The purpose of this report is to provide training and security options for persons responsible for conducting public hearings and meetings. The training is intended to provide skills and awareness that can be employed to make public meeting safe and orderly.

Security concerns presented by the City of Sunnyvale staff led to a review of security measures currently employed which meets the needs and concerns of City of Sunnyvale staff while still keeping meetings open to the public.

Staff recommends that Council employ the proposed training to better prepare staff and Board members to manage public meetings safely.

The City of Sunnyvale has a strong tradition of community participation, one of which is through service on a board or commission. The City Charter provides for the establishment of citizen boards and commissions to advise the City Council and provide ongoing citizen input into policies and issues affecting the Sunnyvale community. There are currently 11 boards and commissions including: Advisory Council to the Aging, Arts Commission, Bicycle Advisory Committee, Board of Building Code Appeals, Board of Library Trustees, Child Care Advisory Board, Heritage Preservation Commission, Housing and Human Services Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Personnel Board, and Planning Commission. These Boards, in addition to the City Council operate in contact and view of the public and discuss issues that can be controversial and personal to persons present. This has led to passionate debate and in some cases, concerns for the safety of staff and board members.

One such case occurred in 1999 where the Planning Commission staff was faced with a speaker who was angry and verbally abusive. His demeanor caused Board Members and staff to fear for their safety. It was this case that led staff to request options available to them for dealing with irate and threatening citizens, both while sitting on a Board and in their personal life. The City of Sunnyvale needs to have an effective training program that addresses the special needs of members conducting public hearings. The Department of Public Safety was asked to devise a training program and discuss reasonable proactive options available to Board members and staff to deal with situations where they fell their safety is being compromised.

At the request of Council the Department of Public Safety has been researching the issues related to security and personnel safety for persons providing public meetings/hearings. Staff has reviewed many options available and will discuss those options, which continue to keep meetings open and friendly, while providing a reasonable degree of safety for persons conducting and present at the meetings.

The Department of Public Safety can provide training to all Council/Board and Committee members, and staff responsible for holding public meetings. This training would be designed to provide persons with skills, awareness and options for establishing and running an orderly meeting, addressing disorderly behavior and providing a real sense of security in their private lives. The training provided would consist of a 3-hour presentation for each board and committee on an annual basis. The class would include a combination of video, personal and practical instruction customized to meet the special needs of the particular board. The three main topics to be discussed are Security at Public Meetings, Security at Home and Personal Security.

The topic of Public Meetings would include a discussion on establishing a public policy on meeting conduct. Assessing the threat by being aware of proposed topics to be discussed in the upcoming meeting and knowing how to identify persons in the audience that pose a possible threat. Maintaining order during the meeting response to agitators, escalation of force, abuse of podium time or the unwelcome approach to the bench. Defusing potentially volatile situations. Responding to violent acts. Applicable laws and how DPS will respond. The use of recesses to break the tension, use of covert signaling of intentions between staff and board members, establishing evacuation plans and when/how to request police assistance. Evacuation planning and drills will be used to ensure a safe and orderly move to a protected area. The topic of Security at Home would include a discussion on basic crime prevention methods and practices. Training of the video monitoring personnel in threat assessment contact protocol with the Department of Public Safety could also be included in this portion of the training for applicable meetings. Members would be given the opportunity to have a Home Security Survey conducted at their home by a member of the Department of Public Safety’s Crime Prevention Unit. Personal Security would include instruction on safe practices while going to and from hearings, while driving and in ones personal life. A discussion of "Violence in the Workplace" would be covered as part of personal security.

The education of board members/staff would result in a preplanned approach such that all members would know what to expect, have a confidence based on having a plan of action, knowing how to react and knowing when to call for police assistance.

Another option available would be to place a uniformed or plain clothed officer in all Commission, Board and Council meetings in addition to the proposed training. This officer could provide a visual deterrent to disorderly behavior and would be able to take immediate appropriate action when needed. This officer would be provided on an overtime pay basis.

With either option, the Department of Public Safety would need 60 days to begin training. During that time instructors would meet with each board and committee to determine what specific needs would pertain to them and when would be the best time to provide the training based on staff rotations and availability.

The proposed training plan would cost $6071.54. This would include the cost of two Public Safety Officers and support needed to provide 3 hours of training and necessary preparatory time for each of the 11 Boards/Commissions and the Council. Funds for this option would be absorbed by the existing Police Services Budget, Program 412.

The proposed staffing option would cost $45,727.89 and would provide the proposed training and one officer at each meeting. The officer would arrive 30 minutes prior to the meeting and remain until all parties had left the premises. This is based on a time commitment of 4 hours per meeting at the overtime rate. Funds for this option would have to be provided through budget modification.

Council Agenda

Staff recommends Alternative 1

Prepared by:

Glenn Fortin
Public Safety Officer, Public Safety

Reviewed by:

Irwin I. Bakin
Director, Public Safety

Approved by:

Robert S. LaSala
City Manager