HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023.04.18 - Minutes - Study SessionCITY OF DIAMOND BAR
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MINUTES
SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT/ROOM CC-08
21865 COPLEY DRIVE, DIAMOND BAR, CA 91765
APRIL 18, 2023
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Chou called the Study Session to order at 5:30
p.m.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Ruth Low, Chia Yu Teng, Steve Tye,
and Mayor Pro Tern Stan Liu, Mayor Andrew Chou
Staff Present. Dan Fox, City Manager; Ryan McLean, Assistant City
Manager; Omar Sandoval, City Attorney; Anthony Santos, Assistant to the City Manager,
David Liu, Public Works Director; Hal Ghafari, Public Works Manager/Assistant City
Engineer; Jason Williams, Maintenance Supervisor; Ryan Wright, Parks & Recreation
Director; Marsha Roa, Public Information Manager; Cecilia Arellano, Public Information
Coordinator; Kristina Santana, City Clerk
Staff Present Telephonically: Peter Samy, Finance Supervisor; Greg Gubman,
Community Development Director
Also Present: Captain Stephen Tousey and Lieutenant Daniel Dail, LA
County Sheriff's Department, Diamond Bar/Walnut Station; and, Crime Analyst Edgar
Gallegos, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
1. AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER (ALPR) SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS:
ACM/McLean provided the staff report.
M/Chou opened Public Comments:
Allen Wilson was concerned about privacy issues.
M/Chou closed Public Comments:
Captain Tousey explained how the system enhances field work and results in
timely arrests for other types of crimes due to sharing of information in real-time
and those 64 arrests have led to hundreds of other arrests.
C/Low pointed out that this system does not address the City's problem of
preventing burglaries committed by people. The ALPR provides only license plate
numbers and does not provide information about the individuals who have stolen
the vehicle.
M/Chou said the Public Safety committee felt it was important to provide this
information to the Council because it would provide a service to the City.
There was discussion amongst the City Council about whether or not the cameras
deter property crime.
APRIL 18, 2023 PAGE 2 CC STUDY SESSION
C/Teng said that the data being considered is from one city only and perhaps the
manufacturer can provide additional data to confirm their marketing assertion that
the cameras "eliminate property crime".
ACM/McLean agreed that data from other cities should be considered.
C/Low said she also was concerned about privacy issues and information going to
the FBI and DOJ with Diamond Bar no longer having control.
ACM/McLean explained that the data collected is not being released to a central
data base — the hits are cross-checked with reported stolen vehicles that are
housed in that data base and being checked locally by deputies in the field for
possible pursuit. Diamond Bar is not sending any information to another agency.
There was further discussion about who benefits from the cameras: residents,
insurance companies or residents of other cities, and at what cost do those benefits
come.
M/Chou pointed out that these cameras were rolled out nation-wide and many cities
in southern California already had these cameras in place. Potentially, if someone
stole a car in Diamond Bar, that car could get recovered in another city, just like
vehicles that were stolen in other cities were recovered in Walnut.
Captain Tousey added that the cameras are an investigative tool. As an example,
a four -man burglary crew was arrested in Diamond Bar through the assistance of
the Flock camera. Also, on March 30th CubeSmart in Rowland Heights had 30
burglaries and through eye witnesses, Edgar Gallegos, as a result of data captured
by the Flock system, was able to track down a license place and vehicle belonging
to a person who lived in Diamond Bar who is believed to be responsible for the
burglaries.
Crime Analyst Edgar Gallegos explained that many agencies surrounding Diamond
Bar have the cameras (Chino, Montclair, Pomona, Covina, West Covina, Glendora,
Azusa, La Puente, Whittier, La Habra and Placentia) so that even with a crime that
occurs in Diamond Bar, with sufficient information he is able to follow up on leads.
Currently, out of 3,000 cameras, there are 1600 cameras locally within southern
California to which he has access. Because these cameras are trained on public
areas, all records are public with no exceptions. There are many variables, but the
number one consideration is that it is all public record unless there is an exception
and all inquiries for information would have to be very specific.
C/Low said she understood that the information is part of the public record which
furthers her privacy concerns as well as, the burden of producing the public record,
retention, sorting, filing, etc. and believes the benefit does not justify the burden
and/ or cost at this time. Perhaps as technology changes better data could be
acquired. Everyone wants to deter crime, reduce crime and solve crime, but she
does not believe this application will do that for what it will cost the City.
APRIL 181 2023 PAGE 3 CC STUDY SESSION
Council Members generally agreed to continue the matter and have staff provide
additional data and case studies from other cities to consider the possible benefit
to the community.
CM/Fox stated that the matter can be set aside until June or later which will allow
staff the opportunity to obtain and provide additional case data for Council's
consideration.
ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the City Council,
Mayor Chou recessed the Study Session at 6:30 p.m. to the Regular City Council Meeting.
Respectfully submitted:
I�
Kristina Santana, City Clerk
The foregoing minuted ale hereby approved this 2"d day of May, 2023.
Andrew C