HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7b. Police Department Annual Crime Report 2020-2021 Item 7b
Department: Police
Cost Center: 8001
For Agenda of: 8/16/2022
Placement: Business
Estimated Time: 60 Minutes
FROM: Rick Scott, Police Chief
Prepared By: Brian Amoroso, Administrative Captain
SUBJECT: POLICE DEPARTMENT 2020/2021 CRIME COMPARISON AND UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file the 2020/2021 Police Department Crime Report.
POLICY CONTEXT
The Police Department presents a crime report annually to the City Council that compares
crime to the previous year and provides a general update on department activities.
REPORT-IN-BRIEF
On August 16, 2022, staff will provide the City Council with a presentation (Attachment
A) and update regarding Police Department activities for 2021. This update will provide
Council with information regarding community outreach, crime, police operations,
homelessness, traffic, noise, and downtown activity. The purpose of the 2020/2021
Crime Report is to discuss crime trends and is not intended to be an operational or policy
overview of the Department.
At the conclusion of 2021, the Police Department saw a 10% increase in violent crime
and a 14% increase in property crime, resulting in a 13% increase in Part I crime overall
as compared to 2020. Part I crime increased 7% overall in 2021 when compared to 2019,
the last non-COVID year.
The presentation on August 16th will highlight the department’s success with crime
prevention efforts, review some of the challenges the department faced in 2021, detail
some of the reasons San Luis Obispo experienced increases in crimes, discuss the Police
Department’s continued community outreach, review noise related calls for service and
briefly discuss some of the ongoing challenges from 2021. At the beginning of FY 2022,
police staffing was at 91.5 FTEs. Sworn staffing allocation remained static through 2021,
however a new lead records clerk position was added and filled in early 2022. With
“authorized” staffing remaining nearly the same, the department faced a significant deficit
in “available” staffing, working severely shorthanded for a majority of the year.
DISCUSSION
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Item 7b
Community Outreach:
The Police Department is incredibly fortunate to have a community in San Luis Obispo
that is engaged in the dialogue and work related to the challenges, perceptions and critical
partnerships needed to establish a safer community. One of the Police Department’s
primary goals is to reduce harm. We reduce harm by reducing crime and victimization,
reducing traffic collisions, increasing multi-modal safety, strengthening our regional
partnerships, strengthening the health and well-being of our employees, and
strengthening our relationship with the community we serve.
To exceed our goal of reducing harm by strengthening our community/police relationship,
we continue to improve programs like the PAC (Police Advisory Committee) and the
Police Roundtable. Both collaborations helped build community trust, strengthen
partnerships with marginalized communities and increase lines of communications and
collaboration between Law Enforcement and community stakeholders. In 2022, Chief
Scott has begun reforming these work groups by bolstering their purpose and adding new
community partnerships to further build upon the success of the past and forge creative
paths for a stronger future.
In 2021, the Police Department continued the partnership with the City Homelessness
Response Manager and other City Departments, Transitions Mental Health, County
Behavioral Health, and the Sheriff’s Department to address concerns surrounding
homelessness and impacts within our community. This multi-agency approach has
proven to be a successful endeavor as we all look for reasonable, fair, and common -
sensed solutions to homelessness county-wide.
Lastly, police officers assigned to neighborhoods continued to focus proactive policing
efforts on current issues and neighborhood safety. Outreach was already in place, such
as the neighborhood officer program, neighborhood outreach and civility effort s, Cal Poly
partnerships, and those have and will continue to grow. The COVID-19 pandemic created
challenges in the neighborhoods as many families social distanced by staying at home
and the public health orders prohibited gatherings for most of the year. The second half
of 2021 saw life return to more “normal” patterns of activity, both downtown and
throughout the city.
Crime:
Like most cities in California, San Luis Obispo has seen a rise in crime in most categories
in 2021, largely due to the steep reduction in crime during 2020 caused by the pandemic,
coupled with reduced enforcement options available to officers as a result of legislative
changes, jail booking policies and bail reform.
San Luis Obispo experienced a 10% increase in violent crime and a 14% increase in
property crime, with a 13% increase in Part I* crime overall. Throughout 2021, the Police
Department saw a 32% decrease in the number of reported sexual assaults over 2020,
and a 27% decrease in commercial burglaries, while residential burglaries increased by
30%, vehicle theft increased by 49% and theft related calls (general and theft from
vehicle) increased 15%.
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Item 6b
PART I CRIMES (2020 vs. 2021)
Violent Crime Property Crime
2020 2021 % Change 2020 2021 % Change
Homicide 1 2 100%
Commercial
Burglary 171 125 -27%
Rape 37 25 -32%
Residential
Burglary 113 147 30%
Robbery 28 33 18% Theft from Vehicle 392 439 12%
Agg. Assault 139 165 19% Stolen Vehicle 117 174 49%
General Theft 827 959 16%
Total Year Violent 205 225 10%
Total Year
Property 1620 1844 14%
Total Part I Crime 1825 2069 13%
Table 1
PART I CRIMES (2019 vs. 2021)
Violent Crime Property Crime
2019 2021 % Change 2019 2021 % Change
Homicide 0 2 100%
Commercial
Burglary 173 125 -28%
Rape 39 25 -36%
Residential
Burglary 104 147 41%
Robbery 34 33 -3% Theft from Vehicle 434 439 1%
Agg. Assault 114 165 45% Stolen Vehicle 74 174 135%
General Theft 953 959 1%
Total Year Violent 187 225 20%
Total Year
Property 1738 1844 6%
Total Part I Crime 1925 2069 7%
Table 2
The COVID-19 pandemic is directly responsible for many of the call for service and crime
trends seen in 2021. During the height of the pandemic, officers were responding to
priority calls for service, but restricted in proactive enforcement as the Police Department
balanced continued enforcement with the need to maintain a healthy officer core to
respond to emergencies. As the community emerged from pandemic restrictions, activity
and calls for service returned to a more “normal” level. The most common call for service
in 2021 was 911 abandon phone calls, followed by suspicious circumstances, welfare
checks and disorderly individuals.
