TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance conferring upon and delegating to the Board of Harbor Commissioners the authority to enforce statutes and ordinances, to arrest and to prepare, issue, and deliver written Notices to Appear within the City of Long Beach Harbor District and at specific premises outside the Harbor District, read and adopted as read.
DISCUSSION
The Harbor Department Security Division provides security and patrol services to the Harbor Department throughout the Harbor District, the Port Administration Building (located at 415 W.Ocean Boulevard), and the parking structure associated with the Port Administration Building. On September 12, 2022, the Board of Harbor Commissioners adopted Resolution No. HD-3104 requesting an ordinance from the Long Beach City Council to delegate authority to the Board of Harbor Commissioners to amend Ordinance HD-1903 authorizing enforcement of statutes and ordinances within the Harbor District and specified locations outside of the Harbor District. The Board of Harbor Commissioners had previously adopted Ordinance No. HD-1903, amending and restating the authority of the Harbor Department Director of Security, the Chief Port Security Officer, and Harbor Patrol Officers to enforce statutes and ordinances, to arrest and to prepare, issue and deliver written Notices to Appear within the Harbor District of the City of Long Beach, and Ordinance No. HD-2305, which conveys the same authorities outside of the Harbor District at the Port Administration Building and the parking structure, in addition to several other areas at the Civic Center Plaza. In order to address current security needs, Ordinance No. HD-1903 needs to be amended to include the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge, Mark Bixby Bike Path, and Pier J Bike Path and Fishing area. This amendment will enable the Security Division to provide effective security within these updated areas of the Harbor Department. The amendment will also allow the Security Division to exercise these updated authorities within the parking structure associated with the Port Administration Building. The Security Division has worked with the City Attorney's Office and the Long Beach Police Department to design a comprehensive approach to security for the Port Administration Building, at the parking structure associated with the Port Administration Building, and throughout the Harbor District. The Port Administration Building and Harbor District are secured through a deliberate deployment of cameras, barriers, environmental designs, and active patrols by the Long Beach Harbor Patrol and Long Beach Police Department.
The Ordinance will allow the Director of Security, Chief Port Security Officer, and Harbor Patrol Officers to enforce key sections of the California Penal and Vehicle Codes and Long Beach Municipal Code necessary to protect the Port employees, customers, and other visitors at the Port Administration Building, the associated parking structure, and throughout the Harbor District. Harbor Patrol Officers will patrol and respond to incidents within these specified locations
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on November 15, 2022 to further ongoing discussions with the California Highway Patrol regarding roles and responsibilities on the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action has no fiscal impact. The resources to meet the security responsibilities reflected in the updated ordinance are included in the existing Harbor Department operating budget.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF LONG BEACH CONFERRING UPON AND
DELEGATING TO THE BOARD OF HARBOR
COMMISSIONERS THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE
STATUTES AND ORDINANCES, TO ARREST AND TO
PREPARE, ISSUE, AND DELIVER WRITTEN NOTICES TO
APPEAR WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HARBOR
DISTRICT AND AT SPECIFIC PREMISES OUTSIDE THE
HARBOR DISTRICT
Respectfully Submitted,
MARIO CORDERO,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HARBOR DEPARTMENT