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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/31/2005, BUS 1 - MARDI GRAS 2005 POST-OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW council M May 31,2005 acenaa nepoizt �H �s CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FROM: Deborah Linden, Chief of Polic& Prepared By: Steve Tolley, Lieutenant SUBJECT: MARDI GRAS 2005 POST-OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW CAO RECOMMENDATION 1. Receive and discuss a report summarizing and reviewing the Mardi Gras 2005 operation, and provide staff with feedback as appropriate. 2. Receive an update on the implementation of the Nudity Ordinance. REPORT-IN-BRIEF Since Mardi Gras weekend in February, staff has conducted an extensive evaluation and debriefing process in order to determine how effective our operation was in dealing with the situation, and to identify areas we need to adjust for future planning. Overall, the outcomes and feedback regarding the operation were very positive. There were no incidents of rioting or serious violence, the number of arrests were down from last year, only one minor injury was reported (and it was to an officer), no formal complaints were received regarding any police conduct, and the majority of interactions between police and students were reported to be professional and friendly. Staff believes a combination of factors contributed to the success of the operation: Strong and unwavering support by Council and the community, almost a year of planning, extensive stakeholder involvement, strong messaging, broad outreach to students, new ordinances, and a large deployment of officers. Staff conducted a series of debriefings with various stakeholders and groups to get feedback about the operation from many different perspectives. The feedback was generally very positive, and suggestions for additional stakeholder involvement and adjustments for future operations were received. The costs for the operation, both to the City and to the agencies that contributed personnel and other resources, were significant but necessary. These costs should begin to decrease in future years if we are able to achieve our goal of ending the Mardi Gras weekend party phenomenon in San Luis Obispo and we can subsequently downsize the resources necessary to maintain public safety. Next year will be only the second year of this multi-year effort. Staff is planning for some reduction in cost consistent with our City 5-year fiscal forecast. We will also make adjustments to our staffing and deployment based on our experience and the feedback received from this year's operation. However, it will be very important to "stay the course" in order to achieve Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 2 continued and long-term success. The one factor that could significantly derail the progress made so far is the Mardi Gras parade, and staff recommends that Council continue to strongly discourage the return of the parade. DISCUSSION Background: At the April 20, 2004, meeting, Council received a report regarding the violent riot that occurred during Mardi Gras weekend in February. Council directed staff to take all reasonable steps to prevent a recurrence of this violence and to end the Mardi Gras weekend party phenomenon that had led to this out-of-control situation. On September 21, 2004, staff returned to Council with a comprehensive strategy to end Mardi Gras weekend, which would take a multi-year commitment. The cornerstones of the strategy were community outreach, a comprehensive operational plan, and new prevention/enforcement tools in the form of two new ordinances. The recommended overarching strategies outlined in the agenda report were as follows: L. That the City Council continues to lead the way in clearly shifting our focus from somehow "saving"public Mardi Gras celebrations, to ending the Mardi Gras Weekend phenomenon in San Luis Obispo. As we have learned, "sounding clear trumpets" in this regard is critical in terms of focusing our efforts and resources, expressing our requests to the community, and sending messages to those outside the community. 2. That the City positively engage several community stakeholders in the effort, including student leaders and other students, residents of the California/Foothill area, the downtown and other businesses, college officials, and Mardi Gras leaders, among others. This engagement may include some level of volunteer support over Mardi Gras weekend. 3. That the messaging and outreach efforts to these groups are based on a spirit of collaboration and partnership in solving what is a community problem, and not only a City problem. 4. Parallel to these efforts, implement strong messaging and enforcement strategies that clearly indicate that Mardi Gras Weekend in SLO is over and that rioting, property damage, and other out-of-control behavior will be stopped with an overwhelming law enforcement response that will result in severe consequences for those arrested and prosecuted. Council strongly endorsed staff's recommended strategy and provided strong direction and leadership to staff and the community by calling for an end to Mardi Gras weekend and the violence associated with it. Staff followed these goals as we developed detailed messaging and operational plans, and worked in collaboration with many different stakeholders in preparation for Mardi Gras weekend 2005. /-Z Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 3 Mardi Gras 2005 Outcome- How Did We Do? Overall, staff believes the Mardi Gras 2005 operation, which spanned the five day period from February 4 through February 8, 2005, was successful in many different ways. Most significantly, each of Council's goals and strategic priorities was met. There are a number of performance measures that support this conclusion. The key measure is the significant drop in violence and the fact that there was not a repeat of the riotous behavior that occurred in 2004. Arrests were down 58% from last year, even with a dramatic increase in police personnel prepared to handle many more arrests. There was only one minor injury to a police officer and no reported injuries to civilians. The following is a comparison of Mardi Gras weekends in 2004 and 2005: Mardi Gras Weekend 2004 1. Huge, drunken crowds and a riot on Saturday night that required an emergency mutual aid call. 2. Rocks and bottles thrown at police officers, horses, and other crowd members. 