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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989/11/29 - Minutes - Special November 29, 1989 CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Special Meetin~ A. CALL TO ORDER A special meeting of the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga met on Wednesday, November 29, 1989, in the Flower Room of the Sycamore Inn, 8318 Foothill Boulevard, Rancho Cucamonga, California. The meeting wae called to order at 8:10 p.m. by Mayor Stout. Present were Councilmembers: William J. Alexander; Charles J. Buquet II; Pamela J. Wright; and Mayor Dennis L. Stout. Also present were: Jack Lam, City Manager; Jerry B. Fulwood, Deputy City Manager; Duane A. Baker, Sr. Administrative Assistant; Debra J. Adams, City Clerk; Undersheriff Dick Willjams, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department; and Captain Eugene Gilmore, Rancho Cucamonga Sheriff's Department. Absent was Councilmember: Deborah N. Brown. , , , , , , 1. Discussion of Organizational and Operation Philosophies of the Sheriff's DePartment as it Relates to Contract Cities. (1301-00 SHERIFF) Jack Lam gave an overview of the items on the agenda for diecussion. Dick Williams, Undersheriff, asked that the City Council ask questions that were of concern so that he may be able to address those concerns. He went on to explain how the Station Commander's operate under the Sheriff's Department in that they basically act as a Chief of Police. He stated they are to take direction from the City Manager and the City Council. He felt that both the City and the County Sheriff's Department were not working together as they should, and suggested that both the City and the Sheriff's Department sit down and discuss the issues that were important to the City so that the Sheriff's Department could find out how they could go about achieving what the City is trying to accomplish. He stated he did not feel Captain Gilmore had the authority he should have. Councilman Alexander stated he felt communication between the two agencies was very important. (1) City Council Minutes November 29, 1989 Page 2 Dick Williams, Undersheriff, stated there will be a lot of changes within their organization in the very near future. He felt there should be continual meetings to discuss problems and concerns. He brought up the identification concerns for the City, and that he could understand the City's concern for identification exposure. Councilman Alexander brought up the fact that he felt it was a problem when you have an officer who is familiar with Rancho Cucamonga's community, and they get promoted and moved to another area. Dick Willjams, Undersheriff, stated he realized this was a problem and that it needed to be addressed and corrected. Councilman Alexander stated he felt the community was sensitive to this issue. Councilman Buquet stated he felt there needed to be a balance in order to meet the needs of both the Sheriff's Department and the City. Councilwoman Wright asked what would happen if a Deputy's philosophy disagreed with the Cityts- Dick Willjams, Undersheriff, stated he would appreciate hearing from the City Council of such a problem, and then he would deal directly with the situation to resolve it. He stated he hoped the City Council would identify the problems, and he would be happy to deal with them. Jack Lam, City Manager, stated he did not feel Captain Gilmore had the freedom to deal with some of the problems that have come up. Councilman Alexander stated he felt the Sheriff's would be cooperative with the City during the process of the upcoming Law Enforcement Study. Dick Willjams, Undersheriff, stated that if it came about where there was a transition of a police department coming about in the City of Rancho Cucamonga, that the County Sheriff's Department would be willing to facilitate that transition. Councilwoman Wright asked that with this willingness to accommodate the City's concerns, when could the City and the County sit down to discuss these issues. She asked if the City could expect the sessions to take place even though the City is conducting the Law Enforcement Study, and further stated she hoped some of the changes that have been discussed could still take place. She asked how soon they could get together for these discussions. Dick Willjams, Undersheriff, felt they could do this after the first of the year. He suggested that the City Council express their concerns so he could sit down with Jack Lam, City Manager, and try to work them out. City Council Minutes November 29, 1989 Page 3 Mayor Stout stated this was like a new family business when it started out between the City and the County, but with the way the City has grown, things have changed and the City is trying to give the best possible service they can. He stated he felt it has been a problem that the City has not had any say-so in the hiring of personnel. He stated he felt it was a problem that he does not really know who is working at the Rancho Cucamonga Substation. He further stated he hoped that the Deputies working in Rancho Cucamonga would be proud to be working here. Mayor Stout further stated he can see where the philosophy is changing as far as the Sheriff moving personnel out of Rancho Cucamonga, and that now possibly the City may have a say-so in this matter. He stated he would like to see pride in the Rancho Cucamonga deputies that are working in the City. Councilman Buquet stated he agreed with what Mayor Stout was saying, and would hope that the Sheriff would consider this. Mayor Stout stated he felt it was a problem when you have a Deputy who gets a year's experience in Rancho Cucamonga and then is transferred to another station, then you bring in someone who has to be trained, and the City has lost the expertise that was previously here. He felt the City really needed to have more control over this. He mentioned that he felt the last time he had talked to Dick Willjams, Undersheriff, that they had a good discussion and felt there will be better cooperation between the Sheriff and the City in the future. Councilman Buquet stated he felt the work control was a problem, and the word "controlling" needed to be defined. He stated he felt if this type of discussion had taken place a long time ago, that we wouldn't be at the point we are at now. He felt the problems that are in existence now can be worked out. He stated he felt there was a great deal of pride in the Rancho Cucamonga Deputies. Councilman Alexander stated he felt that there is better cooperation now because everyone has "grown up". Councilman Buquet stated he felt the City would discover that they do have a good thing. Councilman Alexander stated he hoped the study would be a fair study. Dick Williams, Undersheriff, stated he did not feel they have done an efficient job, but that after hearing some of the complaints, that these problems could be worked out. Councilman Alexander stated he felt that after being here tonight, the problems could be worked out. He stated that even though there were problems, he felt there were a lot of positives to be looked at also. City Council Minutes November 29, 1989 Page 4 (2) Captain Gilmore, Sheriff's Department, stated that when he first came here, they did not have any input in the involvement of the Sheriff's services, but felt that in the last year and a half, there has been more involvement with the City, and that should be treated as a business so they would have a say-so in the Sheriff's operation. Councilwoman Wright stated she liked Mayor Stout's statement about the pride of the law enforcement services in this City. Mayor Stout stated he appreciated being listened to by Dick Willjams, Undersheriff, and that they were both treating this as a business. He stated that whether or not the City gets their own police department, it has nothing to do with the Sheriff's Department being bad. He stated that all he wants is to provide the best possible service to the City that can be provided. , , , , , 2. Discussion of Upcominu Law Enforcement Study. (1301-00 SHERIFF) Jack Lam, City Manager, stated the City Council has a Subcommittee of two, and the Public Safety Commission has a Subcommittee of three. He stated Hughes, Heiss and Associates will be the consultant conducting this study, that this will be going to the Public Safety Commission and the City Council for their approval to execute the contracts, and that the work should be started at the beginning of January. He stated the study should take about four months to do, and that the findings will be presented back to the Public Safety Commission and the City Council. Mark Gutglueck, resident, asked what the study would entail. Mayor Stout stated he should see Jack Lam, City Manager, regarding the Request for Proposal. , , , , , The meeting adjourned at 9=17 p.m. Re7 ctfully su~ City Clerk Approved= January 3, 1990