Police / Public Safety

Police surveillance cameras installed

2011-05-03T00:57:08Z

The Sacramento Police Department is almost done installing 13 new surveillance cameras at various public places in the city including at Seventh and K streets and at the Alkali Flat light rail station downtown.

The department used a $600,000 federal Homeland Security grant to purchase the 13 new security cameras, three mobile surveillance trailers and tools to preserve surveillance images. Additionally, the department can now use more than 60 Regional Transit security cameras because it spent some of the grant money to link its surveillance system with Regional Transit’s system.

Installation of the cameras, which started in February, will be complete by Friday, said Sacramento Police Department spokeswoman Laura Peck.

In 2009, the state announced the Sacramento Police Department was selected for the federal grant money.

The new cameras will give the Sacramento Police Department the ability to gather evidence of criminal activity when crimes are reported, Peck said.

Asked how long the police department will keep video footage from the cameras, Peck said the length of time will depend on the situation. The department used the new mobile surveillance trailers at a heavily attended outdoor concert hosted by KSFM 102.5 on Capitol Mall last weekend, she said. There were no incidents as part of the event, Peck said, so there is no reason for the department to hold onto the video footage.

“But, let’s say, for example, a crime had occurred, then the footage would become part of the investigation,” she said.

If that were the case, the footage would be maintained until it was no longer needed, she said.

The KSFM concert was the first event that occurred since the department obtained the surveillance trailers, Peck said. The department will use the trailers at every event that draws a lot of people, she added.

Peck said the locations for the cameras were selected because they are “high-crime areas.”

The 13 cameras are at six spots in the city. “At some of the larger intersections (Mack and Center Parkway, for example), multiple cameras were installed to cover the area,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Sacramento County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has opposed the cameras since the department announced in 2009 that it won the federal grant money.

The local ACLU is “opposed to the use of public money to put surveillance and cameras in public places to watch people who are not doing anything wrong,” said Debra Reiger, the chapter’s president.

“It amounts to watching everybody just so you can find someone doing wrong,” she added.

But Peck disagreed. “There’s no expectation of privacy when you’re in a public place,” she said.

Three people walking near Seventh and K streets Monday were not disturbed by the round surveillance cameras attached to poles above their heads.

Cameras are a “violation of privacy,” said Ron Johnson, age 66. But they are everywhere, he said, giving the example that his cell phone has a camera.

The cameras could prevent crime in the K Street area, according to Sacramento resident Kevin Davis, age 24. They will serve as a “24-7 neighborhood watch,” he said.

And Raylene Vance, 25, said the cameras could be useful if a crime, such as a shooting, occurs.

Click on the link below to view a map that pinpoints the locations of the 13 cameras.

View Locations for new police surveillance cameras in a larger map

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Jury: Weisz not guilty in Pops' death

2011-03-18T21:39:50Z

A Sacramento County Superior Court jury decided Friday that Michael Bruce Weisz of Sacramento is not guilty of second degree murder or voluntary manslaughter in the death of local security guard Leroy “Pops” Fisher.

Instead, the jury decided that Weisz was guilty of felony hit-and-run in the 2009 death.

Weisz is expected to appear in court April 15 for sentencing. Judge Maryanne Gilliard ordered that Weisz be kept in jail until the sentencing, citing Weisz’ separate driving-under-the-influence charges.

Weisz was arrested on driving-under-the-influence charges Dec. 8, 2010 when he was out on bail for the Fisher case, according to court records. A decision has not been made at this point on the drunk driving charges.

At court on Friday, Weisz’ family and other supporters repeatedly hugged each other.

“We’re very happy for Michael,” Weisz’s aunt, Donna Solden, said after the jury made its decision. “Our faith in God and love for each other has gotten us through.”

She said Weisz’s family is sorry for Fisher and sends prayers to Fisher’s family.

A woman who said she was Fisher’s widow declined to comment on the jury’s verdict.

On Sept. 23, 2009, Weisz and a friend were ordered by Fisher and a second security guard to leave Badlands, a Midtown nightclub, for inappropriate behavior. Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said at the time. The Police Department also said at the time that it believed Weisz ran over Fisher in his car.

Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Sheri Greco had argued that Weisz intentionally ran over Fisher and fled the scene. Weisz’s attorney, Donald Masuda, had argued Weisz did not intend to run over Fisher. Masuda claimed that Weisz’s mental state was impaired after Fisher Tased him with a stun pen.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report.

Jury deliberating on "Pops" case

2011-03-16T03:34:09Z

The jury assigned to the case of local security guard Leroy “Pops” Fisher’s death is now deliberating, following a day of passionate arguments by both the prosecution and defense attorneys.

At stake is the future of Michael Bruce Weisz of Sacramento, who faces charges of second-degree murder and felony hit-and-run with death or injury in the case of Fisher’s 2009 death.

The prosecution and defense attorneys made final arguments in Weisz’ trial on Tuesday in Sacramento County Superior Court.

Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Sheri Greco contended that Weisz is guilty of both second-degree murder and felony hit-and-run with death. Donald Masuda, the attorney representing Weisz, argued that his client is not guilty of either charge.

Weisz and a friend were ordered by Fisher and a second security guard to leave Badlands, a Midtown nightclub, for inappropriate behavior on Sept. 23, 2009, Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said at the time. The Police Department also said at the time that it believed Weisz ran over Fisher in his car.

Greco argued that Weisz intentionally ran over Fisher and showed “conscious disregard” for Fisher’s life. “He was driving his car into Leroy Fisher,” Greco said.

Greco, who showed photos of Fisher’s severely damaged body after the event, also argued that Weisz should be charged guilty of hit-and-run resulting in death. She contended that Weisz intentionally drove away from the crime scene to San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Masuda argued that Weisz’ mental state was affected after being Tased by Fisher with a stun pen outside the nightclub. He said that Weisz did not intentionally run over Fisher.

Rather, Masuda argued that Weisz was trying to get away from Fisher. At the scene, Weisz had been Tased, was crying and was “trying to do the best he can to get out of the parking lot.”

Weisz, fleeing from Fisher, accidentally ran him over, according to Masuda’s argument. “It’s charged as a murder, but wasn’t a murder to begin with.”

Weisz’ and Fisher’s supporters who attended the hearing sat on opposite sides of the room. Some people on both sides of the room were seen crying quietly during Tuesday’s final arguments.