3. More mob behavior on "Fat Tuesday," including an explosive device thrown at a group of police officers. 4. 195 arrests. 5. Twelve officers and several partiers injured (exact#unknown). 6. Hospital emergency rooms jammed with injured or alcohol-poisoned partiers. 7. Significant public and private property damage. 8. Neighborhoods inundated with partiers and no officers available to respond. 9. Several complaints/bad feelings about the police operation. Mardi Gras Weekend 2005 1. Significantly smaller, friendlier crowds and no riot. 2. One significant crowd gathering on Saturday night, but enough officers to safely and quickly disperse the party-goers. 3. A "Fat Tuesday" so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 4. Numerous accounts of positive interactions between police and students. 5. 82 arrests, down 58% from 2004. 6. One minor injury to a police officer and no reported public injuries. 7. Very quiet emergency rooms. 8. Very minor property damage. 9. Neighborhoods feeling well covered and served. 10. Only a small number of bottles and objects thrown at police. 11. Zero formal complaints against, but significant praise for, police officers. The improvement we experienced in 2005 can be attributed to several factors, including a strong, continued commitment by Council, staff, and the community to end the violence, supported by a very extensive messaging campaign and comprehensive operational plan. In addition, and just as important, was the overall philosophy used to guide how law enforcement officers would interact with members of the community. It was made very clear to the law enforcement personnel /-3 Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 4 assigned to the operation that they were expected to use a "firm but friendly" approach in their interactions. Officers were urged to have personal and positive interaction with individuals and groups early on, before enforcement action was needed, including encouraging people to keep moving and not allow large groups to form in the streets and block sidewalks. The interaction was designed to avoid creating an "us vs. them" feeling (i.e. police vs. crowd). At the same time, officers were expected to strictly enforce the law and make arrests when appropriate. This philosophy was shared in advance with executives and supervisors from the many agencies that were providing personnel to the operation, and repeated to each officer assigned to the operation during nightly briefings. After Mardi Gras weekend, the feedback from students and other community members about their interaction with the officers and the overall operation was generally very positive. People felt that they were treated fairly and not as adversaries. Photos of officers posing with young people ran in the local newspapers, along with several accounts of friendly officer/student contacts. Many students and non-student community members stopped to thank officers for their presence and conduct, and staff received emails and letters to the same effect. Additional details about feedback received are included in a subsequent section of this report. How Did We Accomplish Our Goals? The Mardi Gras Operational Plan's success can be attributed to a tremendous amount of cooperation and teamwork between a variety of City departments and outside agencies, resulting in a comprehensive and well thought-out operational plan. The plan had a number of components — planning, stakeholder involvement, messaging, new ordinances, and law enforcement resources —all of which centered on the mission and priorities established by Council. Planning: The planning for the 2005 operations began almost a year before the event. Staff utilized the standardized Incident Command System (ICS) to structure the planning and the operation. ICS allows areas of responsibility and operational roles to be clearly defined using a common nomenclature familiar to all public safety personnel in California. A critical component of the planning process was weekly planning meetings that involved the ICS section leaders and others who were working on various components of the plan. These meetings allowed staff to track the progress of the many different plan components and to benefit from the different perspectives and experiences of the people involved. The planning meetings provided overarching monitoring and coordination of the event planning to ensure that all necessary tasks were completed, problems were identified and resolved early and quickly, and everyone was aware of the activities of other planning personnel. Stakeholder Involvement: As outlined in the strategy presented to Council at the September 21, 2004 meeting, staff spent a significant amount of time working with various community groups and individuals who had a stake or interest in the Mardi Gras operation. These groups provided input and support to staff and brought a wide range of perspectives for staff to consider and balance. The following are stakeholders who were involved in the planning process: /-y Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 5 1. Cal Poly and Cuesta: Staff worked closely with Cal Poly and Cuesta officials in various ways, including partnering with their police departments, messaging and outreach to students, and arranging the use of some Cal Poly facilities for the operation. 