULT FOR US.
HERE IS YOUR TYPICAL, AND I PULLED THESE UP JUST FROM LAST MONTH.
THIS IS NOT A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, LET ME SEE ALL THE GUNSHOT DISTURBANCE CALLS THAT WE HAD IN MAY.
SO I CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, BUT THIS IS THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE SEE.
I HEARD GUNSHOTS, THE SOUTHEAST OF ME.
THAT'S WHAT WE GET MOST OF THE TIME.
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT.
HEY, I HEARD A BUNCH OF GUNSHOTS.
I THOUGHT THIS ONE WAS INTERESTING.
THIS ONE WAS MAY 3RD, HEARD EIGHT GUNSHOTS, DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, JUST HEARD 'EM.
THEY'RE PROBABLY COMING FROM WILLIAM'S FUNERAL HOME.
SECOND CALLER ON THE SAME INCIDENT I HEARD 13 TO 12 GUNSHOTS.
IT'S KIND OF A ODD NUMBER, BUT 13 TO 12 WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO SAME CALL, ONE SAYING IT'S AT THE FUNERAL HOME.
ONE SAYING THAT IT'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACROSS FROM GARLAND ROAD.
A THIRD CALLER SAYS IT WAS 20 TO 25 GUNSHOTS COMING FROM CENTRAL PARK.
AND THEN A FOURTH CALLER SAYS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THEY WERE, I JUST HEARD A BUNCH OF GUNSHOTS.
SO EVEN ONE INCIDENT YOU CAN SEE, UH, WE'RE CHASING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THEN THE OFFICER FINDS NOTHING.
UH, SO VERY DIFFICULT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A WITNESS TO THE OFFENSE.
HERE'S ANOTHER INTERESTING THAT OCCURRED ON MAY 2ND.
UH, GUNSHOTS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE DISPATCH LOCATIONS.
DIDN'T SEE ANYONE SHOOTING BUT HEARD FIVE SHOTS.
THEN TWO MORE ADVISED, THERE'S TWO TRUCKS IN THE PARK.
OFFICER GETS THERE, IT'S A BIRTHDAY PARTY AND THEY'RE POPPING BALLOONS.
AND THAT'S, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT'S MOST OF THEM, BUT WE DO GET A LOT OF FALSE GUNSHOT ALARMS. MM-HMM
UM, HEARD A BUNCH OF GUNSHOTS.
HEARD 70 10 GUNSHOTS AND SAW A VEHICLE DRIVING OFF.
NOW THIS ONE YOU CAN SEE AT THE END, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
AND SO WHEN WE FIND SHELL CASINGS, AND THAT'S WHY WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STILL CALL US BECAUSE WE WANT THOSE SHELL CASINGS.
WHEN WE FIND THOSE SHELL CASINGS, WE HAVE OUR OWN NIBIN SYSTEM.
EACH GUN HAS ITS OWN FINGERPRINT AND THAT FINGERPRINT IS THAT SHELL CASING.
SO WE TAKE THAT SHELL CASING, WE ENTER IT INTO OUR NIBIN SYSTEM.
AND EVEN IF WE CAN'T SOLVE THAT CRIME TODAY, UM, WE HAVE THAT LINK TO ONE DAY IF WE GET THAT GUN.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IN A SECOND.
SO HERE ARE OUR PAST FIVE ARRESTS
[00:50:01]
THAT WE'VE MADE.APARTMENT MANAGER CONTACTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICER SAID A TETANUS TENANT WITNESSED SOMEONE SHOOTING A FIREARM.
THE OFFICER INVESTIGATED IT AND MADE AN ARREST ON 5 31.
THIS WAS AT THE SKATE PARK, MULTIPLE SHOTS FROM A VEHICLE AND WE GOT A LICENSE PLATE.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'VE GOT A WITNESS, WE'VE GOT A LICENSE PLATE, WE GOT THE, THE, UM, SHELL CASINGS ENTERED INTO BINS.
THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT NOW WE CAN SOLVE THAT CRIME USING FLOCK, USING THE SHELL CASINGS.
WE'RE ABLE TO LINK THAT VEHICLE TO A PERSON, WE'RE ABLE TO LINK THAT PERSON TO THE FIREARM AND WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THAT ARREST.
I JUST WANNA AND THEN ONE YES.
AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN A MINUTE TOO OF, OF THIS.