The Sacramento Press will update readers on the jury’s decision as soon as it is made and information becomes available.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report.

Police chief plans to reopen top positions

2011-03-09T06:06:54Z

Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel received support from the City Council Tuesday on a plan to bring back three or four job openings that have been eliminated in the department as part of budget cuts.

Braziel told the council and Interim City Manager Gus Vina that he must reopen some key positions because nine of the department’s top 11 officials, ranked captain and higher, will be eligible to retire within three years.

The city is facing a $35 million - 40 million budget gap for the 2011/2012 fiscal year. Braziel said he would be able to open the positions without asking the city for additional money.

“It’s not the right time, but we have to do it,” Braziel said. “We don’t have a choice.”

Braziel said he would pay for the top positions by moving over money currently saved for refilling other positions in the department. By moving the funding in this manner, he would be able to open the positions within his existing budget and not lay off anyone, he said.

The department could promote from within if it opens up top management positions, he said. The newly promoted staffers would gain executive experience, which is necessary because many executives serving in the department could soon retire, he said.

“I am shocked that nine of the command staff are basically aging out in the next three years,” Councilman Rob Fong said in response to Braziel’s comments.

Braziel asked the council and Vina for the authority to revive three or four executive openings during a presentation on succession planning at the department. The City Council did not make a formal decision on Braziel’s request, but voiced support for his plan.

“On behalf of all of us, I think we are very excited about you being proactive so we are aware of what’s going on,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said. “We do not want to be caught flat-footed.”

Vina also indicated that he supported Braziel’s plan.

“We can certainly work with the chief on that,” Vina said.

The Police Department has sliced its executive positions in recent years in response to budget cuts. Braziel said that before he became police chief in 2008, the department had 19 executive positions. The number has since dropped to 11, he said.

Vina said Braziel's plan should be part of the city budget, indicating that the positions could be reopened before the next fiscal year begins on July 1.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Chief Braziel to discuss succession plans

2011-03-08T01:46:58Z

Within the next three years, nearly 75 percent of the Sacramento Police Department’s staff, ranked captain and higher, will be eligible for retirement, according to police department spokeswoman Laura Peck.

Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel will address the department’s succession plans and other concerns regarding top staff at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

City Councilman Rob Fong requested Braziel make a presentation, saying he was concerned over former Sacramento Police Capt. Daniel Hahn’s move earlier this month to become Roseville’s police chief.

“Whenever there are openings in the region, people tend to look at our folks,” Fong said, adding that the city should ensure it’s not “grooming” chiefs for other cities.

In addition to Hahn’s recent move, Braziel seriously considered leaving last year to become Seattle’s police chief. Braziel ultimately decided to stay with Sacramento and stopped the interviewing process in Seattle.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Braziel will discuss “the future of the organization,” Peck said.

The department will need to start preparing for possible retirements of its leaders, she said. Sworn officers are eligible for retirement contributions at age 50, she noted.

Braziel, 51, said last June that he planned to retire in three to four years. Peck said Braziel was unavailable to be interviewed Monday afternoon.

The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 915 I St.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Trial involving Leroy "Pops" Fisher's death underway

2011-03-05T02:24:49Z

A friend of late Sacramento security guard Leroy “Pops” Fisher is urging the city’s gay community to attend the trial of the man charged with killing Fisher in 2009.

The trial involving Fisher’s death started last week in Sacramento County Superior Court. Michael Bruce Weisz of Sacramento faces charges of second-degree murder and felony hit-and-run with death or injury in the case of Fisher’s death.

Steve Thompson, who was a friend of Fisher’s, has already used Facebook and e-mail messages to ask more than 150 people to appear in court to honor Fisher.

“I want to bring as many people as can be allowed,” Thompson said.

He said he is reaching out to the gay community about the trial because he heard that Weisz has many supporters attending the court hearings. The presence of Fisher’s friends at the trial would show that Fisher had many friends and that “he is well-missed in the community,” Thompson said.

The Police Department said at the time that it believed Weisz ran over Fisher in his car.

Donald Masuda, the attorney representing Weisz, said Friday he was not bothered by the possibility of a crowd of Fisher’s supporters at the trial. “As long as they’re not disruptive, I don’t see any problem with it.”

In a comment to The Sacramento Bee in December 2009, Masuda contended that Fisher’s death was accidental.

The next hearing will be held 9 a.m. Tuesday, at Superior Court’s Department 12 in Sacramento, 720 Ninth St.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report.

Fire Department's brownouts to end soon

2011-02-24T20:05:48Z

The Sacramento Fire Department expects to hire 27 firefighters and end its “brownouts” soon, thanks to a $5.6 million grant from the federal government.

The grant to the city fire department and a $5.4 million grant to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were discussed at a Thursday morning press conference held by Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) and local fire officials.

The Metropolitan Fire District, which covers Sacramento and Placer counties and the cities of Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova, will hire 24 or more firefighters with its funding, said Metro Fire Chief Bill Sponable.

The city fire department has two rolling brownouts in effect, which means that certain fire trucks and engines are out of service at various times, according to former Fire Department spokesman Jim Doucette. Matsui said Thursday that the grant money could be released “pretty quickly” and must be awarded by September.

“It will alleviate two brownouts that we currently have,” said city Fire Chief Ray Jones.

The money comes from the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program.

“As we know, sadly, the budget cuts on the state and local levels have left our first responders both understaffed and overworked,” Matsui said. “We all know that we’ve witnessed brownouts that have temporarily shut down fire stations in our neighborhoods.”

Assistant City Manager Cassandra Jennings praised Matsui, who wrote a letter advocating for the city fire department to receive the grant.

“We are in the midst of dealing with budget challenges here in the city of Sacramento,” Jennings said. “We have looked at revenue sources; we’re looking at efficiencies and other ways to address our budget challenges. But there’s no better way than (for) a great partner to come and sort of save the day, and give us some resources.”

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mayor to hold crime forum

2011-02-15T01:47:59Z

In response to the December shootings at a south Sacramento barbershop, Mayor Kevin Johnson will host a public forum on crime and violence on Wednesday in Oak Park.

“That was the latest spark, if you will, that brought the call for this particular meeting,” said R.E. Graswich, Johnson’s special assistant.