2. Cal Poly Associated Students, Inc.(ASI): Staff worked closely with the ASI President, Executive Director, and Board in order to convey information to students about Mardi Gras 2005. ASI published an information pamphlet for students, allowed SLO Police Department officers to staff an information booth in the University Union, and helped act as a conduit for student opinion regarding the Mardi Gras planning. ASI representatives also provided valuable input and perspective regarding specific aspects of the plan, such as the Safety Enhancement Zone ordinance. ASI organized groups of student Board members for tours of the Command Center and field operation during Mardi Gras weekend so student leaders could experience the event from a different perspective. 3. Student Community Liaison Committee (SCLC): An SCLC Mardi Gras subcommittee was formed to provide staff a venue for discussing ideas and strategies. This group, led by the ASI President, proved to be excellent resource and "sounding board" for staff throughout the planning process. 4. Downtown Bar and Restaurant Owners Association: Staff attended Association meetings and met with individual bar and restaurant owners who agreed to assist our efforts by refraining from special Mardi Gras promotions or advertising during Mardi Gras 2005. 5. Downtown Association: Staff met with the Downtown Association Board regarding various aspects of the planning. The Board was very supportive of the plan and provided valuable input from the business perspective. 6. Chamber of Commerce: Staff worked closely with the Chamber of Commerce to provide information to local businesses through various venues, such as a lunchtime forum and Good Morning SLO presentations, and to receive input from the business community. 7. Neighborhood Associations: Staff met with representatives from the neighborhood associations to learn their concerns from 2004, and to discuss ways to address problems in the neighborhoods during 2005. The associations provided input and supported staff's efforts, including the city-wide Safety Enhancement Zone. 8. Off-Campus Property Owners and Managers: Staff worked collaboratively with the Off- Campus Housing Association and with individual property owners and managers to coordinate security and response in and around the rental housing complexes near Cal Poly. 9. Off-Sale Retailers and Alcohol Distributors: The Police Department met with the owners and managers of the off-sale alcohol retail establishments and discussed the ways we might work cooperatively in reducing the large-scale abuse of alcohol during Mardi Gras weekend. Several of the retailers agreed to limit the sale of beer in glass bottles during the weekend in order to reduce the potential for bottles being thrown at police officers. In addition, most of the retailers agreed not to display Mardi Gras decorations, to place "The Party is Over" posters in their windows, and to distribute information flyers with keg and alcohol sales. 10. Hospital Emergency Room Personnel: Staff worked with the hospital emergency room physicians and administrators, both during the event planning stage and in community messaging. i /-S f Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 6 11. Fraternities and Sororities With coordination assistance from Cal Poly officials, police officers personally met with every fraternity house to discuss the plans for the weekend and to assist them with security planning. 12. Student Outreach: Staff met with students in a variety of venues. SLO police officers staffed information tables in the Cal Poly University Union and at Farmers Market, answering questions and distributing informational pamphlets. A team of SLO police officers and University police officers went door-to-door in the neighborhoods surrounding the Foothill/California area, handing out informational pamphlets and talking to residents about Mardi Gras. Staff attended meetings of the Intra-Fraternity Council, the ASI Board, and various student groups upon request. Messaging Strategy: The City contracted with Barnett Cox & Associates (BCA) for the advertising and messaging for Mardi Gras 2005. A messaging strategy was developed that was clear and direct in order to convey the desired message to individuals both within and outside of our community. A messaging committee comprised of Cal Poly and Cuesta College administrators and public information officers, City staff, and representatives from BCA was formed as a venue to discuss and review the messaging strategy and ad content. BCA developed a media plan that included print, television, and radio. Two types of ads were produced. The first type conveyed a "community message" by depicting community leaders, business representatives, and students asking people to work together to help end the Mardi Gras violence. The second type contained a much stronger and more direct message clearly conveying "The Party is Over" message and the potential consequences for criminal behavior. These ads included a poster that was displayed in a variety of venues. A door-hanger depicting a combination of the community and enforcement messages was produced and distributed at many different venues. Print ads were placed in the Mustang Daily, the Cuestonion, the New Times, and the Tribune and television and radio ads ran in the local media. Posters were distributed to several Universities and Colleges in California that hosted students who attended last year's Mardi Gras festivities, such as UCSB and CSU Chico, and letters about the Mardi Gras weekend risks were sent to every high school in the tri-county area. Cal Poly and Cuesta also messaged directly to their students in an email from the Presidents to the students. Cal Poly designed and displayed their own poster for use on campus and in the on- campus dormitories. New Tools- Safety Enhancement Zone and Nudity Ordinance: The City Council enacted two new ordinances to enhance the Police Department's ability to prevent and enforce violations that contribute to the out-of-control parties and associated violence experienced in 2004: The Safety Enhancement Zone ordinance and the Public Nudity Ordinance. Both ordinances appear to have been very helpful in achieving these goals. The impact of the ordinances will be discussed in the Feedback portion of this report. Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 7 Law Enforcement Resources: The 2005 Mardi Gras operation included the largest deployment of law enforcement officers in San Luis Obispo County in the last 20 years. The strategy behind the large scale deployment was to have enough officers visible to act as a deterrent to criminal behavior and prevent another riot, and to quickly deal with a large scale disturbance should one occur. Over 400 officers from 35 law enforcement agencies participated in the operation by providing specialized deployment on foot, bicycle, motorcycle, horseback, and ATV; staffing DUI check-points; running the booking and custody teams; assisting with patrol services in the neighborhoods; and providing a variety of support duties. Most of the officers were highly visible as they walked in foot-teams throughout the neighborhoods adjacent to the Cal Poly campus. The officer contingent included a 100-officer special response team from the California Highway Patrol specifically trained to handle large crowd disturbances and riots. This team was on stand- by at the Field Operation Center throughout the Mardi Gras weekend ready to respond to any significant disturbance. On Saturday night the team was deployed to Mustang Village along with the majority of other officers already in the area after a large crowd suddenly gathered and began creating a disturbance in response to several women flashing their breasts from a balcony. This disturbance was large enough that without the significant amount of law enforcement officers available, staff believes it could have easily developed into another riot. Officers were quickly deployed into the area, mixing with and dispersing the large crowd, thus preventing a violent confrontation. Operation Review and Feedback: It is critical that after a major event such as Mardi Gras weekend, staff reviews all aspects of the operation with various stakeholders in order to ensure the goals and objectives were met and to make changes in preparation for next year. Staff organized a series of stakeholder debriefings to get feedback about the operation, including what went well and what needs to be changed or improved upon next year. These debriefings were organized by section, i.e. Operations, Logistics, Communications, Finance, and Community Outreach, and included staff meeting with community groups for their feedback. The information gathered from the debriefing sessions was summarized for this report and for use in planning for next year's operation. The following is a list of the stakeholders we consulted: 1. Neighborhood Associations 2. Downtown Bar and Restaurant Owners 3. Mardi Gras Messaging Committee (reps from Cal Poly, Cuesta, PD & BCA) 4. Law Enforcement Agency Representatives 5. City Staff 6. SCLC Mardi Gras Subcommittee 7. Downtown Association Board 8. Chamber of Commerce Issues Committee 9. Cal Poly Commuter and Access Services Office �'7 Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 8 Staff was in very close contact with Administration from Cal Poly and Cuesta College throughout the planning and execution of the 2005 operation, and received helpful feedback throughout. Several weeks ago, Cal Poly and Cuesta College administrators were also advised of this debriefing process and meeting date for consideration. Overall, the vast majority of the feedback about the operation was positive. Most stakeholders felt that the operation was well-planned and well-run. There were a number of small adjustments to the plan that were suggested, but the key components and operational strategies were sound and proved to be effective. Neighborhood Associations: Staff met with representatives from the neighborhood groups who expressed their satisfaction with the operation and with the response by police in their neighborhoods. They believed there were sufficient officers in the neighborhoods and that problems were dealt with in an efficient and timely manner, in contrast to 2004 when the neighborhood groups felt they were overlooked. They also believed that the messaging was effective and helped prevent a recurrence of the violence that took place in 2004. Association representatives commented on the relative quiet of the neighborhoods as compared to last year, and credited the Safety Enhancement Zone ordinance and increased enforcement for preventing large parties. The representatives did feel that Police Department staff waited too long to brief them on the operation, causing undue worry that the neighborhoods would not be protected. Staff will be sure to brief the associations earlier next year. One neighborhood resident related an interesting experience that occurred on the Saturday night of Mardi Gras weekend. The resident observed two large buses drop off groups of young people who walked from the neighborhood toward the Foothill/California area. A short while later, the young people returned and appeared to be waiting for the buses. The resident engaged one young man in conversation and learned that the groups were college students from UCSB and from a university in Oregon who had traveled by charter bus to SLO for the open Mardi Gras parties. When the students arrived in the Foothill/California area, they observed so