SO WE CAN, AND WE'VE TAKEN, WE HAVE GOTTEN FIREARMS THAT WE'VE LINKED HOMICIDES IN DALLAS 10 YEARS AGO.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT'S PERSON THAT HAS THE GUN NOW, UH, IS THE PERSON THAT COMMITTED THE HOMICIDE, BUT IT MEANS WE HAVE THE MURDER WEAPON AND UH, IT'S JUST A PIECE TO SOLVE THE CRIME.
UH, AGAIN, 8 18, 25 AUGUST METAL LOCK APARTMENTS, 13-YEAR-OLD IN THE PARKING LOT SHOOTING A FIREARM.
OFFICERS WERE IN ON THE SCENE WITHIN SECONDS AND HE WAS ARRESTED.
I THINK YOU GET THE POINT HERE.
UH, LOOK AT THE MIDDLE ONE HERE.
OR I GUESS THIS IS ALL ONE WITNESS CALLED AND OBSERVED TWO JUVENILES SHOOTING A GUN.
UH, WE OBTAINED THE LICENSE PLATE AND WE PUT IT INTO FLOCK.
WE CAN TELL ALL THE OFFICERS ACROSS THE CITY, HEY, WHEN THIS CROSSES A FLOCK, WE WANT YOU ON THIS VEHICLE.
HE'S OUT THERE SHOOTING A GUN.
WE GOT A FLOCK HIT, THE OFFICERS MERGED ON THE SUSPECT.
WE ARRESTED THE TWO KIDS, 16 AND 17 YEARS OLD AND WE WERE ABLE TO LINK THOSE THAT SHELL CASING TO SEVEN OTHER DISCHARGING OF FIREARM CASES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND WE'RE FOLLOWING MULTIPLE CASES ON THESE KIDS, INCLUDING JULY, MULTIPLE IN JULY, AUGUST.
SO THEY WERE JUST DRIVING AROUND SHOOTING THEIR GUN OFF.
BUT 'CAUSE OF THE IVAN SYSTEM AND BECAUSE OF THE FLOCK SYSTEM, WE COULD PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, ARREST HIM, GET THE GUN AND FILE THE CASES.
SO IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE MADE 130 ARRESTS FOR DISCHARGING A FIREARM.
UH, 20 OF THOSE ARRESTS HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
I DID AN ANALYSIS ON 2023 AND I CAN LINK THOSE TO THREE CATEGORIES.
15 OF THOSE ARRESTS WERE DUE TO WITNESS IDENTIFICATION.
FIVE WERE DUE TO, UH, THE OFFICER IN THE AREA AND HEARING THE GUNSHOTS.
AND FIVE WERE DUE TO TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE ABLE TO USE FLOCK AND IVINS, FIND THE INDIVIDUALS AND MAKE THE ARREST CUR CURIOUS ABOUT THE AGE DISTRIBUTION OF WHO WE ARRESTED.
WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS 99 YEARS OLD, OLD THAT WAS OUT HIS BUTT IN JAIL.
HE WAS UPSET WITH HIS NEIGHBORS AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT
SO I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR A SCOPING MEETING, BUT I TRIED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
WELL COMMITTEE, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? SO THIS UM, AND IT WAS MOSTLY FOR, UM, SO IT'S, I STRUGGLE TO KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE TALE BUT ALSO LIKE IT'S THE BENEFIT OF THAT.
[00:55:01]
THE BENEFIT WOULD BE YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S CALLING.SO MAYBE WE CAN PINPOINT THE LOCATION.
THE BENEFIT IS FOR THE HEAT MAT, BUT THE REAL BENEFITS FOR THOSE SHELL CASINGS, IF WE CAN LOCATE THOSE SHELL CASINGS, WE CAN GET THOSE INTO VINS.
AND MAYBE WE DON'T SOLVE IT THAT NIGHT, BUT MAYBE A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN WE CATCH THESE KIDS AND THEY'VE GOT A GUN ON 'EM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO ARREST SOMEONE FOR MAYBE A TRAFFIC VIOLATION AND THEY, AND OR SOME OTHER OFFENSE AND, AND THEIR GUN'S LINKED TO A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND WE SEIZE THAT GUN AND WE SHOOT THE GUN FOR BANS AND WE CAN LINK IT BACK TO, TO AN INCIDENT.
SO I, IT'S FOR THOSE SHELL CASINGS AND TRACKING THOSE SHELL CASINGS PROBABLY IS THE MAIN REASON TO CALL.
BUT IT ALSO COULD BE A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION THAN SOME SIMPLY DISCHARGING A FIREARM.
WE WANT YOU TO CALL, UM, THE STREET RACE LAW.