City Police Chief Rick Braziel and Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones will attend the event, according to the press offices of the two law enforcement agencies.

Graswich said the forum will include sessions for community members to discuss the causes of crime and violence in their neighborhoods and how those problems can be addressed.

“Obviously, we can’t tolerate this,” Graswich said.

Six suspects face murder charges from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for the Dec. 14 shooting at Fly Cuts and Styles Barber Shop at Stockton Blvd. and Lindale Drive. Monique Nelson, 30, died at the site of the shooting. Gunshot wounds were the cause of death a second person, 20-year-old Marvion Barksdale, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

The department suspects that Barksdale was involved with the shooting.

One of the six suspects, Larry Dean Jones, 29, is at large. The other five suspects are in jail, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

The forum on violence will be held from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Oak Park Community Center, 3425 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Faith, business groups to advise sheriff

2011-02-08T01:29:52Z

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said Monday that he will ask faith and business groups to advise him on public safety issues. At a briefing with reporters at the Sheriff’s Department building downtown, Jones said he will create two new advisory boards with representatives from religious, community and business groups within the next three months.

Jones had pitched his plan to establish the two new advisory groups during his political campaign for sheriff last fall. These groups will help the department connect with youth and improve the county’s business climate, he said.

Jones has not yet named anyone to the new advisory groups, according to the Sheriff’s Department press office. The department already receives feedback from one group, the Sheriff’s Outreach Community Advisory Board.

The faith and community-based board will be “a mechanism to recruit and retain good, quality volunteers,” he said. “But also to reach the young people, which we have to do a better job of.”

Mindi Russell, executive director of the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy of Sacramento, said a faith-based group advising the Sheriff’s Department would help combat gangs and drug use because faith leaders deal with those problems “within their own house of worship,” she said.

Sacramento Metro Chamber President Matthew Mahood praised Jones on the idea of a business advisory group.

“It is something we applaud, and we appreciate his outreach to the business community,” Mahood said. “We encourage other elected officials to be as inclusive as possible with the employer community as we work together to improve the economic climate.”

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Police working on surveillance system

2010-12-05T22:49:21Z

The Sacramento Police Department is moving forward with plans to set up security cameras in multiple locations in the city by May 2011. However, the number of cameras the department plans to use and where they will be placed is unclear.

In April 2009, the department announced it would use $615,000 in federal Homeland Security grant funding to purchase a surveillance equipment package. The deadline for the department to buy and put the surveillance equipment into effect is next May, according to department spokesman Konrad von Schoech.

“Equipment has to be purchased and operational by May 2011, but some equipment will be operational before that date,” von Schoech wrote in an e-mail.

The department is making some headway on its plans. The City Council last week decided on a vendor, Southern California-based Absolute Surveillance, for three surveillance trailers. About $245,000 of the Homeland Security grant funding covers the trailers, according to a Nov. 30 city report.

“The camera trailer is intended to be used as a mobile video recording system where a permanent camera system is unable or undesirable to be installed,” von Schoech explained. “The deployment is usually for a short duration, just a few weeks of remote monitoring. There will be one surveillance trailer assigned to each substation.”

He further said that the department will use the camera trailers in the areas of the city’s three substations, which are located in the northern, central and southern parts of the city.

The department has some ideas for where it wants to place fixed cameras, but von Schoech said the department is not elaborating on those ideas because they are not final.

“Some locations have been identified, but not finalized,” he said. “The locations were based upon input from the area captains with input from the City Council person’s office in each district, past crime statistics and current crime trends.”

The Sacramento Press asked von Schoech to describe the process for how the locations will be selected. “There are many factors that will determine where the cameras will be placed,” he responded. “Among those factors are crime rates, crime trends, special events and areas that may present a threat to public safety. The fixed cameras will be placed based upon recommendations from City Council, the Police Department, and the availability of existing infrastructure.”

At this point, it is unknown how many fixed cameras the department intends to use. When the department announced the grant in April 2009, it said it wanted 32 security cameras to be part of the surveillance package. The police department’s request to the state for the federal grant funding also mentioned 32 cameras.

But the department is no longer saying it will use 32 cameras. Spokesman von Schoech said that he could not provide a specific number for the cameras, saying that the number will depend on many factors, including cost.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union of Sacramento maintains its position that the cameras represent a privacy violation. The group protested the department’s plans in 2009.

“The ACLU wants Americans to have their privacy respected,” said Debra Reiger, chair of the local chapter.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Handful of citizens address Second Saturday issues at council meeting

2010-09-15T03:37:55Z

A handful of people attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting to comment on Second Saturday Art Walk issues in light of the shooting death of a 24-year-old after last weekend’s event.

While the death of Victor Hugo Perez Zavala outside of a J Street bar has attracted extensive media attention in the past few days, only four people commented on Second Saturday issues at the City Council meeting.

Local artist Susan Rabinovitz said the art walk has become “a tragedy.” She suggested that the city hold the art walk from 4-7 p.m.

Midtown resident Vivian Gerlach said the art walk should continue, but the “after-party” should be better controlled.

Photo by Suzanne Hurt. Local media outlets have covered the Second Saturday story extensively.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento's Rick Braziel in top three for Seattle police chief job

2010-05-12T05:26:31Z

Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel is one of three top candidates for a job leading Seattle’s Police Department.

Braziel, who has served with the Sacramento Police Department for 30 years, has advanced past several other candidates for the Seattle position.

"Tonight I was notified that I am one of three candidates still in the running for chief of police in Seattle,” Braziel said in a statement Tuesday evening. “Ultimately, Seattle Mayor McGinn will make a decision on who is the best fit for the city. I am honored to have made it this far in the selection process. My success is a reflection of the great work the men and women of the Sacramento Police Department do everyday.”

In late April, Braziel was competing against 10 candidates for the position. The city of Seattle announced May 5 that the total number of candidates fell to 9 — two candidates had dropped out of the running.

The city of Seattle is now looking at three final candidates, including Braziel.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Police chief talks about possible move to Seattle

2010-04-27T05:12:53Z

Police Chief Rick Braziel was just 19 years old when he joined the Sacramento Police Department. Now 50, Braziel said he has spent his “entire adult life” with the department.

Braziel, who talked to reporters at a Monday night press conference, is competing for a police chief job in Seattle that would take him away from his 30-year career with the Sacramento department.

