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Home My WebLink About06-17-2013 ac PH 1 MarxGoodwin, Heather From: Marx, Jan RECEIVED JUN 17 2013 SLO CITY C:LE'R Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 4:25 PM To: Grimes, Maeve; Goodwin, Heather Subject: FW: Transient downtown SLO yesterday at about 4:45 PM on HIguera Street-F/U Please consider this agenda correspondence. AGENDA Thanks, CORRESPONDENCE Jan ❑r?itlr_ (0 '� � Ntem# LA -----Original Message ----- From: leebrenl5@aol.com [mailto:leebrenl5@aol.com] Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 4:24 PM To: Gesell, Steve Cc: Lichtig, Katie; Staley, Chris; Storton, Keith; Smith, Jeffery; dancarpent@slocity.org; Johnson, Derek; Ashbaugh, John; Marx, Jan Subject: RE: Transient downtown SLO yesterday at about 4:45 PM on HIguera Street-F/U Dear Police Chief Gessell: Thank you for your response and information. In reflection of this incident, I have a few more observations and recommendations: 1. During this incident, a security guard, across the street, associated with the Copeland mall project, watched the incident. I am amazed he did not get involved, nor apparently called the police, per your comments below. Persistent City police outreach to these private property owners and security guards is critical to everyone's safety. 2. When I retreated into the Ross store, and asked the check out lady to call the police, she said NO. I asked for her manager, and even she was hesitant to call the police when she arrived at the front door. Ironically, as he entered the Ross store, the manger could not call the police fast enough, but was so alarmed, she simply froze from the immediate fear. This again underscores, the apparent mismatch between the private sector's unwillingness to get involved in calling the police. I do not know if this is a result of: a. A Ross Company policy b. A distrust of the past police responses or system(s) c. The Wolf crying for help syndrome too many times or d, all or some of the above I appears police outreach is needed. Chronic mental health cases and or drugs or some combination thereof is a real problem here. However, when a person or persons persistently bring problems to our community, something else needs to be done before a citizen is hurt or worse..lt simply is a matter of time before the unthinkable occurs in our city. The first responsibility of our elected leaders is to assure the community that safety is goal number one. I hope our elected officials will resolve their differences regarding the budget tonight, and also continue to take their sworn duty into consideration. At the minimum, I am hopeful, that common sense prevails, and the Council puts their thinking caps on, and resolves the fiscal impasse that appears to be impeding active and measured responses to the current safety situation in San Luis Obispo. Regards Lee Bren SLO citizen -----Original Message ----- From: Gesell, Steve <sgesell@slocity.org> To: 'leebrenl5@aol.com' <leebrenl5@aol.com> Cc: Lichtig, Katie <klichtig@slocity.org>; Staley, Chris <cstaley@slocity.org>; Storton, Keith <kstorton@slocity.org>; Smith, Jeffery <jsmith@slocity.org> Sent: Mon, Jun 17, 2013 3:04 pm Subject: RE: Transient downtown SLO yesterday at about 4:45 PM on Hlguera Street-F/U Lee, I'm told we received a 911 call regarding a subject yelling at pedestrians at that time from a man identifying himself as "James" who did not want police contact. The dispatchers diverted the CAT team from another call to respond (this was their first day fyi). They arrived on scene in 7 minutes and could not locate the individual. However, the following qday CAT responded to a similar call and arrested one of our chronic offenders and obtained a probation and mental health hold. Unfortunately, we've arrested and or cited this individual countless times. One of our objectives is to find better solutions (involving the Courts, Mental Health, Business Community, and Jail) particularly for repeat offenders like this individual. BCC: City Council Stephen Gesell San Luis Obispo Police Chief 1042 Walnut Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 781-7020 From: Ashbaugh, John Sent: Friday, June 14, 2013 10:41 PM To: 'leebrenl5@aol.com' Cc: Gesell, Steve; Lichtig, Katie Subject: RE: Transient downtown SLO yesterday at about 4:45 PM on Hlguera Street Thanks for letting us know what happened, Lee. I'm sure that Chief Gesell will respond to your inquiry as to the police response. I am also interested in your remarks about aggressive panhandlers in the area. I am asking Chief Gesell also to provide you with our informational material about our rules regarding panhandlers and specifically to note the type of behavior that could result in a citation for "aggressive panhandling". If you observe such conduct in the future, it would be helpful to us if you report it. )One of the problems that we have in dealing with these issues is not the police response, but rather with clogged courtrooms and the lenient treatment that is given to those whom we arrest or cite for such behavior. I suggest that you also write to the Legislature and Governor to restore reasonable funding to the Lourt system - now completely under their control and budget authority. We will continue to do all we can in law enforcement and in related programs that address the problems you witnessed yesterday. Meanwhile, once again let me thank you for the work you do on those planter boxes! John Ashbaugh SLO City Council John B. Ashbaugh San Luis Obispo City Council -----Original Message ----- From: leebrenl5@aol.com [leebrenl5@aol.com] Sent: Friday, June 14, 2013 12:41 PM Pacific Standard Time To: Marx, Jan; dancarpent@slocity.org; Ashbaugh, John Cc: Gesell, Steve; dcash@downtownslo.com; Johnson, Derek; Lichtig, Katie;kbren2003@yahoo.com Subject: Re: Transient downtown SLO yesterday at about 4:45 PM on Hlguera Street Yesterday at around 4:45 PM I was on Higuera doing my normal city planter box watering in front of the Ross Store. Suddenly directly across the street comes a white man, with black baseball cap, with gold tipped worn down capped teeth, screaming, yelling, swearing, threatening every one in site as he came forward towards me. A young college istudent came up from behind him, and tried to calm him down, but to no avail. This student nearly came to blows with this person as he taunted the student and threatened to kill him. I asked the student to back off. Clearly, this transient was on meth, or drugs, or is mentally ill or some combination of all of these, but he was violent, verbally threatened death to many in the area, and was violent beyond words. Many women with babies were within 3 feet of this person as they fled from him. I had to retreat to within the Ross Store, and asked the police be called. Others on the street were calling police as well. To my amazement, he then came into the Ross Store and continued his taunting assault on the store management, and customers. I am curious, with this also being the first day for two police officers on the street, what became of this situation. Did the police respond at all? This type of street behavior has to come to an end in our good town. It is unacceptable and intolerable; plain and simple. Yesterday, I continued to see other aggressive panhandlers with cardboard signs on the streets as if nothing had changed. I know the City is trying to address this problem, but yesterday's situation highlights the ever growing and escalating problem in our community. Regards Lee Bren SLO citizen