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Item 6b
Figure 1
The Police Department saw a large increase in calls for service in 2021, to the highest
total on record. Call volume increased 14% in 2021 from 2020 and 32% since 2009, with
officer staffing remaining virtually identical in the same timeframe.
9-1-1 ABANDON, 7727,
32%
Suspicious, 3793, 16%
Welfare Check, 2079, 9%
Disorderly, 2078, 8%
Assist Req, 2007, 8%
Alarm Audible, 1391, 6%
Trespassing, 1378, 6%
Loitering, 1262, 5%
Noise Party, 1190, 5%
ABAND VEHICLE, 1186,
5%
Top 10 Call Natures -2021
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Item 6b
Figure 2
Police Operations:
The Police Department began research, implementation and training of software used to
track stop data in accordance with AB953, the racial and identity profiling act (RIPA). Data
collection began on 01/01/2022 and the first reporting period will conclude on 12/31/2022,
with the final upload to the Department of Justice due in April of 2023; reportable data will
be available at that time for 2022 stop data.
Records:
In the Records Division, the number of reports processed increased from 5,685 in 2020
to 6220 in 2021 (9% increase). The number of citations processed by the Records
Division decreased from 3,215 in 2020 to 2751 in 2021 (14% decrease). The number of
Public Records Act requests decreased, from 66 in 2020 to 52 in 2021. Two records
clerks were in training for much of 2021 and have now completed the training program.
Property:
In the Property Division, the number of evidence items booked decreased from 7,551 in
2020 to 7,136 in 2021 (5.5% decrease). Discovery orders processed decreased from 939
in 2020 to 667 in 2021 (29% decrease). WatchGuard video s recorded increased from
54,877 in 2020 to 58,999 in 2021 (7.5% increase). WatchGuard Video/Cases booked in
as evidence increased from 1,253 in 2020 to 1,380 in 2021 (10% incre ase). The numbers
are by case number, not by the number of videos in each case, which can be upwards of
10-15 videos per case.
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Item 6b
Dispatch:
In the Communications Center, which managers 911 and non-emergency calls, the city
experienced an increase regarding the number of calls into the center. The number of
calls received increased by 6%, from 104,636 in 2020 to 110,787 in 2021. Calls for
service (Police and Fire combined) increased by 13% from 38,289 in 2020 to 43,138 in
2021. Dispatch has had several vacancies throughout 2021 due to retirements and
resignations. We hired several lateral dispatchers and they have quickly completed the
training program and become solo dispatchers.
Investigations:
In the Investigations Bureau, the number of cases assigned for follow up by an
Investigator decreased from 303 in 2020 to 296 in 2021 (2% decrease). The Special
Enforcement Team (SET – four Officers) has been staffed at 50% capacity for 2021, and
they have handled multiple complex investigations and special enforcement objectives
including the largest narcotics related seizure in Department history. The death of
Detective Benedetti and injury to Detective Orozco in 2021 had a significant effect on the
continuity of the bureau. The Investigations Bureau is back to full staffing but operating
at a reduced capacity as several employees continue to process the loss of Detective
Benedetti.
Staffing:
In 2021, the Department worked with significantly reduced staffing for most of the year
due to retirements, COVID leave including quarantine and illness, numerous long-term
on-duty injuries and recruitment and retention challenges. Several specialty units
operated at a reduced staffing level including CAT, Bicycle Teams, Special Enforcement
Team (SET), and the Traffic Unit.
During 2021, the Department hired nine (9) Officers, one Records Clerk and one
Dispatcher to fill vacancies. The Police Department lost approximately 25,853 hours due
to illness, vacation, on-duty injuries, and other assorted leave types. This total equates
to a loss of twelve and a half officers (21% of total officers) for the year. The average
uniformed officer handles roughly 900 calls for service per year assuming full staffing
levels. As a result of unscheduled vacancies, the department operated at approximately
70% capacity for a majority of the year, and even significantly lower at times. Patrol
staffing was largely made up by overtime which is not a long term or healthy strategy to
support operations.
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Item 6b
Figure 3
Hiring to fill vacancies was a priority in the second half of 2021. The Police Department
completed an updated recruiting video, strengthened our outreach on social media, and
implemented an aggressive recruitment drive including hiring bonuses for lateral
candidates. These efforts were highly successful, and we finished 2021 with all officer
positions filled, although several were in field training or attending the police academy.
We will be continuing to hire in 2022 to fill retirements, vacancies created by any officers
leaving the department and potential vacancies as several Officers (currently eight or
13%) remain on long-term industrial injury leave. Long term injuries create challenges
for the department as we are forced to work short for extended periods of time and must
fill shifts with overtime to maintain adequate staffing levels until the Officers return to work
or are medically retired.