many police officers that they decided to summon the buses and return home since they felt they would not be able to openly party. Downtown Bar and Restaurant Owners: Staff met with the downtown bar and restaurant owners who were generally positive about the operation, but believed that fewer officers were needed in the downtown core early on in the evening. They felt that the DUI checkpoints affected their businesses and that police officers concentrating on the bars created an uncomfortable environment for their customers. The owners agreed to work with planners in 2006 and continue their support for the overall efforts. Some owners were also concerned that the strong messaging urging people not to come to SLO for Mardi Gras may have kept tourists away. Messaging Committee: Staff met with the messaging committee and received some important feedback for next year's messaging component. Overall, the committee felt that the messaging worked and was a key /-Fl Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 9 factor in the success of the operation. The group felt that the right mix of people comprised the committee, but that greater involvement from the tourism industry is needed in order to attempt to address their concerns. Notification of the area high schools needs to continue even though the message did not get home to every parent due to school district budget constraints. The committee believed that the ads and print messages, including the poster, were effective and should be very similar next year. There was concern that one reference in the print materials meant to discourage large groups from forming may have been confusing to students; this will be reviewed for the 2006 operation. The committee also felt that for 2006, ads commending the students for their good conduct this year should be added to the messaging strategy. The Committee agreed that the professional conduct by the officers assigned to the operation was a key factor in the overall success and this was supported by an article in the Mustang Daily that showed officers interacting with students in positive ways. Later in this report, a question often asked during the campaign — "Was the messaging too strong?"—is separately addressed. Law Enforcement Representatives & City Staff.• Staff met with law enforcement representatives from various agencies and City staff to review the planning and weekend operation. The representatives felt that the bi-weekly meetings were effective and helped prevent planning conflicts and that the time allotted for preparation and planning was "perfect." There are a number of minor improvements staff will make as a result of this feedback, including changes to some DUI checkpoint locations, the hours and locations of the motorcycle deployment, and some custody procedures. The most significant modifications will be needed in the area of interagency field communications. The logistics and technology required to achieve reliable communication for so many different agencies is a daunting task and overall, communications went well during the 2005 operation. Improvements are needed in better linking the officers in the field with each other and with field commanders. This issue came to light on Saturday night of the operation while the crowds were being dispersed from Mustang Village and one agency's personnel were operating on a different frequency and did not hear radio traffic from field commanders concerning the crowds moving toward Santa Rosa Park. Although this caused some short-term confusion in dispersing the crowd, neither law enforcement personnel nor crowd members were placed in danger as a result. One of the most valuable tools used during the operation proved to be the pole-mounted surveillance cameras that enabled field commanders to monitor crowd and vehicle traffic in public areas and intersections, especially during the Mustang Village disturbance on Saturday night. The cameras enabled the tactical commanders to see where the large crowds were moving and to strategically deploy officers accordingly, offering a perspective that is impossible to achieve at ground level. The group felt strongly that the cameras help ensure the safety of the crowds and officers by allowing a more organized and thoughtful response to problems, and that they are an absolute necessity for future Mardi Gras operations. f Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 10 SCLC Mardi Gras Subcommittee: The SCLC Mardi Gras subcommittee met and discussed the Mardi Gras operation and offered the following feedback. The group felt the Safety Enhancement Zone was very effective as a preventative measure and had a very powerful impact. The city-wide zone did not specifically target students, which was a positive feature. There was some misunderstanding by students about the purpose of the ordinance; some believed it was enacted in order to off-set the cost of the extra officers. The number of officers deployed and the different methods of deployment (motorcycles, ATVs etc) definitely increased the sense of safety and security, however, some students felt the number of officers was oppressive. While individual opinions varied, overall the subcommittee felt the messaging was effective and necessary, even though much of it was "hard-hitting" (more on this topic later). Officers going door-to-door in the neighborhoods adjacent to Cal Poly were perceived positively by students. The "community message" ads were not seen as frequently as the enforcement ads and the group would have liked more frequent airing of them. They also suggested greater involvement of the entire SCLC group in discussing the ads. The subcommittee generally had very positive feedback about the interactions between the police and students during the weekend. Students reported that officers were very approachable