Major city police chief jobs pop up infrequently, he said. “Knowing that I’ve been here 30 years, and there’s an opportunity that kind of intrigued me with Seattle, I went ahead and applied."

He pointed out that he is an empty nester: None of his five children live at home.

“So now is the time,” Braziel said. “If you’re going to do something, and move and do something new, now is the time to do it. Because the kids haven’t settled down with wherever they’re going to end up in their lives.”

Braziel is vying for the position along with 10 other candidates. “ And, at the end of the day, the mayor (Mike McGinn) will ultimately select who the best fit is for the city of Seattle,” he said.

As Sacramento's police chief, Braziel earns a salary of $182,400. In response to a reporter’s question, he said that a discussion about the salary for the Seattle position is too early.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Union presses council to hire more police officers

2010-02-10T06:21:56Z

The president of the Sacramento police officers’ union appealed to the City Council on Tuesday to fill 75 vacant officer positions at the Police Department.

Brent Meyer, president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association, made his remarks at the meeting after Police Chief Rick Braziel spoke about the early release of 190 inmates last week from the county jail.

Meyer asked the City Council to think of the department’s 75 vacant police officer positions as it evaluates the city’s budget this year.

“I’m here to urge you to act,” he said.

Braziel, meanwhile, presented information to the City Council about last week’s early release of the inmates from county jail. The release was the result of a new state law.

Braziel said the city learned about the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department’s plans late.

“Unfortunately for us, we were not notified until the afternoon of Feb. 2,” he said.

Braziel noted that inmate Kevin Eugene Peterson was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault the day after he was released from county jail last week. Braziel said Peterson also is accused of assaulting a Regional Transit passenger.

Peterson left jail 16 days earlier than he was scheduled to be released, according to a Feb. 3 story in The Sacramento Bee.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council to consider surveillance at public sites

2009-09-29T05:03:09Z

The Sacramento County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is raising concerns that the city’s plans to use surveillance cameras in public locations would intimidate participants in peaceful protests and create potential for racial profiling. On Tuesday, the City Council will decide whether to approve a $615,000 in federal grant that would be used to install security cameras and related equipment at various sites in the city.

The Sacramento County ACLU chapter has fought with the city for months over the planned purchase. City and police officials have said previously that the city plans to combat crime with a surveillance package consisting of 32 security cameras, four mobile surveillance trailers, and other related technology. The state was issued the money from the Department of Homeland Security.

Sites for the cameras have not yet been chosen. However, Mayor Kevin Johnson said in April that K Street and Regional Transit stations are the kinds of high-traffic and high-crime areas that might be furnished with the equipment.

Johnson supports the surveillance package, saying that it will help cut crime.

“I fought for the money and got it,” he said in a Monday press release. “Public safety is a top priority for my administration, and I will use every tool to help reduce crime in our city."

Jim Updegraff, chair of the Sacramento County ACLU chapter, told The Sacramento Press, that the City Council should delay the vote on the cameras because citizens do not yet have enough information about the proposed surveillance system.

The cameras represent an “intrusive invasion of privacy,” he said, and the city needs to do more to inform citizens of the ramifications of the surveillance system.

He also said Monday that the mobile surveillance trailers, if employed during demonstrations, might intimidate protesters. Updegraff further said the city has not explained if it will share its surveillance images -- including images of protesters -- with Homeland Security personnel.

In addition, Updegraff alleged that the cameras could be used as a form of racial profiling. For example, there is a possibility that police could respond to surveillance images of young African-American men standing around, he alleged.

The ACLU will make the public aware of the surveillance package, but does not plan to file a lawsuit over the issue, Updegraff said.

Meanwhile, Sacramento Police Department spokesman Norm Leong defends the surveillance package, saying that the department regularly uses surveillance footage taken by residents and businesses to solve crimes.

“It’s worked thus far,” he said.

Responding to Updegraff’s argument about surveillance at demonstrations, Leong said that police officers already monitor major demonstrations for public safety reasons. The mobile surveillance trailers will be used to provide a better view of the size of crowds and potential problems, he said.

Leong also disagreed with Updegraff’s suspicions about potential racial profiling. The cameras will primarily be used to produce footage that could be used as evidence, he said. The images would be used as evidence after a crime has been reported, he explained. Police would actively monitor a camera only in certain situations such as during a narcotics or decoy operation, Leong noted. He added that the cameras will not be used to target individuals and will not be monitored constantly by police officers.

Leong said he did not think the department has made a decision yet on sharing footage with other agencies.

The city's report on the surveillance package can be read here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sac Police hold sting for crosswalk safety

2009-08-12T01:47:24Z

Sacramento Police Officer TJ Price walked through crosswalks at various intersections Tuesday. You might think he had an easy day, but he said was nearly hit at the intersection of Marysville Boulevard and Roanoake Avenue in North Sacramento.

As part of a police operation, Price wore plainclothes and walked through crosswalks like any other pedestrian. Police officers were on the lookout for the drivers that cut off Price and other pedestrians at crosswalks. More than 50 citations were distributed as part of the operation, said Konrad Von Schoech, a spokesman for the department. In addition, four vehicles were towed.

The department wants “to educate the drivers and pedestrians on what their rights are,” Sgt. David Hargadon said.

The drivers who received tickets violated a vehicle code that fines drivers for not yielding to pedestrians at crosswalks. The total amount of the ticket for these violations is $214, according to Ginger Sylvester, public information officer for the Sacramento Superior Court.

The intersections of Broadway and 33rd Street, and Marysville Boulevard and Roanoake Avenue were among those patrolled by officers during the operation. Intersections were selected based on complaints from citizens, Hargadon said.

Hargadon noted that he read a comment on the Sacramento Bee’s website about downtown intersections, but the department completed its last crosswalk operation at several locations downtown earlier this year. The department is trying to spread out its enforcement of crosswalk violations throughout the city, he noted.

While the operation was mainly focused on vehicles cutting off pedestrians at crosswalks, officers also enforced jaywalking rules. With his headphones on Tuesday morning, Robert Arnstad of Oak Park jaywalked at the Broadway and 33rd Street intersection. He was slapped with a ticket — jaywalking violations come with a $178 fine, according to Sylvester.

“I don’t like being set up for,” Arnstad said, adding that he would fight the ticket in court.

