Richardson City Council Work Session March 4th, 2024

OPENING & POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REVIEW

All councilmembers are present as well as City Manager Don Magner and City Secretary Aimee Nemer.

Public comments are heard first. One public speaker asks Council to place a ceasefire resolution on the agenda.

Next, Chief Tittle presents the Richardson Police Department Annual Review. He announces that eight of the twelve patrol sergeants are newly promoted sergeants. Day shift also has a newly promoted lieutenant overseeing these sergeants. Above that newly promoted lieutenant is a newly appointed captain. This captain was brought in laterally from California and has been in the Services Bureau getting familiar with the department for the past two years. He was placed over Patrol just this week.

911 dispatchers are now 100% staffed (25/25), almost half of which hired in the last six months. Deployable sworn officers are now 86% staffed (148/173). Eighteen recruits are still being trained. Once they are deployable, sworn officers will be 96% staffed (166/173). However, Chief Tittle reports that at least one of those recruits has requested to drop out of the academy. He also notes that the number of applicants has gone up recently, so he is hopeful they will be able to fill more positions. Over twice as many dispatchers applied in 2023 compared to 2022. The number of officer applicants has remained lower since 2020. 30% of sworn officers have been with the department for five years or less. Roughly half of sworn officers have been with the department for 10 years or less.

Peer Support and Wellness programs have been expanded. In addition to individual contacts with staff throughout the year, the department also hosts resiliency training. Classes and spouse workshops have also been added. On the physical health side, health testing and screening have been expanded.

On to crime stats. Sexual assaults and robberies are down roughly 25% compared to 2022. Burglaries, however, are up roughly 20%. Auto theft is up 32%, with over 100 more auto thefts compared to 2022. Out of the 726 total burglaries and auto thefts combined, only 75 arrests were made. That’s about one arrest for every 10 burglaries or auto thefts, which is less than in 2022. Thefts from vehicles are down roughly 16% with 100 less than in 2022. (JN: That’s 100 fewer thefts from vehicles but 100 more thefts of vehicles. Does that mean they just take the whole car instead now?) Theft of vehicle parts is down nearly 60% thanks to new legislation regulating the sale of catalytic converter parts. ‘Other Theft’ is also down over 20%. Vehicle parts theft, thefts from vehicles, and ‘other theft’ totaled 1,057 in 2023. Only 43 total arrests were made for these thefts. That’s about one arrest for every 25 thefts, which is proportionately much less than in 2022. 

(JN: As a reminder, Richardson moved to 12-hour shifts last year, and I was concerned about how that might affect performance. With high attrition, longer shifts, and lower arrest statistics, my concern grows. We’re going to have to get creative to effectively respond to the increase in vehicle thefts and burglaries. As a resident of Cityline, I know renters have felt these increases especially. We need a targeted public safety plan for multifamily developments, especially along the U.S. 75 and PGBT corridors. Still missing from the expanded wellness programs are annual individual mental health evaluations for officers. The fire department added this last year. I continue to believe the police department would benefit from this. I also would like to see annual physical and mental fitness tests for officers. We need to ensure that quality does not decrease leading to dangerous policing. As Council was briefed at their Goals Session, we must consistently be improving and adapting to maintain quality. I hope this is a priority area for next year’s budget.)

When comparing the last five years, 2023 saw the highest and sharpest spike in auto theft. Chief Tittle confirms that about half of thefts from vehicles occurred in parking lots or garages. 40 of these were stolen guns. About one-third of the auto thefts were pickup trucks and SUVs. Over 20% were Kias or Hyundais, which have been an apparent target recently. About 13% were exotic high-performance vehicles. Compared to the last five years, 2023 saw the highest number of citizen-initiated calls and the lowest number of officer-initiated calls simultaneously. Chief Tittle states that this is the result of a change in the profession, moving from a “law enforcement” focus to a “policing” and “service-oriented” focus. Chief Tittle highlights several ways the department stays involved and engaged with the community, including National Night Out. Richardson got 2^nd place in our category for National Night Out. The criteria for placement or benefits of such placement remain a mystery. 

The police department has a fleet of nine drones, three able to navigate inside tighter areas and one with infrared capabilities. These were deployed 321 times in 2023 and assisted in locating 86 individuals. 911 dispatch is being updated to increase capabilities. Once complete, dispatchers will be able to communicate via text in multiple languages and access cell phone cameras with permission to view incidents live. This update is provided with state grant funding. Chief Tittle also notes a planned $17M expense for a new radio system. Flock cameras will be installed by the end of April. A SWAT Bearcat Armored Rescue Vehicle is also going to be delivered to the department in the next couple of months. Beginning in April, all detention officers will wear body cameras. It sounds like five tasers were also purchased and will be shared amongst detention officers.

The Crisis Intervention Team, which is the department’s specialized mental health crisis response team, closed 35% fewer cases compared to 2022. Chief Tittle announces the need for a new position within the department, a Mental Health Specialist. This will be a full-time social worker assisting the Crisis Intervention and Homeless Engagement teams. He also announces a new program, the Take Me Home program. This program will keep a database with information to assist lost individuals with Alzheimer’s, autism, or other conditions affecting comprehension and communication. In addition to identification data, officers will also have access to details regarding communication and safety needs for individuals needing assistance.

