11/19/2014 Board of Public Safety Minutes

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AGENDA REVIEW SESSION NOVEMBER 19.2014 75 The Board ofPublic Safety mat in the Public Agenda Session at 8:07 a.m. on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 in the Auditorium, South Bend Police Station, 701 W. Sample St., South Bend, Indiana, with Board President Laura Vasquez and Board Members Eddie Miller, John Collins, Luther Taylor, and Daniel Jones present. Also present was Fire Chief Stephen Cox, Police Chief Ronald Tcachman, and Attorney Tasha Outlaw. Board members discussed the following agenda items: .Police Department Approve Hiring of Probationary Police Officers and Swearing In Chief Ronald Teachman stated the seven (7) candidates being sworn in just graduated from the Police Academy one and a half weeks ago and there are six (6) new candidates that are starting this week. - Set Hearing of Disciplinary Charges — Theodore Robert Attorney Cory Hamel stated the Board received copies of the letter from Chief Teachman requesting Theodore Robert be terminated from the Police Department. He added the request for termination is forjust cause. At the request of Mr. Robert, the Board now needs to set a date for a hearing fourteen to thirty days from the date of the request for the bearing. - Discuss Changes to Duty Manual General Orders Chief Ronald Teachman stated that back in January the Police Department went live with Shot Spotter, but never formally gave a policy on it. Chief Teachman noted the key element of the policy is very temperate from what it offers. When the Police respond to a call, after all the investigation is done, they want the officers to go from home to home asking if anyone saw anything. He noted the citizen report of gunshots fired is 8 %meaningthe Police are 92% unaware of gun shots fired. When the Police don't show up after gunfire, people think you don't care for various reasons. Shot spotter has bypassed this inaccuracy. Chief Teachman explained that recognition of gunshots is aproblem forgetting calls. People figure the neighbor will call, they're afraid of retaliation, or they're resigned to gun shots in their neighborhood. He explained there are 92% more gunshots than the police thought, and people get desensitized to gunshots. The new Shot Spatter Policy will show the Police care and make the citizens fcel safer. Assistant Chief Scott Ruszkowski stated it is unprecedented anywhere in the country to knock on doors. He added it's not an option, it's required and it has proven huge dividends. Chief Teachman added that people are now calling to report gunshots a third of the time. He added "We are changing the relationship with the community ". Chief Teachman stated the manufacturer, Shot Spotter, is so pleased with our success and our policy they are offering us placement in a 4`h square mile for free. He noted currently the equipment is placed in a three (3) square mile area that accounts for 55% of murders. Chief Teachman stated they don't publish the maps, because the criminals tend to avoid the area if they do. He added the equipment needs tall buildings and power poles above tree lines for good coverage. Mr. Collins asked if neighborhood watch groups are still being used. Chief Teachman stated they are. He went on to inform the Board that there has been a 38% reduction in shots fired since May 15, 2014. Chief Teachman stated it takes an average of thirty (30) seconds to get a confirmed call for a gunshot via Shot Spotter, versus an average of three (3) minutes for a phone call from a citizen. Chief Ruszkowski added the report goes right to the Police car and will map it, so it can be determined who shot first - Approve Changes to Duty Manual General Orders Assistant Chief Scott Ruszkowski stated they have come up with a uniform policy to prevent Police patches being sewn on to any type of clothing, adding they need to look and act like cops. Mr. Collins corrected him, stating they need to look like law enforcement professionals, not cops. Mr. Taylor stated they should be commended for this. Chief Ruskowski noted the policy addresses everything you can think of from sweaters to ball caps, etc. He added there was a need. for the policy to be spelled out and the majority of it came from the FOP. Attorney Cory Hamel stated the Retail. Theft Policy is not in a form ready for the duty manual, and he is not even sure it belongs in the duty manual. It is mainly a set of instructions for businesses to follow with very few rules that Police need to follow. Mr. Hamel asked that it be removed from the agenda. - Special Police Commissions Chief Teachman stated every Thursday in this room they bring together all groups involved in preventing crime from DC1S, Fire, State, and local policing agencies, Mishawaka, etc. He stated it has been a good move. Chief Teachman noted Code Enforcement often first encounters thieves in abandoned homes stripping the home of copper wire or other valuable property, and they need to be trained in self - defense. Chief Cox stated they met to discuss proper training for fire investigators also