Homelessness:
This past year the police department responded to numerous complaints regarding the
increase in transient camp occupancies and locations. In addition, park facilities have
become an area of concern as homeless individuals have attempted to camp in the parks,
erecting tents, and other structures. The Community Action Team, City Rangers and
patrol officers increased their presence in known transient camp locations and parks to
enforce municipal and penal code violations committed in their presence.
The challenge law enforcement often faces is when there is no law or city code violation
being committed, but there is considerable nuisance oriented or dangerous behavior.
Being homeless in a space open to the public is not a crime. We have continued to
educate and encourage the public and business owners to contact the police department
when they observe safety hazards or violations being committed.
43 (70%)
6 (9%)
12 (21%)
Sworn Officer Staffing 2021
Officers Vacancy Sick/IOD/Vacation
61 Total Officers
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Item 6b
COVID-19 continued to create additional challenges throughout the year as several court
rulings, temporary zero-bail reform, and statewide guidelines prevented the booking of
some offenders in the county jail. The Police Department worked closely with city staff to
conduct several large camp cleanups where hazardous and unsanitary conditions
existed.
The Police Department faced several challenges related to homelessness throughout
2021 including an extended closure of 40 Prado due to a COVID-19 outbreak, an ongoing
lawsuit related to homeless policies, procedures and enforcement, and the
announcement of the retirement of our dedicated social worker who partners with the CAT
team to provide homeless outreach and offering of services. He ultimately returned to
service with the Police Department in 2022 on a contract basis to help guide the direction
of the CAT team.
In evaluating calls for service pertaining to the homeless population during 2021 (to
include contacts as suspects, victims, or witnesses) these contacts increased by 97 for a
total of 7,441; an increase of 1% compared to 2020. In 2021 overall calls for service
increased by 14%. Homeless related calls for service accounted for 20% of all calls for
service citywide, down from 22% in 2020.
Figure 4
The Police Department continued to receive complaints regarding adverse behavior by
homeless individuals in the downtown, city parks and other facilities and in the creeks
and open space.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
City wide CFS Count 30818 30360 29974 31928 32738 33106 32421 31376 32,665 37124
Homeless CFS 4307 4645 4498 5503 6285 7102 7591 7032 7344 7441
% of Total 14%15%15%17%19%21%23%22%22%20%
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Homeless CFS vs. Total CFS
City wide CFS Count Homeless CFS % of Total
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Item 6b
Many of these behaviors can be attributed to substance abuse, ment al illness, or a
combination of both. In 2018, the Police Department added a full-time mental health
specialist to the Community Action Team (CAT). Transitions Mental Health Association
(TMHA) was awarded the contract from County Behavioral Health. After several
successful years of service, the mental health specialist left TMHA in early 2022. TMHA
is currently in the process of interviewing for two new mental health specialists to work
with our CAT team in the near future. Downtown homeless calls for service increased in
2021 by 166 calls to 1316, representing 18% of all downtown calls for service. Although
downtown homeless calls for service increased from 2020, they are still below the levels
seen each year since 2016.
Figure 5
Downtown:
Downtown calls for service increased by 21% in 2021, which was expected as COVID-19
restrictions were lifted, and community members returned to the downtown corridor for
shopping and recreation. The percentage of calls downtown related to total calls for
service remained steady at 10% for 2021 compared to 2020. Except for 2020, downtown
calls for service remain at the lowest levels seen in the past 10 years.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Citywide Homeless CFS 4307 4645 4498 5503 6285 7102 7591 7032 7344 7441
Downtown Homeless CFS 901 956 1016 1214 1404 1509 1557 1366 1150 1316
% of Total 21%21%23%22%22%21%21%19%16%18%
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
Downtown Homeless CFS vs. Citywide Homeless CFS
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Item 6b
Downtown safety will continue to be a priority for Bicycle Officers, CAT and all of our patrol
officers. In 2021, the department saw a modest 1% increase in officer -initiated calls,
which is directly attributed to the continued staffing challenges we faced at the Officer
rank throughout the year. Staffing has improved in early 2022 and we expect officer -
initiated calls to rise throughout the year.
Figure 6
Downtown officers continue to utilize crime prevention through environmental design
techniques while partnering with Public Works, Downtown SLO and local businesses to
improve conditions such as lighting, landscape, building maintenance, fencing,
programming, and traffic flow. By addressing some of these issues the city and local
businesses can deter criminal activity. Currently there are 17 public cameras placed
throughout the city, with the majority used in the downtown core and city parks, and used
temporarily for large events, protests, and rallies.
Traffic:
The Police Department saw a significant increase in traffic related issues for 2021.
Vehicle collisions increased by 39%, pedestrian involved collisions increased 68%, and
collisions involving bicycles increased 57%. The increase in vehicle, pedestrian, and
bicycle collisions in 2021 correlates directly to the COVID-19 pandemic and the stay-at-
home order and shutdown of most businesses and services throughout the City, which
resulted in lower than normal statistics in 2020.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
City wide CFS Count 30818 30360 29974 31928 32738 33106 32421 31376 32665 37124
Downtown CFS 5123 4102 4211 4424 4950 5076 4828 4053 3105 3744
% of Total 17%14%14%14%15%15%15%13%10%10%
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Downtown CFS vs. Total CFS
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Item 6b
Comparing accident data from 2019 (most recent non-covid year) shows that in 2021
vehicle collisions decreased 32%, pedestrian involved collisions increased 3%, and
bicycle involved collisions decreased 18%. SLOPD has continued to focus on public
outreach related to bicycle safety and primary collision factors related to these accidents.