Councilman Corcoran asks if they could cross-recruit dispatchers to be sworn officers. Chief Tittle confirms they have seven sworn officers who are former dispatchers so this is something they will continue to pursue. Councilman Corcoran also asks if the department would be willing to share data on homeless individuals with organizations aimed at solving homelessness. Chief Tittle confirms that they could. City Manager Don Magner confirms that Housing Forward is an organization they are planning to partner with. Councilman Barrios asks if they have any statistics on drug-related crimes available to present. Chief Tittle answers that these types of crimes have remained consistent year over year, though THC vaping has increased. Councilman Hutchenrider asks about the department’s efforts to combat fentanyl overdoses. Chief Tittle answers that they partner with the DEA to prosecute those who have played a role in the fentanyl crisis.

Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul asks about increasing staffing during peak times. Chief Tittle answers that 12-hour shifts make it difficult to adjust to specific hours while maintaining an attractive workplace environment. He also notes that 12-hour shifts attract younger and newer officers. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul also asks about creative solutions to aid in policing. Chief Tittle acknowledges that they cannot arrest their way out of the current situation with crime. He sees community engagement as the biggest key factor in affecting crime rates in the city.

PARKS NAMING PROCEDURE

Next is a discussion on the Parks naming process. Parks & Recreation Director Yvonne Falgout presents. The Parks Commission makes recommendations to Council for the naming of parks & rec facilities. Yvonne explains that the process for naming something can be initiated by a new park being developed or by at least three city councilmembers writing a request to the city manager. Either way, Parks & Rec staff will consult with the city manager, and the Parks Commission will make an official recommendation to Council. Council would then have the final vote on approving names. The process for naming city assets that are not Parks & Recreation requires three councilmembers to submit a written request to the mayor before being placed on an agenda for discussion.

The city will receive input from the community and staff when considering names. Open space that the city doesn’t have complete ownership of will not be named a ‘park’. Naming after an individual will be limited to only those who have made a major contribution or have achieved a significant accomplishment associated with Richardson. Individuals may not have more than one asset named after them. Council retains final approval of any names. Yvonne explains that, on a case-by-case basis, naming rights can also be bought through a donation if approved by Council. She uses the Ann Eisemann Inclusive Playground as an example of this.

Councilman Hutchenrider asks how large of a donation it would take to be able to name something. Yvonne answers that it could range from $100 to $17K. The city has a ‘philanthropic opportunities’ landing page on its website. This can be found under the ‘I Want To’ tab by selecting the ‘Donate/Give’ option. Over a dozen areas of opportunities are listed ranging from benches and water fountains to public safety and animal shelter equipment. It looks like options range from $25 to $100K+.

TREE CITY USA CERTIFICATION & CLOSING

Asst. City Manager Charles Goff presents the final discussion item, a presentation on tree preservation and the Tree City USA certification. Standard Construction Details, used to show contractors the city’s expectations for the work they do, have been updated to include guidance on protecting trees and vegetation during construction. These guidelines also now include requirements for new tree plantings. They also add a requirement to get approval from the city 14 days before removing any trees. These regulations apply to public property only.

A new ordinance is being proposed that would apply to all properties except developed single-family residential properties. State law prohibits cities from regulating tree removal on single-family properties. This new ordinance would specify certain species of trees as ‘protected’. If a protected tree is removed and not replaced, a penalty of up to $2K per tree per day could be assessed. This proposed ordinance would classify all trees measuring 6 inches or greater in diameter as ‘protected’ but exempt certain non-native and invasive species as ‘unprotected’. The ‘unprotected’ list can be found on slide 79 of the handouts. The ordinance would also classify any protected tree measuring 24 inches or more in diameter as a ‘specimen’ tree. Exceptions for diseased or dangerous trees and public utility work are also established.

The difference between a ‘protected’ tree and a ‘specimen’ tree has to do with their replacement. If a protected tree is removed, new trees must be planted equaling the same diameter of the tree that was removed. If a specimen tree is removed, new trees must be planted equaling double the diameter of the removed specimen tree. So, specimen trees require twice as much new tree to replace their removal. All new trees must be at least three inches in diameter and 14 feet in height at the time of planting. Property owners may also contribute $200 per inch in diameter of trees removed to the city’s tree fund instead of planting new trees.

The Tree City USA certification is offered by the Arbor Day Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. It requires that cities maintain a Tree Board, have a tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry (roughly $250K for Richardson), and celebrate Arbor Day. The Parks department is planning a tree planting ceremony for Arbor Day on April 26^th to celebrate. The city will apply for the certification after Arbor Day.

Councilman Hutchenrider asks if the 14-day notification for tree removal is too burdensome for contractors. Charles states that they could add flexibility if necessary. Mayor Pro Tem Shamsul and Councilman Dorian ask for details regarding the accountability process for contractors. Staff replies that this will force contractors to consider the expense of removing trees so they will be more mindful. Councilman Barrios asks if a list of recommended trees could be established. Staff answers that they do have a list of preferred trees in the city’s Landscape Policy.

Council discusses a Richardson Bicycle Coalition meeting and Voting Day, and the meeting adjourns.