HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Crime Control And Prevention District - 12/18/2001 - Joint Oir Wi 1110
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MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
CORPUS CHRISTI CITY COUNCIL AND
CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
December 18, 2001 - 12:07 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL CRIME CONTROL DISTRICT BOARD
Mayor Samuel L. Neal Jr. Linda Bridges, President
Mayor Pro Tern Jesse Noyola Vicky Alexander
Brent Chesney* Larry Baker
Javier Colmenero W.L. Hermis
Henry Garrett Danny Mora*
Bill Kelly Butch Pool*
Rex Kinnison Rose Marie Soto
Mark Scott* Isaac Valencia
City Staff Present ABSENT
City Manager David R. Garcia John Longoria(City Council)
City Attorney James R. Bray Jr. John Heldenfels(Crime Control)
City Secretary Armando Chapa
Police Chief Pete Alvarez
Police Cmdr. Bryan Smith
Recording Secretary Rachelle P. Ramon
Mayor Neal called the meeting to order in the Basement Training Room of City Hall. City
Secretary Chapa checked the roll and verified that quorums of both the Council and the Crime
Control Board were present to conduct the meeting.
Ms.Bridges said the board provided the Council with a resolution they passed on November
28, 2001 reflecting the board's unanimous support for a 10-year renewal of the Crime Control and
Prevention District. She said the board is asking that the Council place that referendum on the
November 2002 ballot. She said in January 2002,the board members will begin meeting with service
clubs and organizations to educate the community about the district's accomplishments. She said
another idea is to identify patrol cars that have been purchased with district funds.
*Council Members Chesney and Scott and Board Member Mora arrived at approximately
12:10 p.m. Mr. Pool arrived at approximately 12:15 p.m.
Police Commander Bryan Smith, Crime Control District Coordinator, gave the quarterly
update of the district's efforts. He said the Police Department is currently fully staffed with 397
officers paid for through the General Fund and 40 through the Crime Control District(CCD).In April
2002 there will be another police academy with 10 officers to compensate for attrition and the last 10
CCD officers for a total of 50 funded by the district. Cmdr. Smith noted that it takes 13 months to
approve,hire and train police officers.He added that Corpus Christi has the top police academy in the
state. Council Member Garrett pointed out that it is very difficult to hire qualified officers. Cmdr.
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Minutes-Joint Meeting
December 18, 2001
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Smith agreed, saying that the city starts with 700 to 750 applicants in order to get 20 members of the
academy.
Cmdr. Smith also discussed the directed patrol program and neighborhood clean-ups on the
following streets and neighborhoods: Main, San Juan, Cynthia,Wynn Seale,Mary, and Marguerite.
He said the CCD purchased 20 radars as well as Nextel phones and a community policing vehicle.
Ms. Mariah Boone, Director of the Juvenile Assessment Center(JAC), said their staff has
provided assessment and comprehensive case management to almost 2,000 at-risk youth and their
families since the center opened in September 1999. She said that in over 88% of those cases, they
were able to break the cycle of delinquency,which has gained the attention of the Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Washington, D.C. She said the center obtained a Title V
delinquency prevention federal grant which provided funds to hire a municipal juvenilejudge and four
additional JAC case managers. Ms. Boone further described the progress of the municipal juvenile
court, which has already cleared its backlog, and she replied to Council members' questions.
Cmdr. Smith then showed a video presentation entitled "Keeping the Promise" about the
accomplishments of the CCD thus far. Ms.Bridges said public opinion about the district's efforts has
been basically positive but the board feels there is still not a clear understanding ofthe district's scope.
A discussion ensued about the issue of crime rates and specific actions of the directed patrol program.
Cmdr. Smith pointed out that directed patrol officers work closely with city departments such as
Code Enforcement.
There was also discussion about the November 2002 election. Council Member Kinnison
requested a time line of events that need to occur with regard to the CCD prior to the election. He
added that the Council used to receive copies of the minutes from the board's meetings and he asked
that they again be provided.
Responding to Mayor Neal,Ms.Bridges said the board feels there are two phases prior to the
election--educating the public about the CCD and coordinating the campaign elements. Mr. Garrett
asked about support personnel. Police Chief Alvarez replied that additional support personnel were
hired but those positions were cut due to budget constraints. Cmdr. Smith also discussed efforts to
address crime at the middle school level, including moving the DARE program from the fifth to the
sixth grades and establishing Campus Crime Stoppers programs in middle schools.He added that the
school district police departments work closely with the city's police department.
There being no other business, Mayor Neal adjourned the joint meeting at 1:00 p.m. on
December 18, 2001.
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