Traffic Statistics
2019 2020 %Diff 2021 %Diff
Collisions 588 288 -51% 399 39%
Pedestrian 31 19 -39% 32 68%
Bicycle 44 23 -48% 36 57%
Traffic Cites 4090 2522 -38% 2408 -5%
Warnings 4793 2633 -45% 2304 -12%
DUI Arrests 226 114 -50% 108 -5%
Total 9697 5557 -43% 5219 -6%
Table 3
In 2021, SLOPD received a $120,000 grant through the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)
which funded:
1. 21 saturation patrols
2. 10 traffic enforcement operations
3. Six distracted driving operations
4. Nine bicycle/pedestrian operations
5. Two DUI Checkpoints
Traffic and patrol continue to collaborate with public works as we examine collision prone
locations in the city to address through education, enforcement, and engineering efforts.
In 2021, there was:
5% decrease in traffic citations issued
12% decrease in warnings
4,712 traffic stops completed, compared to 5,155 in 2020, a 9% decrease
Two of the three traffic Officer positions were vacant due to staffing for the entirety of
2021, and we had severely limited staffing and proactive patrols due to the COVID -19
pandemic and multiple work-related injuries. These factors drastically reduced the
amount of time and effort our Officers spent on traffic enforcement. DUI arrests
decreased by 5% in 2021, from 114 to 108, largely attributed to the reduced capacities
and other COVID related restrictions of the bars and restaurants in the city. Staffing levels
at the Department have improved through aggressive recruiting and hiring efforts in 2021
and early 2022. The traffic unit is now staffed with two motorcycle Off icers and one
Sergeant. The third motorcycle Officer has been assigned to the unit and will work traffic
enforcement full-time as soon as staffing allows.
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Item 6b
Noise:
Party related noise complaints decreased by 7% in 2021 to 1417 and is within 15% of the
all-time low in party related noise complaints since tracking began in 1998. 2021 saw the
easing of COVID restrictions and many residents returned to the community for dining
and nightlife activity.
Figure 7
The popular party registration program returned in 2021 and continued to prove
successful. The Department received 257 party requests and approved 169 events. Of
the approved events, 23 received a warning call and just 4 (2%) were issued citations.
PARTY REGISTRATION
YEAR SUBMITTED APPROVED DENIED WARNING CALL CITATION
2017 35 24 11 5 0
2018 115 99 27 9 1
2019 339 242 91 38 3
2020 36 33 6 1 0
2021 257 169 88 23 4
Table 4
2238
2013
1644
1729
1841 1779
1571
1483 1439
1228
1518
1417
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Noise Complaints
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Item 6b
The Police Department continued efforts building upon past initiatives and campus
partnerships. Police Department staff continued to participate in a virtual summer
orientation for incoming Cal Poly Freshmen and parents. These virtual presentations
provided staff with the opportunity to “front load” incoming students and their supporters
with information on living in SLO, city laws that are important to know and how to stay safe.
Neighborhood officers continue to be engaged in community outreach, providing
education, and conducting problem-oriented policing at locations before calls for service
are generated. Neighborhood officers also visit properties that have had multiple noise
violations to help educate residents and encourage wise social event planning. A wide
variety of messaging methods are used by the police department to reach residents: social
media ads, doorhangers, posters/flyers, e -blasts, presentations, media releases and
participation in the Student Community Liaison Committee (SCLC).
Lastly, the partnerships with Cal Poly and Cuesta College continue to provide many more
opportunities for the noise and neighborhood wellness messaging. Information shared is
dispersed through many different avenues including, student government, housing, Greek
life, athletics, clubs, and off -campus programs.
Conclusion:
2021 was unprecedented with the continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the
tragic death of Detective Luca Benedetti. The Police Department was challenged as we
balanced providing emergency services to the community, maintaining a safe work
environment for our employees, educating, and enforcing constantly changing public
health order regulations and supporting our employees as we mourned the loss of
Detective Benedetti. Staffing remained a challenge for the majority of the year and
employees worked many extra hours to ensure community safety. Our staff has worked
hard to ensure our department remains supported, physically and emotionally healthy, and
continues to provide high quality police services to our community.
Addressing and reducing crime will continue to be a major priority for the Police
Department in 2022. After significant increases in crime that peaked in 2016, the
implementation of numerous crime reduction initiatives and community programs have
resulted in a 19% decrease in Part 1 crime through 2020, but those figures began to rise
in 2021. Property crimes continue to be a significant issue within the city, and throughout
the state. Theft from unsecured vehicles and residences continue to be a problem within
the city, along with jail booking and bail reform changes that have made it even more
difficult to hold criminals accountable for their actions and remove them from our
community, even temporarily.
Continued education has helped with decreasing the trend, which we will continue
throughout 2022. These measures will include directed patrols targeted at problem
locations, utilization of focused enforcement and undercover operations to apprehend
criminals engaged in or looking for crimes of opportunity and using print media, social
media and community meetings to educate our citizens to reduce victimization and
increase awareness. We will continue to work to reduce crime and safeguard the
community, while ethically policing in an ever-changing legal and procedural landscape.
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Item 6b
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
This item will be presented at the August 16, 2022 City Council meeting and follow all
required notifications and posting. The public is able to comment at or before the meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in
this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines
Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2021
Funding Identified: Yes
The Police Department is funded through the General Fund’s annual budget appropriation
adopted by the City Council. All efforts within the report are covered through the annual
program allocations as outlined in the City’s Financial Plan.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council could choose not to receive and file the report. This is not
recommended as the report provides a record of key crime related statistics and trends
that are important for policy makers and the public to be aware of in our community.