Price thought the jaywalking ticket was fair. If a jaywalker cuts across a street and a vehicle hits him or her, the driver has to live with that experience. “You have to take into account: It’s not [the driver’s] fault and they hit a pedestrian. That’s a lifelong effect on somebody.”

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter at The Sacramento Press.

A look at Sac's Homeland Security program

2009-08-11T02:30:07Z

Do you know much about the local Homeland Security program?

We reported recently that $3 million in federal funds will help fund the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security. But we wanted to learn more about the local program and its dozens of training classes for local agencies.

The Sacramento Press sat down with Sacramento Police Deputy Chief Sam Somers and department spokesman Norm Leong to delve into the details of the regional office’s work.

Sacramento Press: Can you provide details on how the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security will spend the $3 million in federal funds?

Deputy Chief Sam Somers: The way that we spend that is in a couple different areas. [One area is] dealing with planning issues related to homeland security. Some of that has to do with preparedness in the region. The other part of it is used for training...There’s also specific funding that is used for an intelligence gathering unit that’s put together — and that’s the Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center, which is basically run by the Sheriff’s Department. [The city of Sacramento] also has somebody on RTTAC. It’s a requirement of the [federal Homeland Security grant] that 25 percent of the funds be used towards that investigative body.

At one point, we got a lot more [federal Homeland Security] money. It’s a lot less now — we’re barely hanging on. Initially, we were on the chopping block. But we actually were able to maintain our viability, and I think we have some good things to come when it comes to providing training for the region.

SP: I was reading the website, and the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security holds dozens of classes for law enforcement agencies--

Somers: --and fire.

SP: What kinds of things do local agencies learn in these classes?

Somers: It depends on the time and place. Some of it has to do with incident command systems. Part of the stuff is mandates that come down from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or from the federal government through the National Incident Management System.

One I just saw is swift water rescue...You’re expanding the capabilities of the fire department [so] that they’ll be able to perform in different environments.

And again, you can’t predict where it’s going to happen. Who would have thought the World Trade Center would have come down? And how do you prepare for dealing with the debris and rubble, or trying to do evacuations there? So, they do the Golden Guardian Exercise, which is the statewide initiative...They’ll pick a location, they’ll run a live exercise in a sense that they’ll have role players and everything.

SP: What is that called?

Somers: The Golden Guardian Exercise. It’s required by the state that we show our readiness to respond to different disasters as a region. And we try to involve everybody.

And it’s kind of like a softball team. You can hold all the practices you want. But the way you find out you’re ready is you actually have a game. And then [after] the game, the coach says: You know what, we weren’t very good at hitting...Now you can actually work on something because you’ve had an opportunity to diagnose what the problem is, or [diagnose] the shortcomings or deficiencies that you have in the organization.

SP: I was reading the website again and I found an intriguing class title. There’s a class called “Taming the Wild Zebra” and it covers bioterrorism. How do local agencies use that course in their work in the Sacramento region?

Somers: I haven’t a clue. I’d have to go find out what the specifics of the course are. Sometimes it’s all about marketing.

SP: Can you explain the purpose of the regional Homeland Security office?

Somers: It’s to provide coordination for our response to dealing with terrorism acts, natural disasters or manmade disasters.

And obviously what’s one of the big disasters that can happen in the city of Sacramento? Flood.

SP: What are the homeland security threats in the Sacramento region? You mentioned flooding.

Somers: That’s probably the biggest prevalent one. You also look for locations that have a large population that show up at one time. A school can be a location where you have a homeland security issue. The community center down here on J Street [can be a location]. When you have a large event — depending on what it is — it could be a homeland security issue. When you have a large event or large gathering, it’s an opportunity for someone to do something. And so, you have to be prepared. We have a major international airport...you have different seats of government; you have a celebrity who is governor of the state. The government of the eighth-largest economy in the United States is centered right here in Sacramento. So, you have a lot of targets.

SP: Can you just briefly explain what incident management is?

Police Department spokesman Norm Leong: The ICS system was actually started by California fire departments. The name of it was kind of changed to NIMS, for the national program based on the California system. But a program like Homeland Security allows everyone to be on the same page throughout the nation to operate underneath that same system.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City/police e-mails describe planned surveillance system

2009-08-04T18:05:26Z

The Sacramento Press is publishing a series of documents and e-mails about the city’s planned surveillance system. In May and June e-mails, city officials and staffers were preparing to defend the city’s planned surveillance system against criticism from the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The city plans to buy a $615,000 surveillance system with 32 security cameras, four mobile surveillance trailers and other related equipment. Sacramento officials announced in April that the city had been chosen to receive Federal Homeland Security grant funds to pay for the surveillance package. However, the city is still waiting for the California Emergency Management Agency to provide the federal funds.

The Sacramento Police Department and the Sacramento County chapter of the ACLU have sparred over the cameras: The ACLU argues that they do not counter crime, while police department spokesman Norm Leong contends that they are a helpful tool.

Police department managers and staffers at the offices of Mayor Kevin Johnson and City Councilman Rob Fong discussed the ACLU’s criticism of the cameras in May 19 and June 1 e-mail messages.

Documents that provide details on the planned surveillance system are available here.

Read about the formal procedures that Sacramento police personnel will follow when working with surveillance cameras.

The California Public Records Act request submitted by the Sacramento County chapter of the ACLU to City Manager Ray Kerridge can be read here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

E-mails reveal city's talks on security cameras

2009-07-31T05:40:37Z

Photo: Mayor Kevin Johnson has mentioned K Street and Regional Transit stations as possible locations for new surveillance cameras.

The Sacramento Police Department and Mayor Kevin Johnson’s office anticipated a battle with the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union over the city's plans to buy 32 surveillance cameras, e-mails show.

The debate between the Sacramento County chapter of the ACLU and the Sacramento Police Department over the effectiveness of surveillance cameras is revealed in documents obtained by The Sacramento Press.

The ACLU argues that surveillance cameras do not cut crime. Norm Leong, spokesman for the police department, said that security cameras already help the police department to combat crime.

The locations for the cameras have not yet been selected, and the money has not yet been received by the police department, Leong said. The cameras and other related equipment would be paid for with a $615,000 grant from the Homeland Security Administration.

In May 19 and June 1 e-mail messages between police department managers and staffers at the offices of Mayor Kevin Johnson and City Councilman Rob Fong, Capt. Ken Bernard of the Sacramento Police Department alerted officials about the ACLU’s concerns.