and friendly. The only negative feedback received was that when officers dispersed the very large crowds from Mustang Village on Saturday night, some students reported feeling "herded" by officers who kept them moving until the crowds fully dispersed. Downtown Association: Staff met with the Downtown Association Board to receive their feedback about the operation. Generally, Board members praised the operation and the fact that there was not another riot. Some members expressed concern that the messaging, specifically language discouraging out-of- town partiers, served to discourage tourists instead and that some students actually left town for the weekend. One member felt there were too many officers downtown and that they were deployed too early. Other members felt that the police presence and strong messaging was necessary to prevent the level of violence experienced in 2004, and that any cost to business for the weekend was a fair trade-off for the future. They believed the messaging should stay the same next year. Chamber of Commerce: Staff met with the Chamber of Commerce Issues Committee, who had the following feedback about the operation. Committee members had very positive comments about the operation, especially about the low-key, friendly approach of the officers that served to decrease tension and helped keep things calm. One member commented that the large presence of officers downtown made him feel safe and confident, even during Mardi Gras weekend. One restaurant owner complained to the Chamber that the operation hurt their weekend business. Some representatives of the local lodging industry felt that the Mardi Gras messaging hurt their weekend attendance, however, one committee member also pointed out that vandalism to the hotel rooms was reduced. It was suggested that staff work more closely with hospitality industry representatives during our planning for the 2006 operation. 1- 10 J Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 11 Staff reviewed the City's transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenues for the month of February, which included Mardi Gras weekend, as well as the surrounding months in order to measure the financial impact of Mardi Gras weekend on the hotels and motels. The following table depicts the TOT revenue for January, February, and March 2005, as compared to the prior two years: TOT Revenues Prior Year Last Year This Year Percent Change 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 from Last Year January $ 202,337 $ 230,778 $ 206,229 -10.6% February 279,214 262,223 270,803 . 3.3% March 276,196 277,486 324,687 17.0% The TOT revenue for February actually increased 3.3% from last year. The significant drop in January's revenue is believed to be related to the high number of very rainy days we experienced. Cal Poly Commuter& Access Services: Staff received feedback that the Mardi Gras operation affected the bus routes on the Cal Poly campus, generating complaints from riders. Staff contacted a representative from the Cal Poly Commuter and Access Services Office who confirmed that two bus stops on the Cal Poly campus were inaccessible to buses because of the closure of California Avenue. The closure of the portion of the road on campus property had been planned for some time, however the bus route would not have been affected. The situation changed when a few days before Mardi Gras weekend, staff had to relocate the Field Operations Center from on campus to the City block of California directly adjacent to campus, necessitating the closure of this block, and restricting access to Campus Way. Buses were no longer able to access California onto campus and had to re-route to Grand Avenue. Staff neglected to notify either the City Transit Manager or Commuter Services at Cal Poly, and therefore no notice of the closure was made to the bus drivers or riders. When the bus drivers encountered the closure, they quickly arranged for signs to be posted at the two affected bus stops, however in the interim, some bus riders missed their bus. Staff will be sure to make appropriate notifications next year should any portion of the operation impact the bus routes or schedules. More General Input: Was the messaging too strong? As mentioned earlier, during the messaging campaign generalized concerns were expressed that posters and some radio and television ads were "too strong" and could create a "backlash". This concern was, and continues to be acknowledged. However, we must also acknowledge "first year" messaging of this kind — strongly advised by other cities through our pre-event research (e.g. Chico) — was also effective, particularly in discouraging the "party tourists" and invitations by local residents to outsiders. This conclusion has been affirmed by the feedback from our messaging subcommittee and others. We did not experience students or other young people mounting a "challenge" during Mardi Gras weekend as a protest against the messaging. To the contrary, as discussed earlier in the report, the vast majority of our contacts with students were very positive and respectful. 