ATTACHMENTS
A - 2020/2021 Annual Crime Report Presentation
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Police Department
2020/2021 Crime Report
Chief of Police Rick Scott and Captain Brian Amoroso
1Page 339 of 418
Recommendation
Receive and file the 2021 Police
Department crime report.
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Current Projects
1.Crime prevention and response to calls for service
2.Supporting COVID-19 recovery operations
3.Continue working with community partners on homeless issues
4.Supporting major city goals including diversity, equity and inclusion, housing and homelessness, climate action and fiscal sustainability
5.Improve recruitment and retention of employees
6.Develop a new community engagement framework for the Police Department
7.Develop a new 5-year strategic plan
3Page 341 of 418
Accomplishments
1.Maintained a high quality of life and community
safety given the constraints presented by COVID,
jail booking policies and bail reform
2.COVID-19 response/EOC operations/return to
normalcy
3.Peer Support/Employee Wellness program
development to aid employees in the aftermath of
critical incidents
4.Development of emergency staffing plan to assist in
recruitment and retention
5.Expansion of the Community Action Team (CAT)
4Page 342 of 418
Community Outreach
Primary goal is to reduce community harm
Reduce crime and victimization
Reduce traffic collisions
Increase multi-modal safety
Strengthening health and safety of employees and community
relationships
Successful restart of both the PAC (Police Advisory
Committee) and the Police Roundtable
Building new and strengthening collaborations with our
community partners to reduce the impact of homelessness
within San Luis Obispo
5Page 343 of 418
Evolving Challenges
Covid-19 significantly augmented the basic delivery of
police services
Isolation dramatically changed social patterns and norms
PD forced to prioritize employee health to ensure
adequate staffing at all times
Social gatherings and community events were largely
prohibited and/or discouraged
Second half of 2021 –Life returned to more “normal”
patters to include increases in crimes of opportunity
6Page 344 of 418
Available Resources
PD has had some success in recruiting, but outpaced
by rise in calls for police services
Authorized staffing static at 91.5 FTEs
Available staffing notably diminished 20% -30%
Demand for police services has returned to more
normal levels however, staffing resources continue to
be strained
7Page 345 of 418
Crime Report at a Glance
Concluded 2021 with 10% increase in violent crime and
14% increase in property crime
This equates to an aggregate 13% increase in Part I
crimes when compared to 2020
Part I crimes increased half as much when compared to
2019 (pre-covid)
Most metrics are up, however,
32% decrease in Sexual Assault
27% decrease in Commercial Burglaries
8Page 346 of 418
Interpreting the Data
California and the Nation experiencing rise in crime
Notable contributors:
Reduced enforcement options from Covid
Restricted jail bookings and acceptance
Zero bail = no arrest for all minor offenses
Covid restrictions lifting as police operations and
enforcement are returning to “normal” levels
9Page 347 of 418
Violent Crime in CA 2020
(Murder, Rape, Aggravated Assault, Robbery)
Violent Crime in SLO increased 10% in 2021 compared to 2020, driven by increases in aggravated assault and robbery
Violent Crime CA –4.37/1000 (2020)
Violent Crime SLO 4.27/1000 (2020)
Violent Crime SLO 4.68/1000 (2021)
1
0
Statewide statistics for 2021 not yet released
Page 348 of 418
(Residential, Commercial and Vehicle Burglary,Theft, Vehicle Theft)
The property crime rate in SLO increased 14% in
2021
SLO Property crime percentages in 2021 are 76%
larceny (theft and vehicle burg), 15% burglary, 9%
auto thefts
Property Crime CA 21.1/1000 (2020)
Property Crime SLO 33.7/1000 (2020)
Property Crime SLO 38.4/1000 (2021)
1
1
Property Crime in CA 2020
Statewide statistics for 2021 not yet released
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Calls for service have increased 14% in 2021 and 37% since 2010
12Page 350 of 418
2021 Call for Service by Type
13
9-1-1 ABANDON, 7727,
32%
Suspicious, 3793, 16%
Welfare Check, 2079,
9%
Disorderly, 2078, 8%
Assist Req, 2007, 8%
Alarm Audible, 1391,
6%
Trespassing, 1378, 6%
Loitering, 1262, 5%
Noise Party, 1190, 5%
ABAND VEHICLE,
1186, 5%
Top 10 Call Natures -2021
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Crime Comparison
2020 / 2021
1
4
2020 2021 %Dif
Murder 1 2 100%
Rape 37 25 -32%
Robbery 28 33 18%
Agg. Assault 139 165 19%
Burglary 284 272 -4%
Larceny 1219 1398 15%
Motor Veh. Theft 117 174 49%
Part 1 Violent 205 225 10%
Part 1 Property 1620 1844 14%
Total Part 1 1825 2069 13%
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Crime Comparison
2019 / 2021
1
5
2019 2021 %Dif
Murder 0 2 200%
Rape 39 25 -36%
Robbery 34 33 -3%
Agg. Assault 114 165 45%
Burglary 277 272 -2%
Larceny 1387 1398 1%
Motor Veh. Theft 74 174 135%
Part 1 Violent 187 225 20%
Part 1 Property 1738 1844 6%
Total Part 1 1925 2069 7%
* Part 1 Crime increased 2% overall if vehicle theft removed
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Motor Vehicle Theft
