Taking on the Challenge of Crime in Lake Forest

We’re getting ready for our “strategic planning” session(s) in July. I produced some preliminary data about the City which we can use (Click Here) and we’ve been discussing some of the changes in the City which suggest we are entering a new and exciting era (Click Here). These were

• New City Manager
• New General Plan
• New Civic Center
• New Mobile App
• New Approach to Traffic/Parking
• Better Communication
• Better Animal Care

Last week I began the first in a series about how we can meet these challenges. We discussed the need for better quality control and the need for improved research capabilities. Earlier this week I discussed public safety. In summary we noted -

• Our crime rate has been and continues to be among the highest of all the cities around us.
• Our costs of the Police contract are nearly 40% of our budget and rising by more than $1,000,000 per year with no end in sight given the unfunded pension liability.
• The growth of the city of 5,000 more homes and 15,000+ more people means the need for an increase in police services.
• The dramatic increase in density in the FHR and PH areas (where all the new homes are being built) probably will result in an even higher crime rate increase, as a function of increased density on top of increased population.
• Demands from the public for the City to do a better job in crime prevention, traffic and parking management will create more pressures to expand the costs of public safety.

What can we do?

There are two major initiatives we need to start.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION

Previously I recommended a Public Safety Commission to work with the Police and impact the problems we are having with crime, traffic, and parking. My colleagues voted it down, not wanting to offend the Police or the County Supervisors from whom, they draw endorsements and campaign contributions.

The purpose of a Public Safety Commission is not to micro-manage the Police but rather to assist the Police and to work together to lower crime. Here, for example, the description of one such committee –

The Public Safety Commission was established by the City Council to make recommendations to the Council with respect to matters concerning the City's law enforcement and fire services, emergency medical services, animal control, emergency preparedness, traffic safety (including traffic law enforcement and traffic engineering), and such other matters as directed by the City Council.

Many cities have Commissions which deal with Public Safety (e.g., Anaheim, Cudahy, Stanton, Malibu) and other cities have commissions that are closely related dealing with such topics as homelessness, youth behavior, and neighborhood improvement (e.g., Orange, Dana Point, Costa Mesa)

At the County level, Orange County has several Commissions and Committees, including Criminal Justice, Child Abuse, Homelessness, Juvenile Justice, Alcohol and Drug Advisory, and Corrections. All of these bear in part or wholly on public safety.

It’s time we followed their lead.

COMPETITIVE BIDDING

Why is our biggest single contract exempted from competitive bidding? When we spend $25,000 to save the turtles in Village Pond Park we go through an extensive review process to find the best company at the best price. But when we spend $40,000,000 a year to manage our single most important issue, we ask no questions and go with a single bidder.

This makes no sense.

Some of my colleagues will tell you “You can’t get a better deal?” How do they know that? They don’t. They know that the County Supervisors and the County law enforcement agencies endorse them and contribute to their campaigns, but they have no idea whether or not we could get a better bid.

What kinds of bids might we solicit? We could solicit bids from existing Police Departments like Irvine, one of the most respected Police Departments in the nation. Does Irvine want to expand? We don’t know. Would our costs be comparable? We don’t know. Let’s find out.

We could consider a joint power authority, like OCSD only smaller and leaner (which would mean less waste). For example, suppose Mission Viejo, and RSM joined up with us and created a Police Department to serve our 3 cities. It would equal, generally, the size and population of Irvine, so we know it’s a viable situation.

Are the Council members from MV and RSM happy about the ever increasing costs of the Police contract with the County? No, they are not. Are they happy with the thought that the unfunded pension liabilities for OCSD means years of increases in our future? No, they are not. Would they be willing to sit down with us and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a joint effort? Who knows? We know for sure there would be less overhead and more local control. That’s a good starting point.

SUMMARY

Public safety is job #1 for any City, and I don’t believe we are doing the best that can be done in this area. There’s no reason why our crime rate should be among the very highest among our neighbors and there’s no reason that we don’t expand the resources available to us, as other cities do, and focus attention on crime and crime prevention.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.

Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 3 pm to 5 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a mini town meeting every month. The next meeting will be on June 10 at 2 pm at the Foothill Ranch Public Library.