1 Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 12 Will it be necessary to have the exact same messaging program in "Year 2?" No, it will not be necessary to have the exact same campaign, posters, etc. However, it will be necessary to include in the 2006 campaign strong messaging components, and staff will work with the messaging subcommittee and others to strike the right balance. Like law enforcement deployment, messaging can "step down" over time, but we must be cautious that we don't become overconfident prematurely and thus necessitate starting all over. Public Nudity Ordinance -.Resort Back to Council: On October 7, 2004, Council adopted a new Municipal Code prohibiting public nudity. Staff had requested the new ordinance in order to accomplish two main goals: First, to prevent acts of public nudity, especially "flashing" during Mardi Gras weekend, which incites crowds and places women at risk; and second, to stop this activity when it does occur by issuing a citation. Council directed Staff to report back in approximately one year regarding the usefulness of the ordinance. Council also requested staff closely monitor the use of the ordinance to ensure that officers used it judiciously and did not further incite crowds by attempting to enforce the ordinance when it was not safe to do so. Since its adoption, no citations have been issued for violations of the ordinance, including during Mardi Gras weekend. On the surface this would seem to indicate that the ordinance is not necessary, however, staff feels just the opposite is true. There was a dramatic reduction in the number of"flashing" incidents during this year's Mardi Gras weekend (and throughout the year), indicating that the existence of the ordinance helped to dissuade this behavior. The ordinance was widely publicized before Mardi Gras and awareness of the new law was high. In prior years, women would "flash" directly in front of uniformed officers because they knew the activity was not illegal. The one significant crowd incident during Mardi Gras this year occurred at Mustang Village on Saturday night and was incited by women flashing their breasts from a balcony to large crowds below. The crowd quickly grew to several hundred young people and became loud and unruly. Rather than attempting to detain and issue a citation to the offending women and risk further inciting the crowds, the officers who responded used excellent judgment and concentrated on dispersing the crowd out of the complex. The officers involved followed their training and did not risk anyone's safety in order to issue a citation. As the incident at Mustang Village demonstrated, flashing is still a problem during Mardi Gras and the Public Nudity ordinance is needed to continue preventing this behavior that contributes to the crowd unruliness. Staff does not recommend modifying the ordinance in any way. Staff will issue a written report to Council on the continued use of the ordinance in October as previously directed. /-IZ Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 13 Costs: Staff closely tracked the costs of the Mardi Gras Operation, which was defined as the period of time from Friday, February 4, 2005, through Fat Tuesday, February 8, 2005. The costs reflect only those activities solely dedicated to the operation and include costs borne by the other law enforcement agencies that provided personnel to the City. The following table depicts the operation costs to date: Mardi Gras Weekend 2005 - Cost 4-Feb 5-Feb 8-Feb Summary FRIDAY SATURDAY TUESDAY TOTAL Staffing Total 402,200 388,200 133,800 924 200 Allied Law Enforcement Agencies 313,600 303,400 74,700 691,700 SLO Police Department 61,900 61,400 45,500 168,800 SLO Parks and Recreation 14,300 13,700 6,700 34,700 SLO Public Works 7,500 4,200 5,000 16,700 SLO Fire Department 3,100 3,900 0 7,000 SLO Information Technology 1,800 1 1,600 1,900 .5,300 Non-Staffing 00erating Total 111,100 Operating Materials and Supplies 49,100 Messaging Component 35,800 Construction and Technology Upgrades to Ludwick Center(one-time costs) 26,200 Total Operating Costs 1,035,300 Offsetting In-Kind Staffing Contributions from Allied Law Enforcement Agencies (650,100) Net Operating Costs to the City of San Luis Obispo 385,200 *Allied Law Enforcement Agencies include:California Highway Patrol,SLO County Sheriffs Department,Department of Justice,SLO County Narcotics Task Force, California Alcoholic Beverage Control, Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department, State University Police Critical Response Unit, Arroyo Grande PD, Grover Beach PD, Lompoc PD, Paso Robles PD, Santa Maria PD, SLO County Probation, San Luis Ambulance and Union Pacific Railroad Police It should be noted that although these costs are high, the resources were necessary to prevent another violent riot, especially in the first year of the multi-year effort. These costs should begin to decline as Mardi Gras in San Luis Obispo ceases to become a party destination, and we are able to reduce staff accordingly. In addition to the actual weekend costs, the planning process involved a significant amount of time for City staff and outside organizations. The following table provides a conservative estimate of the hours and associated dollar value of City staff time devoted to planning before the actual Mardi Gras weekend began. This does not include planning staff hours for outside agencies, which were significant. Pre-Planning Hours and Cost or Mardi Gras 2005 Department/Agency -Hours - Cost SLO Police 1,492 $ 93,294 SLO Parks and Recreation 106 4,649 SLO Public Works 22 976 SLO Fire 73 4,146 NTF 30 2,860 TOTAL: 1723 $105,925 j- 13 Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 14 What Didn't We Do? The impact of this extensive planning commitment took two basic forms; either other tasks and projects were delayed or slowed down, or staff worked more hours to accomplish the Mardi Gras work while still meeting other routine commitments. A number of projects, mostly in the Police and Finance/IT Departments, were postponed due to the time necessary to plan the Mardi Gras event. The following are some of the projects that were delayed because of Mardi Gras: 1. Police Department Strategic Plan 2. Alcohol Fee research 3. Automated phone tree system for the Police Department 4. Computer program upgrades 5. 