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Traffic -2020 / 2021
17
2020 2021 %Dif
Collisions 288 399 39%
Pedestrian 19 32 68%
Bike 23 36 57%
Traffic Cites 2522 2408 -5%
Pedestrian 287 259 10%
Bike 157 308 96%
Warnings 2633 2304 -13%
DUI Arrests 114 108 -5%
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Traffic -2019 / 2021
18
2019 2021 %Dif
Collisions 588 399 -32%
Pedestrian 31 32 3%
Bike 44 36 -18%
Traffic Cites 4090 2408 -41%
Pedestrian 610 259 -57%
Bike 230 308 34%
Warnings 4763 2304 -52%
DUI Arrests 226 108 -52%
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Noise 2020/ 2021
2019 2020 %Dif 2021 %Dif
Noise
Complaints 1228 1518 24%1417 -7%
Cites 149 337 126%143 -58%
DACS 376 96 -74%146 52%
UTL 113 146 29%148 1%
Neg. Violation 559 951 70%907 -5%
Landlord Cites 84 65 -23%39 -40%
19Page 357 of 418
Noise Complaints Since 2010
20
2238
2013
1644
1729
1841 1779
1571
1483 1439
1228
1518
1417
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
NSPY 2010-2021
Page 358 of 418
Year Submitted Approved Denied Warning Call Citation
2017*35 24 11 5 0
2018 115 99 27 9 1
2019 339 242 91 38 3
2020 36 33 6 1 0
2021 257 169 88 23 4
Party Registration Since Inception
APPLICATIONS REC’D 257
APPROVED 169
DENIED 88
•LATE SUBMITTAL 40
•PREMISED 28
•COMMON AREA 0
•NOT IN CITY 1
•DAY REQUESTED NOT ELIGIBLE 19
•2 PRIOR PHONE WARNINGS 0
PHONE WARNINGS 23
CITATIONS ISSUED 4
Page 359 of 418
Homeless SLO
City & County
SLO City 2015 2017 2019 2022
Sheltered 158 189 156 137
Unsheltered 324 222 326 248
Total 482 411 482 385
SLO County 2015 2017 2019 2022
Sheltered 392 345 311 292
Unsheltered 1123 780 1172 1156
Total 1515 1125 1483 1448
22Page 360 of 418
Homeless Calls for Service
2021 –20% of all calls for service were related to homelessness
23
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
City wide CFS Count 30818 30360 29974 31928 32738 33106 32421 31376 32,665 37124
Homeless CFS 4307 4645 4498 5503 6285 7102 7591 7032 7344 7441
% of Total 14%15%15%17%19%21%23%22%22%20%
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Total CFS vs. Homeless CFS
City wide CFS Count Homeless CFS % of Total
Page 361 of 418
Downtown Calls for Service
2021 –10% of all calls for service occurred downtown
24
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
City wide CFS Count 30818 30360 29974 31928 32738 33106 32421 31376 32665 37124
Downtown CFS 5123 4102 4211 4424 4950 5076 4828 4053 3105 3744
% of Total 17%14%14%14%15%15%15%13%10%10%
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000 Total CFS vs. Downtown CFS
Page 362 of 418
Homeless CFS vs. Downtown Homeless CFS
2021 -18% of all Homeless Calls for Service occurred in Downtown
25
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Citywide Homeless CFS 4307 4645 4498 5503 6285 7102 7591 7032 7344 7441
Downtown Homeless CFS 901 956 1016 1214 1404 1509 1557 1366 1150 1316
% of Total 21%21%23%22%22%21%21%19%16%18%
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
Citywide Homeless CFS vs. Downtown Homeless CFS
Page 363 of 418
Mental Health Related
Calls for Service
2021 -21% increase in Mental Health calls
Calls Transported %Transported
2016 288 88 31%
2017 303 111 37%
2018 207 103 50%
2019 252 119 47%
2020 282 128 45%
2021 342 149 44%
26Page 364 of 418
43 (70%)
6 (9%)
12 (21%)
Sworn Officer Staffing 2021
Officers Vacancy Sick/IOD/Vacation
61 Total Officers
Page 365 of 418
Current Challenges
COVID-19 Fatigue and after-effects
Ongoing Staffing Challenges
Time required to hire and train new Officers to solo status
Worked with a sustained Officer deficit of 30% for the entire year
Employee wellness/peer support
Homelessness and Mental Health
Resources
Policy
Crime and nuisance behavior
New Technology
NIBRS/CIBRS Reporting
RIPA Stop Data Collection
E-Collision/E-Citation
28Page 366 of 418
Notable Legislation
SB2 Police Officer decertification
AB89 Peace Officer minimum qualifications
SB16 Increases transparency over Peace Officer
misconduct records
AB26 Guidelines for reporting excessive force
AB481 Military equipment use policy
AB490 Policy update: positional asphyxia
AB958 Prohibits law enforcement gangs
Page 367 of 418
Employee Recognition
Throughout the pandemic, nearly all employees had to
physically come to work to keep the City safe at risk to
their own health and safety
All ranks of the Department worked extensive overtime to
ensure sufficient personnel to respond to all calls
Employees have endured an incredibly stressful multi-year
period of unprecedented LE challenges:
COVID-19
Protests and Police Reform
Loss of Detective Luca Benedetti in the line-of-duty
30Page 368 of 418
Looking Ahead
Primary focus on addressing and reducing negative crime
trends
Community education and partnerships to help reduce
crimes of opportunity
Advancing data smart solutions for increased actionable
data and flexible staffing
Right-sizing and diversifying staffing to increase both
sworn and non-sworn response to quality-of-life issues
Explore enhanced community policing strategies such as
neighborhood districts and neighborhood-based initiatives
31Page 369 of 418
Recommendation
Receive and file the 2021 Police
Department crime report.