“This is a heads up regarding the camera grant," Bernard wrote. "The ACLU is going to be fighting us accepting the grant, so I thought we should all be prepared to address potential council concerns.”

Bernard then addressed Chief Rick Braziel in the e-mail message: “Chief--it appears that the mayor may be trying to get you involved in a conference call to address the ACLU’s concerns.”

In the e-mail, Bernard also asked whether the city had conducted research on the effectiveness of surveillance cameras.

“Has anyone involved in the writing of the grant done any research as to their effectiveness?” he wrote. “Might be nice if can quote some stats or have some talking points to counter the ACLU’s position. Thoughts?”

*Photo by Sacramento Press staff reporter Suzanne Hurt.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sac PD may fill detective positions

2009-07-30T04:00:26Z

The news that the Sacramento Police Department will receive $9.5 million in federal stimulus dollars means that the department’s specialized units may eventually receive a boost in staffing, according to department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong.

The department announced earlier this week that it had been selected to receive federal money under the Recovery Act Funding to Support Law Enforcement program. The money will be used to pay the base salary of 35 officers for three years, Sacramento Police Officers Association President Brent Meyer said.

Meyer said he was “ecstatic” about the federal money, noting that the department thought it might have to lay off 67 police officers earlier this year due to the city’s budget problems. The department avoided the layoffs through the union’s negotiation process with the city. However, the department expected that hiring would be stagnant over the next two years, Meyer said.

The 35 new hires will work on patrol in the field because the first assignment for new police officers is patrol, Leong explained. Police Chief Rick Braziel has set the minimum number of officers on patrol at 275, Leong said, and the department has a number higher than that on patrol right now. But 103 officer positions in the department are now vacant.

With more officers working on patrol, the department could choose to open the testing process to fill specialized jobs, including detective positions, according to Leong. Officers currently working at the department could apply to move to a specialized job, he said. Any moves within the department could not take place immediately because the new officers will need to learn their new assignments, he added.

The department’s detectives are overworked, Leong said. Filling more detective positions would allow the department to work on additional investigations it has not been able to pursue, and would also help improve customer service, he said.

Department managers will decide which units should receive additional staff, he noted, and the department has not yet received the federal dollars.

To respond to the failing economy, the department downsized specialized units, including narcotics and traffic, Leong explained. When Braziel joined the department in January 2008, he immediately prepared the department’s budget to face economic hardship, Leong noted.

To brace itself for the recession, the department cut back on overtime and did not fill positions that became vacant, he explained. “For a long time, we had cost savings because we were able to save money by not filling un-budgeted, and even budgeted positions,” Leong said.

*Photo of Chief Rick Braziel courtesy of the Sacramento Police Department.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Racial profiling commission outlines new goals

2009-07-29T04:36:44Z

A group that advises the Sacramento City Council on racial profiling issues has laid out its new goals, which include a plan to use community meetings to improve relationships between the Sacramento Police Department and citizens.

The 13-member Community Racial Profiling Commission outlined its new objectives in a July 28 letter to the City Council. The letter, which is the commission’s quarterly report to the City Council, summarizes the commission’s work from January to March.

The commission's new goals are:

* “Foster better police/community relations through activities such as the CRPC community forums and the stakeholder workshops.”

* “Analyze relationships between racial profiling and social issues using quality research.”

* “Understand policing from a police perspective.”

Councilmembers did not make any comments about the report at their Tuesday meeting.

However, Pastor C. Singleton of Sacramento addressed the City Council. Singleton is a member of a local community group under the umbrella of the Caravan for Justice organization, which lobbies state legislators to reverse certain laws.

Singleton told councilmembers that her group wanted to meet with the City Council and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office about racial profiling issues.

After the meeting, she told The Sacramento Press her views on racial profiling in Sacramento. “It’s prevalent here,” she alleged.

Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel, who attended the City Council meeting, told The Sacramento Press that the police department takes allegations of racial profiling seriously and investigates them. He said that most racial profiling allegations raised by community members concern events that have occurred outside the city, which means that the police department is not the law enforcement agency at issue.

The police department helps community members contact the agency that has jurisdiction over the area where the event occurred, he said.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Homeland Security dollars for Sacramento region

2009-07-18T02:39:39Z

The regional Homeland Security program will receive more than $3 million in federal funds for its training and preparedness efforts, as well as for staffing and operational expenses, according to Sacramento Police Department spokesman Norm Leong.

The City Council earlier this week decided to move U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant money to the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security. The regional office will allocate the money to a specific program known as the Urban Area Security Initiative.

A July 14 report to the City Council from Sacramento Police Lt. Tom Sweeney said the $3,150,680 in funding “will be used to pay for equipment, labor costs and contractual agreements in accordance with the approved Homeland Security budgets and program guidelines.” The funding is to be used over a three-year period, starting in the 2009/2010 fiscal year and ending in the 2012/2013 fiscal year.

The regional Homeland Security office includes the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, according to Leong. Sweeney, who wrote the report, was not available to explain specific details about the funding because he was on vacation Friday.

Among other duties, the Homeland Security office holds training classes for law enforcement agencies, Leong said. The office’s website lists the titles and descriptions for dozens of classes including “Anti-Terrorism Concepts for Patrol Personnel” and “Improvised Explosive Device Awareness.”

The description for the anti-terrorism concepts class states: “This 8-hour course is designed to enhance patrol personnel’s capability in fighting the war on terrorism. Course material will cover the Building Blocks to Terrorist Attacks, Pre-Incident Indicators, Terrorism Interdiction, Overview of Islamic/Right Wing and Environmental Terrorist Groups, Legal Issues, and Intelligence Systems.”

A course called “Taming the Wild Zebra” teaches participants about bioterrorism. The class description notes: “Learn to pick out clandestine biological laboratories, access the dangers medical aid patients present to you, and understand how to safely sample, document, package, and transport bioterrorism specimens.”

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Police: Security cameras on Del Paso used infrequently

2009-07-14T05:18:08Z

As civil liberties advocates and city officials debate the city’s plans to implement a new surveillance system, three security cameras are already operating on Del Paso Boulevard.

Joann Cummins, district director for City Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy, said the Del Paso Boulevard cameras will be useful for recording evidence to prosecute a couple of liquor stores that are allegedly creating a public nuisance.

