HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-07-27MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
5:00 P.M. — Room B-8
Civic Center, 2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, California
Monday, July 27, 1998
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Dettloff called the adjourned regular meetings of the City Council and the
Redevelopment Agency of the City of Huntington Beach to order at 5:05 p.m. in Room B-8.
CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ROLL CALL
Present: Harman, Green, Dettloff, Bauer, Sullivan, Garofalo, Julien (arrived at 5:10 p.m.)
Absent: None
MOTION TO RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION - APPROVED (120.80)
A motion was made by Sullivan, second Harman, to recess the City Council to closed session
to consider the following item. The motion carried by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
Harman, Green, Dettloff, Bauer, Sullivan, Garofalo
NOES:
None
ABSENT:
Julien
Closed Session - City Council pursuant to Government.Code Section 54957.6 to meet with its
designated representatives, William Osness, Personnel Director, and Daniel Cassidy, Esquire,
Liebert, Cassidy and Frierson, regarding labor relations matters - meet and confer with the
following employee organizations: Marine Safety Officers' Association, Police Officers'
Association, Police Management Association, Municipal Employees' Association, Management
Employees' Organization, Huntington Beach Firefighters' Association, and Surf City Lifesaving
Employees' Association. (120.80)
RECONVENE
Mayor Dettloff reconvened the adjourned regular meetings of the City Council and
Redevelopment Agency at 5:55 p.m. with five members present. Julien arrived at 5:56 p.m.
and Bauer arrived at 5:58 p.m.
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Page 2 — Council/Agency Minutes — 07/27/98
(CITY COUNCIL) REVIEW OF REPORT PREPARED BY DAVID M. GRIFFITH &
ASSOCIATES ON THE OPERATIONAL REVIEW OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
The City Council considered a communication which responds to the Management and
Operations Analysis of the Huntington Beach Police Department prepared by David M.
Griffith & Associates dated July 27, 1998.
There were no questions of Mr. John Heiss, representative of David M. Griffith & Associates.
The Council thanked Mr. Heiss for his attendance.
Mr. Heiss then left the meeting as it was necessary for him to travel to the airport.
Police Chief Lowenberg reviewed each David M. Griffith & Associates recommendation and
each Huntington Beach Police Department recommendation as well as the Implementation
Schedule contained in the Management and Operations Analysis of the Huntington Beach
Police Department dated July 27, 1998.
Discussion was held regarding subjects within the document including police officer staffing
level, maintenance of the Mobile Task Force on a continuing basis, the feasibility of having the
cost of the Huntington Beach School Resource Officers reimbursed to the city by the school
district, the feasibility of the elimination of full investigation of all traffic incidents except injury
and hit-and-run accidents, reassignment of two of the four investigator positions assigned to the
Regional Narcotics Suppression Program (RNSP) to help reestablish the Mobile Task Force,
and assignment of one Civilian Domestic Violence Specialist to the General Investigation
Bureau's Crimes Against Persons Unit. Other recommendations discussed included the
subjects of the current type of correspondence sent to citizens regarding complaint
investigation, making the process of filing citizen complaints more open to and user friendly for
members of the public, training of professional standards unit investigation, and having area
specific expert legal counsel on an as needed basis for all internal affairs investigations.
City Attorney Hutton reported on the manner in which her deputy city attorneys work with the
Police Department regarding internal investigations which sometime result in grievances. She
stated that meetings on this matter between the Police�Chief and her office were going well.
City Attorney Hutton was requested to report on charter requirements in this regard.
Police Chief Lowenberg informed Council that information regarding citizens' complaints which
the Police Department currently sends to the state would be made available to the Council and
public. He reported on aspects of the report including initiating an in-house process to enhance
supervisor and management skills at the first line and middle management level, development
of a three-year training plan which integrates all training to be done within the department, and
the feasibility of moving toward transitioning the sworn position of management of the Technical
Services Division to a civilian manager.
Sergeant Pat Gildea responded to Councilmember Harman relative to Councilmember
Harman's reasons for agreeing with the consultant's recommendation that the Technical
Services Division Manager be a civilian manager.
Mayor Dettloff stated that she believed the Police Chief is in the position to manage the
administrative organization of his department.
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07/27/98 — Council/Agency Minutes — Page 3
City Administrator Silver spoke regarding the areas which Police Chief Lowenberg and he had
discussed relative to using expertise outside the department for functions such as purchasing.
The Police Chief stated his disagreement with the recommendation that two lieutenant
positions, one from the Administration Division and ,one from the Investigation Division, be
eliminated through attrition.
Police Chief Lowenberg stated that he believes the consultant report was so favorable due to
the caliber of employees in the Police Department. Mayor Dettloff stated that she believes an
excellent report was prepared by the consultant.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
CHUCK SCHEID commented on the Management and Operations Analysis of the Huntington
Beach Police Department prepared by David M. Griffith & Associates. He stated that he did not
believe a cost-effective analysis of the helicopter program had been made. Mr. Scheid
questioned the need for a full -service crime lab instead of using the funds for additional police
officers.
ADJOURNMENT - CITY COUNCIUREDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
The adjourned regular meetings of the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency of the City
of Huntington Beach were adjourned to Monday, August 3, 1998 at 5:00 p.m. in Room B-8,
Civic Center, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, California.
ATTEST:
City Clerk/Clerk
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk o the City
Council of the City of Huntington Beach
and Clerk of the Redevelopment Agency
of the City of Huntington Beach, California
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