Page 370 of 418
QUESTIONS?
33Page 371 of 418
Page 372 of 418
Police Department2020/2021 Crime ReportChief of Police Rick Scott and Captain Brian Amoroso1
RecommendationReceive and file the 2021 Police Department crime report.
Current Projects1.Crime prevention and response to calls for service2.Supporting COVID-19 recovery operations3.Continue working with community partners on homeless issues4.Supporting major city goals including diversity, equity and inclusion, housing and homelessness, climate action and fiscal sustainability5.Improve recruitment and retention of employees6.Develop a new community engagement framework for the Police Department 7.Develop a new 5-year strategic plan3
Accomplishments1.Maintained a high quality of life and community safety given the constraints presented by COVID, jail booking policies and bail reform2.COVID-19 response/EOC operations/return to normalcy3.Peer Support/Employee Wellness program development to aid employees in the aftermath of critical incidents4.Development of emergency staffing plan to assist in recruitment and retention5.Expansion of the Community Action Team (CAT) 4
Community OutreachPrimary goal is to reduce community harmReduce crime and victimizationReduce traffic collisionsIncrease multi-modal safetyStrengthening health and safety of employees and community relationshipsSuccessful restart of both the PAC (Police Advisory Committee) and the Police RoundtableBuilding new and strengthening collaborations with our community partners to reduce the impact of homelessness within San Luis Obispo5
Evolving ChallengesCovid-19 significantly augmented the basic delivery of police servicesIsolation dramatically changed social patterns and normsPD forced to prioritize employee health to ensure adequate staffing at all timesSocial gatherings and community events were largely prohibited and/or discouragedSecond half of 2021 – Life returned to more “normal” patters to include increases in crimes of opportunity6
Available ResourcesPD has had some success in recruiting, but outpaced by rise in calls for police servicesAuthorized staffing static at 91.5 FTEsAvailable staffing notably diminished 20% - 30%Demand for police services has returned to more normal levels however, staffing resources continue to be strained7
Crime Report at a GlanceConcluded 2021 with 10% increase in violent crime and 14% increase in property crimeThis equates to an aggregate 13% increase in Part I crimes when compared to 2020Part I crimes increased half as much when compared to 2019 (pre-covid)Most metrics are up, however,32% decrease in Sexual Assault 27% decrease in Commercial Burglaries8
Interpreting the DataCalifornia and the Nation experiencing rise in crimeNotable contributors:Reduced enforcement options from CovidRestricted jail bookings and acceptanceZero bail = no arrest for all minor offensesCovid restrictions lifting as police operations and enforcement are returning to “normal” levels9
Violent Crime in CA 2020(Murder, Rape, Aggravated Assault, Robbery)Violent Crime in SLO increased 10% in 2021 compared to 2020, driven by increases in aggravated assault and robberyViolent Crime CA – 4.37/1000 (2020)Violent Crime SLO 4.27/1000 (2020)Violent Crime SLO 4.68/1000 (2021)10Statewide statistics for 2021 not yet released
(Residential, Commercial and Vehicle Burglary, Theft, Vehicle Theft)The property crime rate in SLO increased 14% in 2021SLO Property crime percentages in 2021 are 76% larceny (theft and vehicle burg), 15% burglary, 9% auto theftsProperty Crime CA 21.1/1000 (2020)Property Crime SLO 33.7/1000 (2020)Property Crime SLO 38.4/1000 (2021)11Property Crime in CA 2020Statewide statistics for 2021 not yet released
Calls for service have increased 14% in 2021 and 37% since 201012
2021 Call for Service by Type139-1-1 ABANDON, 7727, 32%Suspicious, 3793, 16%Welfare Check, 2079, 9%Disorderly, 2078, 8%Assist Req, 2007, 8%Alarm Audible, 1391, 6%Trespassing, 1378, 6%Loitering, 1262, 5%Noise Party, 1190, 5%ABAND VEHICLE, 1186, 5%Top 10 Call Natures - 2021DC0
Slide 13DC0 What is 911 abandon?Dietrick, Christine, 2022-08-02T16:54:09.316AB0 0 Someone calls 911 and then abandons the phone. Dispatch has nobody to talk to.Amoroso, Brian, 2022-08-09T01:24:42.878
Crime Comparison2020 / 2021142020 2021 %DifMurder 1 2 100%Rape 37 25 -32%Robbery 28 33 18%Agg. Assault 139 165 19%Burglary 284 272 -4%Larceny 1219 1398 15%Motor Veh. Theft 117 174 49%Part 1 Violent 205 225 10%Part 1 Property 1620 1844 14%Total Part 1 1825 2069 13%
Crime Comparison2019 / 2021152019 2021 %DifMurder 0 2 100%Rape 39 25 -36%Robbery 34 33 -3%Agg. Assault 114 165 45%Burglary 277 272 -2%Larceny 1387 1398 1%Motor Veh. Theft 74 174 135%Part 1 Violent 187 225 20%Part 1 Property 1738 1844 6%Total Part 1 1925 2069 7%* Part 1 Crime increased 2% overall if vehicle theft removed