IT SHOOTINGS ARE GOING ON BECAUSE WE'VE GOT
I I WOULD NOT COMPARE THIS TO LOUD MUSIC.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD LOUD MUSIC, IF YOU HAD SOMEONE WITH THE LOUD MUSIC DRIVING DOWN YOUR ROAD, I WOULD SAY DON'T CALL US BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE PAST YOU BEFORE, BEFORE WE CAN GET OUT THERE.
BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT FOR GUNSHOTS.
GUNSHOTS ARE A TRUE SAFETY ISSUE.
THOSE BULLETS ARE COMING DOWN SOMEWHERE.
THERE MAY BE OTHER CRIMINAL OFFENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU HEAR GUNSHOTS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T WITNESS IT AND CAN'T PINPOINT IT, CALL US AND LET US KNOW IF YOU WANNA CALL THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER, THAT THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE 9 1 1 LINE IF IT'S NOT AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY.
UH, BUT IF YOU HEAR GUNSHOTS, THEN CALL US.
AND AS A REMINDER, THE, THE, OUR OFFICER THAT WAS SHOT LAST YEAR WAS RESPONDING TO A GUNSHOT DISTURBANCE CALL.
AND SO THESE, YOU KNOW, AT THE VERY LEAST, IF IT'S A REAL GUNSHOT DISTURBANCE, IT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A FIREARM SHOOTING IT SOMEWHERE THAT IS DANGEROUS.
WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION EVEN IF IT'S JUST SHOWING UP SO THAT THEY KNOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR 'EM, UH, TO, TO AT LEAST SLOW THAT DOWN.
AND WE, WE DO THAT, WE DO THAT EVERY
[01:00:01]
YEAR.WE HAVE A VIDEO WE SEND OUT EVERY YEAR.
I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DO THIS, BUT WE DO HAVE, IT IS A BIG BLAST.
WE DO EVERY YEAR FOR GUNSHOTS.
WE'D USUALLY DO IT RIGHT BEFORE NEW YEAR'S EVE 'CAUSE THAT'S OUR PROBLEM.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY IF THERE'S IT WOULD BE RIGHT, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, DEFINITELY.
IT DEPENDS USUALLY NOT IF, IF IT COMES IN AS I'M HEARING GUNSHOTS, THEN NO, THAT'S NOT A PARTY CALL.
WELL, I MEAN IF SOMEONE'S LIKE, IF IF HE COMES IN, HEY I'VE GOT SOMEONE OUT IN FRONT OF ME, MY HOUSE SHOOTING A GUN, THEN YES, THAT WILL COME.
IT DEPENDS ON, ON THE NOTES OF THE CALL.
THAT'S EXACTLY CAN GIVE IT WHEREVER YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GIVE
GIVING THEM EVERY CIGARETTE COMMITTEE.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? UH, THIS IS A SCOPING DISCUSSION, BUT UH, DO WE THINK THAT WE HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, A FINAL RESOLUTION ON IT? WE, I A WORK SESSION? YEAH.
UH, DO YOU CONCUR WITH THAT MARGARET? I DO.
SO LET'S HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE PMR LOOK AT MAYBE HAVING SOMETHING FOR A, UH, LITTLE MORE OUTREACH, SOMETHING CATCHY FOR PEOPLE AND THEN, AND THEN MAGIC.
THEY, THEY CAN COME UP, THEY'LL DO SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE'LL RESOLVE IT.
AND WE'LL REPORT THIS OUT ALSO.
AND MAYBE WE ALSO, DON'T START WITH ME.
WE CAN CERTAINLY JUST, JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WITH THAT IS THIS IS TEXAS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE THINGS TO, UM, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO CHANGE.
AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT CRACKING OPEN ANY OF THE LAWS RELATED TO GUNS IN TEXAS
[01:05:01]
IS PROBABLY NOT A, A GOOD PLACE TO START WHEN WE HAVE OTHER THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON LEGISLATIVELY AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA GET ANYWHERE OTHER THAN TO UM, PUT A TARGET ON YOUR BACK FOR DOING THAT.THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
WELL WE'LL TALK TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, UM, UH, LIAISONS SINCE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UM, I THINK THAT'S OUR LAST ITEM, ISN'T IT? OKAY, WELL THEN I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, THANK OUR OUTGOING, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER MARGARET LT.
THIS WILL BE HER LAST MEETING WITH US, BUT WE HAVE A INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBER SE THANK YOU.
SO, BUT UM, WITH THAT AND NO OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 10 0 7.