The Sacramento Press reported in a July 8 story that the local American Civil Liberties Union has raised objections to new cameras that may be installed on K Street and at other locations, arguing that they do not decrease crime. The city plans to buy 32 security cameras, four mobile surveillance trailers and other related equipment. The $615,000 surveillance package would come from Federal Homeland Security grant funds. The state will distribute the federal grant funds to the city.

The Del Paso Boulevard Partnership, a group that advocates for businesses in the area, as well as other businesses, asked Sheedy’s office to install the three cameras on the street, Cummins said, adding that while the cameras may not capture images of crimes, they will be useful for collecting evidence.

The Del Paso Boulevard cameras, which were installed earlier this year, cost $25,000 and were paid for out of redevelopment funds.

Sacramento Police Department spokesman Norm Leong said there have not been many cases -- of which he is aware -- when the three security cameras have been used as evidence. The cameras may be preventing crime, he said, noting that it is not possible to gauge prevention.

The Sacramento Press asked for statistics on how often the police department uses the security cameras. Police officers document usage of surveillance images in reports, but the department’s computer system does not track how often officers review or make copies of footage from security cameras, Leong said.

Cummins said that the cameras will enable city officials and staffers to collect evidence of public nuisance problems allegedly generated by specific businesses on the street. The cameras will provide surveillance footage that city officials can gather after crimes or problems have been committed, she said. The footage can then be used as evidence, she explained.

Sheedy’s office reviewed numerous studies on surveillance cameras and concluded that cameras do not usually capture crimes, but they do capture evidence, Cummins said.

She also said that the cameras on Del Paso Boulevard are useful because there have been traffic accidents near the cameras. Cars have crashed into city property on the street, Cummins said. Footage from the cameras can give the city information about the vehicles, she said, and make sure that the damage to the city property is paid for by the driver’s insurance company.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City officials, ACLU debate surveillance system

2009-07-09T03:20:59Z

City officials and civil liberties advocates are taking opposite positions on the city’s plans to set up security cameras at several locations in Sacramento. The two sides are presenting opposing views on the effectiveness of surveillance systems.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said in April that the surveillance system would help decrease crime in Sacramento. While locations for the cameras have not yet been selected, Johnson has said that K Street and Regional Transit stations are the kinds of high-traffic and high-crime sites that could be suitable for surveillance.

The city intends to purchase a $615,000 surveillance package that includes 32 security cameras, four mobile surveillance trailers and other related equipment. The money would come from Federal Homeland Security grant funds. The state will distribute the federal grant funds to the city.

While the grant money was promised to the city in April, the city is still waiting to receive the federal funds from the California Emergency Management Agency. The city expects to receive the funds, but is still working with the state to obtain the funding, said Sacramento Police Department spokesman Norm Leong. If the city receives the funding, it will buy the surveillance equipment through a procurement process, according to the police department.

The city’s plans are stirring public debate. The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union is opposing the city’s planned surveillance system. Jim Updegraff, the chair of the Sacramento County Chapter of the ACLU, claimed in May that numerous studies have “demonstrated video cameras are ineffective in reducing crime.”

The Sacramento Press reviewed a recent academic study about surveillance effectiveness and asked officials in the police department and the mayor’s office to comment on its findings. UC Berkeley researchers studied the city of San Francisco’s surveillance system, known as the Community Safety Camera program, and released a report in December 2008.

One of the areas examined in the report was violent crime. “We find no evidence of an impact of the Community Safety Cameras on violent crime,” the report states.

While the UCB researchers do not see connections between security cameras and violent crime, they state that surveillance cameras could have caused property crimes to drop. “We find statistically significant and substantial declines in property crime within view of the Community Safety Cameras,” according to the report.

Leong said that security cameras already help the police department to combat crime. The department analyzes footage taken by private citizens and video from cameras at businesses, Leong noted. “We know for a fact, as a tool to solve crimes, it’s always been helpful,” he said. "Locally, both violent and property crimes have been solved with the use of surveillance footage."

Mayor Johnson’s spokesman Joaquin McPeek referred to the cameras as a tool.

"We're going to use every tool in the toolbox to reduce crime in Sacramento, including these cameras, and we can do it without infringing on civil liberties,” McPeek said.

Security cameras are now installed at some city facilities, Police Chief Rick Braziel said in May. Leong also noted that there are three surveillance cameras on Del Paso Boulevard. The security cameras currently being used are not part of the system that would be paid by the $615,000 grant.

Johnson and Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel were not available to respond to questions Wednesday.

Read the UCB report through the ACLU’s website under the "related documents" section. The report is titled “CITRIS Report: The San Francisco Community Safety Camera program.” The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society is a UC Berkeley research program.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Civil liberties advocates protest city's plans to install surveillance system

2009-05-27T06:09:54Z

Civil liberties lawyers and advocates are objecting to the city of Sacramento’s plans to install new security cameras and related surveillance equipment at several locations in the city.

Jim Updegraff, the chair of the Sacramento County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), told the City Council Tuesday that the planned surveillance system would be “an affront to the privacy and civil liberties of the citizens of the City of Sacramento.”

Mayor Kevin Johnson and Police Chief Rick Braziel last month publicized the city’s plan to use a pot of $615, 500 in Federal Homeland Security grant funds to fund a new surveillance system with 32 cameras, four mobile surveillance trailers and other related equipment. Johnson said the surveillance system was important because Sacramento has ranked second to Oakland in violent crime statistics over the past seven to eight years.

But Sacramento County’s ACLU chapter and ACLU attorneys in San Francisco are challenging Johnson and Braziel’s views.

Outside the meeting, Updegraff told The Sacramento Press that the ACLU’s opposition does not mean the group plans to sue the city. The group always tries to work with issues, he said.

But the group’s firm opposition is clear. Updegraff told the City Council that the surveillance system will invade citizens’ privacy and will not fight crime. The group is also calling on the City Council to hold a public hearing about the planned surveillance system.

“Study after study, from San Francisco to London, have demonstrated video cameras are ineffective in reducing crime,” Updegraff said.

The Sacramento County ACLU chapter and ACLU attorneys in San Francisco together are directly challenging statements Johnson made last month about the surveillance system.

