Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of November 13, 2018
Title
DOWNTOWN SAFETY AND LATE NIGHT
ESTABLISHMENT MEASURES UPDATE
(Acting Chief of Police Milton McKinnon)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council receive and file the Downtown Safety and Late Night Establishment Measures update report.
Body
Background:
On June 7th, 2017, the City Council held a Code Enforcement Approach and Priorities Study Session. During this meeting, Council heard from several presenters from the Police Department, Community Development Department (Code Enforcement) and the Fire Department. The purpose of the study session was to provide information related to the actions each department was taking and how the departments were working together to mitigate issues on Pier Plaza. The City Council also heard from Greg Newman who represented Sharkeez, American Junkie, and Patrick Molloy’s. Newman provided a number of examples of what each business intended to implement or already had implemented, as well as a number of plans being developed to help mitigate Pier Plaza concerns, including:
• Eliminate two-for-one priced drinks (intend to implement)
• Eliminate large format drinks (intend to implement)
• Provide security shirts for all door personnel (intend to implement)
• Address lighting concerns inside each establishment (intend to implement)
• Implement and enforce the same dress code at each location (implemented)
• Implement communication system (intend to implement)
• Evaluate DJs, music format, music genre (intend to implement)
• Eliminate alcohol advertisement from social media (intend to implement)
• Implement “angel shot” guest safety feature (intend to implement)
Analysis:
Recently, the Downtown Subcommittee requested that the Police Department and Code Enforcement Division provide a subjective and objective comparison of Pier Plaza from summer 2017 versus summer 2018. The crime statistics comparing the two summer time periods are below.
Objective Comparisons
HBPD Statistics:
Summer 2017 vs. Summer 2018
As indicated above, statistically, overall crime in the downtown area is down. Notably, overall crime throughout the city was also lower.
Code Enforcement Statistics (not all statistics are related specifically to the downtown area):
Summer 2017 vs. Summer 2018
The above numbers represent the number of instances Code Enforcement (CE) staff addressed a concern. Of note is the low number of citations compared to the number of instances when a concern was addressed. This indicates that CE is aware of and actively mitigating concerns/issues and those concerns/issues rarely rise to the level of punitive actions, such as citations.
Subjective Comparisons
Police staff consistently state that Pier Plaza has become much safer, pleasant, and more “Family Friendly” over the past five to ten years. There are several areas that cannot be quantified, but are believed to have impacted crime and quality of life issues in and around Pier Plaza for the better:
• Since December 2017, HBPD has specific Police Officers assigned to the Pier Plaza area Thursday through Sunday evenings. In the past, due to staffing shortages, the Police Department was only able to staff the Plaza through the use of overtime. The assignment of officers, as opposed to varied officers working overtime provides continuity and familiarity of issues and concerns.
• The Police Department’s working relationship with the Downtown businesses continues to be an important component of our approach to impacting issues in the Downtown area. Officers, supervisors, and the Operations Division Commander, Lieutenant Scheid, ensure businesses are contacted when issues/concerns arise.
• The consensus is that Code Enforcement and Police staff attention to “small” issues mitigates/prevents larger concerns before they have an opportunity to materialize. This prevention based approach speaks to the broken windows theory, which is a criminological theory based on the academic theory by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling, that visible signs of crime, anti-social behavior, and civil disorder encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes. The theory suggests that policing methods addressing minor crimes such as vandalism, public drinking, etc. help to create an atmosphere of order and lawfulness, thereby preventing more serious crimes.
The Police Department asserts that enhanced enforcement and staff presence, including security guards, in and around the Plaza has made Downtown safer, but strongly supports and recommends the implementation of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) approach the City is considering. CPTED stands to make more sustainable and long-lasting improvements to downtown safety through comprehensive enhancements to lighting, pedestrian traffic flow, cleanliness and various aesthetic improvements, which will ultimately enhance the overall ambiance and “feel” of the Plaza. The importance of this community approach to crime prevention cannot be overstated as the City looks to make lasting changes that encourage a warm, inviting, and most importantly, safe experience.
Planning Commission CUP Reviews
Community Development and Police Department staff continue to coordinate in preparing tri-annual reports and reviews of on-sale alcohol establishments throughout the City for Planning Commission consideration. The second review for 2018 is scheduled for the Planning Commission’s November meeting covering the summer period, and no establishment meets the criteria for, or are recommended for further Conditional Use Permit (CUP) review. The October 16, 2018 Report can be viewed here <https://hermosabeach.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3701174&GUID=1163FA37-1E37-4527-90B9-A0FBC2B78AD3> (Attachment 1).
Restaurant/Alcohol Establishments
Acting Chief of Police McKinnon recently met with Ron and Greg Newman (Baja Sharkeez/Tower 12, Palmilla) to discuss what changes they and the owners of American Junkie and Patrick Malloy’s have implemented. The Newmans provided a PowerPoint (Attachment 2) and intend to address the Council at the November 13, 2018, Council meeting.
Topics will include:
• Modified Drink Specials
• Drink Menus
• Staff Uniforms
• Lighting in the Establishments
• Communication between Establishments
• Dress Codes
• DJs/Music
• Alcohol Advertising
• Guest Safety
General Plan Consistency:
Evaluation of the City’s enforcement and police responses to achieve safety goals is consistent with Goal 5 of the Safety Element: High-Quality police and fire protection services provided to residents and visitors and the following policies under Goal 5:
5.1 Crime deterrence: Regularly evaluate the incidence of crime and identify and implement measures to deter crime.
5.2 High level of response: Achieve optimal utilization of allocated public safety resources and provide desired levels of response, staffing, and protection within the community.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the recommended action.
Attachments:
1. Link to October 16, 2018 Report
2. PowerPoint Presentation provided by Ron/Greg Newman
Respectfully Submitted by: Milton McKinnon, Acting Chief of Police
Concur: Ken Robertson, Community Development Director
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager