TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with our Police Department and the Multi-Departmental Team to report back on the feasibility of creating collection, inventory, and storage teams that are on-call to work with City departments so that those departments can efficiently maintain public spaces, conduct arrests, provide services to those with large numbers of belongings, and improve the ease for individuals to accept services knowing they will not be abandoning their belongings.
DISCUSSION
As more effort, time, and focus has been placed on making sure Long Beach is clean and well maintained there are additional opportunities that would assist with maintaining the cleanliness of our public spaces. The development of an inventory team that assists with the collection and documentation of personal items left in public not only improves the City's ability to maintain our public spaces but would also reduce barriers to individuals experiencing homelessness accepting services that would get them the help they need.
For a police officer or homeless outreach teams to transport someone to a service provider, an individual's belongings can often present a barrier to the individual being able to accept services. Often service providers do not allow for someone to bring large amounts of belongings with them, so an individual may be unwilling to accept services if it means leaving behind any of their belongings. Therefore, a team that itemizes the belongings and stores them at a safe location could be useful. Additionally, individual police officers are often tasked with conducting inventory, collection, transportation, and storage of items when conducing an arrest or when transporting someone to a service provider. This time intensive responsibility takes away from an officer's ability to conduct police work, patrol neighborhoods, or respond to calls for service.
However, if there were an additional City team that could be contacted by Police, Public Works, Homeless Services, Parks, Recreation, and Marine, or other City departments to assist with belongings collection, inventory and storage on an on-call basis, these various departments' staff could be more effective in police work, public space maintenance, providing homeless rehabilitation service, maintenance of our park spaces, and other services that frequently interact with belongings left in public spaces.
Hybrid positions could be developed to handle issues specific to each department to maximize efficiency and cost effectiveness and to potentially reduce costs while maintaining quality work.
This matter was reviewed by Budget Manager Grace H. Yoon on October 4, 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation requests that the City Manager work with the Police Department and report back on the feasibility of creating collection, inventory, and storage teams that are on-call to work with City departments. Implementing this recommendation is anticipated to result in a minimal impact to staff hours beyond normal budgeted scope of duties and a minimal impact on existing City Council priorities.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Suzie Price
Councilwoman, Third District
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
ACTING CITY MANAGER