“The new system will create a powerful deterrent for would-be criminals,” Johnson said last month. “Similar systems have been used in other cities around the country and played a major role in reducing crime.”

Updegraff questioned the accuracy of Johnson’s comments, noting that ACLU attorneys had studied Johnson’s remarks. “Our attorneys in San Francisco are not aware of any studies in the country that support the comments of the mayor,” Updegraff said.

The local ACLU chapter is also challenging one of Braziel’s statements.

Braziel said at a press conference last month: “The cameras we put up will only be in places that are in open view of the public, so it is no different than somebody walking down the street with their videophone and taking pictures.”

The Sacramento County ACLU chapter “disagrees” with and “deplores” Braziel’s comment, Updegraff said.

Images from innocent people’s videophones “do not end up in police files,” Updegraff said, and are not shared with other law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and the Sacramento Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center.

Sacramento Police Department spokesman Konrad VonSchoech said last month that the city will hold a procurement process for the cameras and other surveillance equipment.

Surveillance: RT stations possible terrorism targets, police say

2009-04-24T06:59:29Z

The $615,000 the Sacramento Police Department will spend to purchase security cameras and related surveillance equipment comes from a pot of federal Homeland Security funds.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said earlier this week the surveillance equipment may be used at K Street and at Regional Transit stations.

But what is the connection between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Sacramento sites such as K Street and the local light rail stations?

Sgt. Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department said terrorism is a Homeland Security concern, but other threats fall under the definition of “Homeland Security,” as well.

“Transit hubs are naturally potential targets for terrorism,” Leong said.

Leong emphasized that the “homeland security” definition includes threats such as natural disasters, threats to public transit, and threats to high-traffic areas where mass incidents can occur.

He noted that the term “terrorism” isn’t limited to violence from other countries, adding that the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing case was an example of domestic terrorism.

Major events and crowds can potentially draw terrorists, including in Sacramento, Leong said.

Federal funds will pay for the city’s new surveillance equipment, but the funds were awarded to Sacramento by the state. The California Emergency Management Agency receives federal Homeland Security funds, which it doles out to local governments.

The surveillance equipment system Sacramento will buy with the funds includes 32 cameras and four mobile surveillance trailers, according to a copy of the Sacramento Police Department’s request to the state.

Precise locations for the equipment have not yet been selected, but Johnson said Monday that K Street and Regional Transit stations were the kinds of high -traffic and high -crime sites suitable for the new cameras.

The police department will work with the City Council and the public to choose sites, Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel said earlier this week.

Jay Alan, communications director for the California Emergency Management Agency, said the Homeland Security funds are used for multiple hazards that include terrorism prevention. He cited earthquake prevention and mitigation, and port security as some of the programs that are part of the Homeland Security program.

Asked about Sacramento’s light rail stations, Alan pointed out past terrorist events involving transit, such as the 2004 attacks on trains in Madrid, and the 2005 attacks on the London Metro.

Alan also echoed Leong’s comments, saying that if the city used surveillance equipment along the city’s Regional Transit stations, the equipment could possibly prevent terrorism.

The state gave the money to the city of Sacramento because the city’s project fit the Homeland Security guidelines, which apply to counterterrorism as well as to other security events, Alan said.

The surveillance equipment the city will purchase will also be used as a deterrent for crime and as an investigative tool, Alan said.

The city will hold a procurement process for the cameras and the other surveillance equipment, said Konrad VonSchoech, a spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for the Sacramento Press.

Police address privacy concerns over security system

2009-04-21T05:38:24Z

The Sacramento Press talked to members of the Sacramento Police Department Monday about the city’s plans to install a new $615,000 surveillance system in the coming months. Locations for the new equipment have not yet been chosen. The funding, which comes from Federal Homeland Security Grants, was awarded to the city by the state.

Sacramento Press: Can you speak to the issue of privacy concerns?

Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel: “The cameras we’ll put up will only be in places that are in open view to the public, so it’s no different than someone walking down the street with their videophone and taking pictures. We’re very sensitive to those issues.

In fact, early on, as we started the process, I actually met with members of the American Civil Liberties Union, when there were other issues coming up with cameras.

Any fixed cameras that we have currently that go into areas that would be considered private, we mosaic-out through software. For example, we have surveillance cameras at some of our facilities…and if they encroach in someone’s personal space, we actually mosaic that out.

But for most part, you’ll see them on K Street Mall, where areas are open to the public, and anyone can video those including the general public.”

SP: How long will you keep the video records?

Sacramento Police Department Spokesman Konrad VonSchoech said that if the police record a criminal activity on video, the department would keep the video for five years. VonSchoech said this timeframe conforms to the code for records retention.

If the video contains evidence, however, police will keep it for as long as it needs to prosecute a crime, VonSchoech said.

Police to install security cameras at several sites

2009-04-21T05:31:45Z

The city may install new security cameras at Sacramento’s K Street and Regional Transit stations, as well as at other possible locations in the coming months, Mayor Kevin Johnson said at a press conference Monday.

Sacramento will pay for a new surveillance system consisting of new cameras and related equipment from a pot of $615,000 in Federal Homeland Security grant funds. Though the funding is from a federal pot, it was doled out to the city by the state.

“I campaigned on this notion that we wanted to make public safety a top priority, and today is a significant victory in our efforts to make good on that promise,” Johnson said.

Over the past seven to eight years, Sacramento is second to Oakland in violent crime statistics, Johnson said, noting that these statistics are “not acceptable.”

The package of equipment will include 32 cameras and four mobile surveillance trailers.

Johnson said the cameras will be installed at high traffic and high crime locations such as on K Street and near major Regional Transit stations.

“The new system will create a powerful deterrent for would-be criminals,” Johnson said. “Similar systems have been used in other cities around the country and played a major role in reducing crime.”

California Emergency Management Agency Acting Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen said Monday that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has “made very clear that the government’s No. 1 one priority needs to be public safety."

While Johnson mentioned K Street and Regional Transit stations, specific locations have not yet been chosen. Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel said the police department is going to work with the city council and community members to choose locations.

In addition to fixed cameras, the package includes some mobile cameras to use at special events and other places where crimes “pop up,” Braziel said.

One of the city’s next steps is to hold a procurement process for the cameras and the other surveillance equipment, said Konrad VonSchoech, a spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.

Braziel said he hopes the system will be ready to be installed by fall.