911 Upgrades 6. Report Writing Manual update 7. Dispatch Center and Radio Upgrade projects 8. Microsoft Operating system conversion 9. GroupWise Rebuild 10. WAN Improvement project 11. Intemet-based Security Monitoring project Most often, however, staff simply worked more hours (nights and weekends) and because much of the planning was done by supervisory and management personnel, most of the extra work was uncompensated. Where Do We Go From Here? One of the most significant lessons learned from the research after the 2004 riot was that ending out-of-control events such as Mardi Gras here in SLO, or Halloween in Chico, takes several years of concerted effort. Although staff is extremely pleased with the outcome of this year's operation, and the feedback received from the community was overwhelmingly positive, this does not mean that we can return to "normal" next year. In order to keep things under control, there still needs to be a significant law enforcement presence, strong messaging, and most of all, continued Council and community commitment. One year is not enough. Looking Forward to 2006: Staff is already starting to plan for the Mardi Gras 2006 operation, although the amount of staff time needed for the planning will be less since the framework for the operation is already in place. The same type of planning strategy will be used involving City staff organizing and leading different facets of the operation. Staff will again involve key stakeholders and the "lessons learned" from 2005 will be used to change the plan accordingly. Messaging, outreach, community involvement, and a strong law enforcement presence will again be the cornerstones of the overall strategy for Mardi Gras 2006. The messaging will be adjusted to also include a statement of appreciation for the students' conduct during 2005 in order to build on that success. Staff strongly recommends that the City retain the Safety Enhancement Zone 1-44 Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 15 ordinance, which appears to have been an effective tool both in preventing noise and alcohol violations and in allowing officers to quickly end unlawful parties before they grew out of control. The Safety Enhancement Zone and resulting triple fines were widely publicized and awareness of the financial consequences was high, as evidenced by the numerous phone calls received by the Police Department Communications Center from young people asking when the triple fines would end. Council recently approved increasing fines year-round for two of the municipal codes included in the Safety Enhancement Zone Ordinance — Excessive Noise and Urinating in Public. This action has triggered the likely need to modify the Safety Enhancement Zone ordinance; staff will return to Council with specific recommendations at a later date. Stepping Down the Operation: The number of officers needed for next year's operation is yet to be determined; however, staff believes that close to the same level of deployment will probably be warranted. It was clear that on Saturday night of Mardi Gras this year, every available officer was needed to prevent a major disturbance and safely disperse the large crowds that gathered. The actual staffing numbers, locations, hours, and methods of deployment for 2006 may be adjusted based on feedback received after this year's operation. Staff will also begin stepping down the costs of the operation, consistent with our five year fiscal forecast. Should there be continued success during year two and beyond, the number of officers needed for the weekend will decrease and staff will be able to further downsize the operation. This is consistent with the "lessons learned" from Chico as they dealt with their Halloween problem. In the second year of their efforts, they reduced their deployment by approximately 10%. By year three, only about half the officers were needed to keep the peace and maintain a safe environment. There is, however, one significant factor that could dramatically impact the success of the operation one way or the other, and that is the Mardi Gras parade. Staff recommends that Council continue its efforts to prevent the return of the parade. The parade is the most public and visible symbol of Mardi Gras; it cements the perception of San Luis Obispo as a weekend-long party destination for young people from all over the United States. A one year break from the parade will not end the out-of-control weekend phenomenon, as was evident when there was no parade in 2002. When the parade returned the following year, the violence was worse than all prior years. Changing the parade's venue from nighttime to daytime did not calm the weekend. In fact, the riot occurred when the parade was a daytime event. The parade acts as a magnet that draws people to San Luis Obispo not only to see the parade, but also to openly party and drink, which has already led to significant violence and destruction. The Police Department's ability to maintain community safety during Mardi Gras exhausts the resources of the City and of the law enforcement agencies that surround us. The Department's ability to also police a Mardi Gras parade during the same weekend would be extremely difficult and could place the public and the officers at risk. Staff strongly believes that should the parade return, all of the progress made during this year's operation will be lost and San Luis Obispo will once again be host to a weekend filled with j—/S Mardi Gras 2005 Post-Operational Overview Page 16 alcohol-induced partying and violence. It would not be possible to step down the size and cost of the operation; on the contrary, these would likely increase. CONCURRENCES As previously described, many different stakeholders provided input for the preparation of this report. FISCAL IMPACT The costs to the City for the Mardi Gras operation were contained in the Police Department budget. The budget for Mardi Gras 2006 is contained in the 2005-07 proposed budget that will be considered by Council in June. There are no additional fiscal impacts as a result of this report. r'���