Motor Vehicle Theft
Traffic -2020 / 2021172020 2021 %DifCollisions 288 399 39%Pedestrian 19 32 68%Bike 23 36 57%Traffic Cites 2522 2408 -5%Pedestrian 287 259 10%Bike 157 308 96%Warnings 2633 2304 -13%DUI Arrests 114 108 -5%
Traffic -2019 / 2021182019 2021 %DifCollisions 588 399 -32%Pedestrian 31 32 3%Bike 44 36 -18%Traffic Cites 4090 2408 -41%Pedestrian 610 259 -57%Bike 230 308 34%Warnings 4763 2304 -52%DUI Arrests 226 108 -52%
Noise 2020/ 20212019 2020 %Dif 2021 %DifNoise Complaints1228 1518 24% 1417 -7%Cites 149 337 126% 143 -58%DACS 376 96 -74% 146 52%UTL 113 146 29% 148 1%Neg. Violation 559 951 70% 907 -5%Landlord Cites 84 65 -23% 39 -40%19
Noise Complaints Since 201020223820131644172918411779157114831439122815181417050010001500200025002010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021NSPY 2010-2021
Year Submitted Approved Denied Warning Call Citation2017* 35 24 11 5 02018 115 99 27 9 12019 339 242 91 38 32020 36 33 6 1 02021 257 169 88 23 4Party Registration Since InceptionAPPLICATIONS REC’D 257APPROVED 169DENIED 88• LATE SUBMITTAL 40• PREMISED 28• COMMON AREA 0• NOT IN CITY 1• DAY REQUESTED NOT ELIGIBLE 19• 2 PRIOR PHONE WARNINGS 0PHONE WARNINGS 23CITATIONS ISSUED 4
Homeless SLOCity & CountySLO City 2015 2017 2019 2022Sheltered 158 189 156 137Unsheltered 324 222 326 248Total 482 411 482 385SLO County 2015 2017 2019 2022Sheltered 392 345 311 292Unsheltered 1123 780 1172 1156Total 1515 1125 1483 144822
Homeless Calls for Service2021 – 20% of all calls for service were related to homelessness232012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021City wide CFS Count30818 30360 29974 31928 32738 33106 32421 31376 32,665 37124Homeless CFS4307 4645 4498 5503 6285 7102 7591 7032 7344 7441% of Total14% 15% 15% 17% 19% 21% 23% 22% 22% 20%0500010000150002000025000300003500040000Total CFS vs. Homeless CFS City wide CFS CountHomeless CFS% of Total
Downtown Calls for Service2021 – 10% of all calls for service occurred downtown242012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021City wide CFS Count30818 30360 29974 31928 32738 33106 32421 31376 32665 37124Downtown CFS5123 4102 4211 4424 4950 5076 4828 4053 3105 3744% of Total17% 14% 14% 14% 15% 15% 15% 13% 10% 10%0500010000150002000025000300003500040000Total CFS vs. Downtown CFS
Homeless CFS vs. Downtown Homeless CFS2021 - 18% of all Homeless Calls for Service occurred in Downtown252012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021Citywide Homeless CFS4307 4645 4498 5503 6285 7102 7591 7032 7344 7441Downtown Homeless CFS901 956 1016 1214 1404 1509 1557 1366 1150 1316% of Total21% 21% 23% 22% 22% 21% 21% 19% 16% 18%010002000300040005000600070008000Citywide Homeless CFS vs. Downtown Homeless CFS
Mental Health RelatedCalls for Service2021 - 21% increase in Mental Health callsCalls Transported %Transported2016 288 88 31%2017 303 111 37%2018 207 103 50%2019 252 119 47%2020 282 128 45%2021 342 149 44%26
43 (70%)6 (9%)12 (21%)Sworn Officer Staffing 2021OfficersVacancySick/IOD/Vacation61 Total Officers
Current ChallengesCOVID-19 Fatigue and after-effectsOngoing Staffing ChallengesTime required to hire and train new Officers to solo status Worked with a sustained Officer deficit of 30% for the entire yearEmployee wellness/peer supportHomelessness and Mental Health ResourcesPolicy Crime and nuisance behavior New Technology NIBRS/CIBRS ReportingRIPA Stop Data CollectionE-Collision/E-Citation 28
Notable LegislationSB2 Police Officer decertificationAB89 Peace Officer minimum qualificationsSB16 Increases transparency over Peace Officer misconduct recordsAB26 Guidelines for reporting excessive forceAB481 Military equipment use policyAB490 Policy update: positional asphyxiaAB958 Prohibits law enforcement gangs
Employee RecognitionThroughout the pandemic, nearly all employees had to physically come to work to keep the City safe at risk to their own health and safetyAll ranks of the Department worked extensive overtime to ensure sufficient personnel to respond to all callsEmployees have endured an incredibly stressful multi-year period of unprecedented LE challenges:COVID-19Protests and Police ReformLoss of Detective Luca Benedetti in the line-of-duty30
Looking AheadPrimary focus on addressing and reducing negative crime trendsCommunity education and partnerships to help reduce crimes of opportunity Advancing data smart solutions for increased actionable data and flexible staffingRight-sizing and diversifying staffing to increase both sworn and non-sworn response to quality-of-life issuesExplore enhanced community policing strategies such as neighborhood districts and neighborhood-based initiatives 31
RecommendationReceive and file the 2021 Police Department crime report.
QUESTIONS?33