Public Safety Commission approves purchase of high-tech law enforcement tools

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Two automated license plate readers would cost the city more than $100,000; and two recommended red-light camera readers would help catch the estimated seven out of 500 cars that run red lights within the city. The council must approve the items.

By Michael Aushenker / Special to The Malibu Times

Vehicular and bicycle safety on Pacific Coast Highway, and law enforcement technology were the big topics addressed at the Public Safety Commission meeting at City Hall last week.

At the Oct. 6 meeting, Deputy Sheriff Zenon Porche of the West Hollywood division and Deputy Sheriff Steve Shirley from the Sheriff’s downtown unit shared their expertise in red-light camera and automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, respectively. Emergency Services Coordinator Brad Davis delivered an update on Malibu’s disaster kits.

Deputy Porche, assigned to the red-light camera program since its inception in 1991, presented evidence of the system’s effectiveness.

Porche recommended a basic camera system utilizing “wet-film frontal photographs.” He explained that the City of Malibu would pay a flat fee for such a system, with no contingency fees to the company (as such fees were outlawed in 2004).

Commission Chair Carol Randall said the city’s goals are “to decrease accidents and safety on the highway rather than [raising] revenue” via two well-placed cameras at Kanan Dume Road and Las Flores Canyon Road.

“I can’t tell you it will reduce accidents [on PCH overall],” Porche said. “It will reduce accidents at controlled intersections where the cameras are placed.”

Porche recommended assigning a part-time or retired officer to camera detail and proposed to train said officer(s).

Deputy Shirley lectured on license plate recognition, explaining the difference between the two types of ALPR mobile cameras, which are affixed to the light-board atop a specially outfitted patrol car. The narrow, five-foot field of view would cost $12,000, and the 12-foot field version would cost $18,000. It would also cost an additional $32,000 to equip a squad car with ALPR technology, but the ALPR program would allow, if a car was damaged, for another to be plucked “from out of our fleet and replace your car until it’s fixed,” Shirley said.

ALPR can instantly read license plates straight on and laterally. An automated license plate scanner frees patrol car officers from having to input numbers via a keyboard and allows them to keep their heads up. At traffic checkpoints, it can determine a car’s status on approach, giving police advanced warning regarding stolen vehicles.

“Ninety percent of the cities [in Los Angeles] are using ALPR technology, from Bellflower to Santa Clarita,” Shirley said.

“What I’m struggling with is that Malibu has almost no crime compared to other cities,” Tellem said. “Why would Malibu need this?”

In response, Shirley referenced the recent case of Harold Yong Park, the West Hollywood triple-murder suspect caught in Lomita via a plate scanner.

“It’s a great way to catch what we call our ‘transient criminals’” Shirley said.

It also assists police with Amber Alerts, he added.

Unlike Tellem, ex officio Commission member David Saul and Vice Chair Chris Frost appeared to favor the ALPR system.

“If public safety is our number one concern, money has to be spent, even if it’s a city surcharge, an extra $50 from every family,” Saul said. “That’s something we should talk about.”

“We may not have the crime here,” Randall agreed, “but we have people going through the city.”

Given that only seven out of 500 traffic tickets issued on Pacific Coast Highway are for running red lights, Tellem felt that law enforcement money would be put to better use “[placing] another deputy on the street.”

Ultimately, a motion was made to suggest that city council purchase two fixed-camera systems and mobile systems for two cars.

Disaster readiness

The commission also looked at the status of disaster supply caches set up throughout Malibu five years ago at public points.

“Las Flores Park is part of the original plan,” Davis said.

The container was supposed to be housed in a planned park edifice, but that building never occurred, he said.

“The supplies are paid for, what we don’t have is the brick-and-mortar structure.”

Bob Brager, director of Public Works, reported that the container design was complete, but state funding needed to be secured to build it.

However, with the current state budget, such a grant looked “iffy,” he said.

“The question of restocking [containers] is more of a concern to me,” Davis said.

The commission will suggest to the council to disburse the $7,000 needed per expired container.

Davis also discussed a plan to allow owners, during an evacuation emergency, to stay with pets at Malibu Methodist Church. As a Red Cross shelter would be located at nearby Malibu High School, owners “can spend time with pets there [contrary to in the past].”

He considered this plan a model that could be replicated throughout Malibu.

Also discussed at the meeting were traffic problems, such as cars backing up from Paradise Cove restaurant, and ongoing tensions between bicyclists and motorists on the highway. A bicyclist himself, Frost recommended a public workshop on the latter topic in November, separate from the next commission meeting on Nov. 3.