HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.4 PoliceSvResponseDHS
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CITY CLERK
File # D~~[Q]-@[Q]
AGENDA STATEMENT- .
- CITY COUNCIL MEETING'O.ATE: February'.3,1998
SUBJECT:
Report on Police Service Response to Dublin High School
Report Prepared by: Gary Thuman, Police Chief
EXIDBITS ATTACHED:
Resolution acknowledging Alameda County Sheriff s Department &
the Deputy Sheriff's Association
RECO:MMENDATION: ~ ^ /1) AcceptReport;
t t /' '/,A) y 2) Adopt Resolution
FINANCIAL STATEMENT:
This program involves no additional cost to the City.
DESCRIPTION: During the 1997-98 Budget Hearings, the City Council considered,
but did not fund, a higher service level which would have created a position of School Resource Officer
(SRO). The SRO as proposed would have provided the following service enhancements: 1) provide one
dedicated Officer to respond to the law enforcement needs of the Dublin Unified School District on the
campus of Dublin High School in order to maintain a safe and secure environment for staff and students,
2) enhance the current anti-truancy program, and 3) provide additional patrol time. The first year labor
and equipment costs associated with this proposed position were estimated at approximately $138,000.
- Typically, school districts that have utilized an SRO pay all or a portion of the costs associated with the
position; however, due to fiscal constraints Dublin Unified School District was unable to pay a portion of
the cost.
Subsequent to the City's Budget Hearing, the City Council/School Board Liaison Committee requested
City and School District Staff to identify what service needs were not being met at the High School. As a
result of meetings between the High School Principal and Dublin Police Services Staff, several issues
were identified. First, there is a perception that calls for service are handled differently depending on
which officer responds to the call at the High School. For example, one officer might arrest a student for
a particular violation, whereas another officer might write a citation for a similar offense. Second, work
hours of the beat officer were not consistent with school hours. As a result, one officer might respond to a
call in the morning and a different officer might respond in the late afternoon. Third, beat officers often
- had days off in the middle of the week. Consequently, school staff and students had to deal with different
officers on a frequent basis.
Typically, areas near high schools present law enforcement challenges that extend beyond the school site
itself. High schools are characterized by high traffic volumes and a disproportionate occurrence of certain
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COPIES TO:
ITEM NO.
8.4
G:\CC-MTGS\98--QTRl \FEBRUAR Y\2-3-98\AS-DHS.DOC
crimes, such as vandalism, petty thief, truancy, drug use, alcohol use, etc. For law enforcement purpos)s, ~......
it is efficient to consider a high school zone of influence as an enforcement or safety beat/zone. To the
greatest extent possible, a patrol officer within a safety beat/zone endeavors to understand the inter-
relationship of the various factors within that zone. Giventhe nature of the High School's concerns and
the problems that are typically faced around.high'schools, Dublin Police Services has designated the beat .
which includes Dublin High School as a Community Public Safety ZOl,le. The.Police Department has also
designated the beat officer in that zone to be the primary"responder for service calls -th~t originate from the
zone. This position is staffed with an existing deputy whose _l)ours ~~r.e. modified to address the School
District's concerns. This deputy now works Monday through Friday WIth hours that approximate the
school day. By realigning the beat officer's work days and work hours, the Police Department is
confident this assignment will reduce th~number of different officers who respond to school initiated
service calls, improve consistency with enforcement at the High School, and improve the relationship
between the Police Department and the School District staff and students. Although this officer will be
the primary officer responding to calls at the school, it is important to note that there may be some
occasions where another officer would respond to the High School in the event the patrol officer assigned
. to the zone is on another call in progress. It is also important to note, that this officer will not be
permanently located at Dublin High School, but rather serves the High School as well as the surrounding
area
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Police Chief Gary Thuman has worked with the Alameda County Sheriffs Department and the Deputy
Sheriffs Association (DSA) to make the necessary changes in the shift schedule for the officer that will
work in this zone. With the cooperation of the Sheriff's Department and the DSA, the City was able to
implement the changes to the beat schedule/assignment in order to better meet the needs of the School
District.
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RESOLUTION NO. - 98
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY, OF DUBLIN .
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ACKNOWLEDGING THE ALAMEDA COUNTY S~~l!'S. DEPARTMENT, AND THE
DEPUTY SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR COOPERATION IN THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY PUBLIC SAFETY ZONE
WHEREAS, the Dublin Unified School District and Dublin Police Services have developed a
program to improve police services to Dublin High School; and
WHEREAS, Dublin Police Services has developed a Community Public Safety Zone in the
vicinity of Dublin High School with a dedicated officer to work in that zone; and
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WHEREAS, the Alameda County Sheriffs Department, and the Deputy Sheriffs' Association
have offered their full support to facilitate the program in order to meet the School District's needs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Dublin City Council offers their sincere thanks
and appreciation to the Alameda County Sheriff s Department, and the Deputy Sheriffs' Association for
their cooperation.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of
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, 1998.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Mayor
A TIEST:
City Clerk
H1cc-forms/reso,doc