2-24
PUBLIC SAFETY/TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMISSION1:
2-24.1 Public Safety/Traffic And Parking Commission:
A public safety/traffic and parking commission is hereby created and established. Said commission may be known and referred to as the Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission or the public safety/traffic and parking commission. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1639, §8)
2-24.2 Composition; Appointment Of Members:
The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall consist of five (5) members who shall be residents of the city. Members shall not be officers or employees of the city. All members shall serve at the will and pleasure of the city council. Each member of the city council shall appoint a person to the public safety commission to represent that council member’s interest with the community. The mayor shall appoint an additional two (2) persons to serve on the commission. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1584, §1; Ord. #1639, §8)
2-24.3 Term Of Office:
Each member of the Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall serve a four (4) year term commencing on January 1 following a general municipal election at which the appointing council member was elected. In the event the office of any appointing council member becomes vacant during the term thereof, the term of the commission member appointed by such council member shall terminate thirty (30) days after such vacancy occurs. Following the expiration of the term of office, each commission member shall submit a letter to their duly appointing council member and express his/her desire to either resign or to serve another four (4) years. Failure to submit such a letter shall constitute a desire to resign from the commission. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1639, §8)
2-24.4 Meetings:
Meetings of the Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall occur only when business of the public safety/traffic and parking commission is required to be transacted. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1639, §8. Formerly 2-24.6)
2-24.5 Records:
The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall cause proper, accurate and permanent records of official acts and proceedings to be kept, and such records shall have the same status as records of other administrative departments of the city. Minutes, resolutions and official records of the commission shall be filed with the city clerk. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1639, §8. Formerly 2-24.7)
2-24.6 Organization:
The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall elect one of its members as chairperson, and such election shall be held as soon as practicable. Appointment as chairperson shall be for twelve (12) months. No member shall be reelected to serve as chairperson after having served a twelve (12) month appointment during his/her term on the public safety/traffic commission. Elections of chairpersons by the commission shall be fair and without any bias or prejudice to that commissioner. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1639, §8. Formerly 2-24.8)
2-24.7 Duties Of The Commission:
The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall have the power and required duty to:
a. Policy Recommendations: Analyze the minimal level of law enforcement needs and make policy recommendations to the city council; such minimal level of law enforcement needs shall not constitute danger to the public safety or to the deputy sheriffs who deliver such service. Any and all special law enforcement contract services by any private vendor or body outside of the city government shall come before the public safety/traffic and parking commission to make such request for law enforcement service for stated event. The public safety/traffic commission shall evaluate each fiscal year the necessity to increase, decrease or to deploy special contract delivery services to any part of the city deemed in need of additional or special targeted or directed law enforcement need.
b. Fire Safety: Analyze the minimal level of fire safety needs and make policy recommendations to the city council; such minimal level of fire safety needs shall not constitute danger to the public safety or to the Lynwood firefighters who deliver such service. The public safety/traffic and parking commission shall review the standards of section 1500 of the National Fire Protection Agency relative to fire department occupational safety and health, and may elect to seek policy recommendations to adopt, modify or comply to set standards pertaining to firefighter safety. The commission shall identify how any adopted policy recommendations will directly or indirectly impact the overall public safety of the city residents and businesses.
c. Animal Control: Analyze the city contract with the Los Angeles County department of animal care and control, its level of service and make policy recommendations to the city council; the commission shall oversee the dog licensing, canvassing of licensing, and registration within the city and fees established by resolution of the city council. The commission shall oversee all applicable laws, city codes and regulations including zoning of such regulations relative to animals within the city limits, and direct such recommendations to the city council.
The commission shall set policy recommendations into rabies vaccination and animal control (spay/neuter) with a yearly prepared report to the city council. The commission shall be responsible for inspecting the premises of the Los Angeles County department of animal care and control site of said contract with the city on a yearly basis. A prepared written report accounting for each yearly inspection of animal premises shall be forwarded to the city council. The report shall include all observations of the animal facility including care and control of animals. Any recommendation shall be addressed to the city council. The commission shall assist in spay/neuter programs for dogs and cats within the city.
d. Health Department: Analyze the level of services received by the Los Angeles County health department and make policy recommendations to the city council; the commission shall monitor any closure of businesses, restaurant facilities or any other locations within the city which may constitute a health hazard dangerous to the public safety of the citizens. The commission shall forward any health recommendations to the city council for review and findings of consideration.
e. Civil Emergency Operational Planning: The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall evaluate and make policy recommendations to the city council on ways to maximize its civil emergency operational planning. The public safety/traffic and parking commission shall work as an assisting body in preparing a civil emergency operational plan with the office of the sheriff; the fire chief or his assistant with the Lynwood fire department or the Los Angeles County fire department; St. Francis Medical Center; American Medical Response; Red Cross; Lynwood unified school district and any other office of emergency services including the National Guard and state agencies.
f. Community Relations: The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall evaluate, review and make policy recommendations to the city council on ways to maximize community relations between the Los Angeles County sheriff’s office and the minority community of Lynwood including the senior citizen community, youth and teen involvement and any other group that may have special needs. The public safety/traffic commission will further serve as the principal citizen liaison with the Los Angeles County sheriff’s office.
g. Citizen Input; Complaints: The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall serve in conjunction with a staff person in the city manager’s office, as the city’s mechanism to establish and maintain communications with citizens relative to public safety, including processing, hearing and monitoring trends in complaints received by the city regarding law enforcement, fire safety and animal control. The public safety/traffic and parking commission shall further assist the city council in developing ways to improve citizen input on public safety issues and forward any recommendations for council consideration.
h. Emergency Preparedness: The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall provide a forum for the receipt of information, recommendations, and complaints from the community relating to emergency preparedness. The commission shall recommend to the city council plans, programs, procedures, policies, and proposed legislation for the purpose of promoting, enhancing, and improving emergency preparedness in the community. The commission shall cooperate with city departments and other public agencies in promoting all aspects of emergency preparedness, and, if so authorized by the city council, shall organize workshops relating to emergency preparedness.
i. Neighborhood Block Watch Program: The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall evaluate and make policy recommendations to the city council regarding development of the neighborhood block watch program and shall provide a forum for the exchange of positive ideas and information among neighbors and residents.
j. Hearing Procedures: The public safety/traffic and parking commission shall adopt rules of procedure relative to law enforcement complaints and further provide written procedures to a complainant. Hearings shall be informal. There will be no cross-examination of either the complainant, any witness(es) or a request to interrogate a deputy sheriff. The commission may ask questions to any party as a point of information, or to gain elaboration of points made. The commission will have no power to take any action regarding a complaint, except that it may forward its recommendation of action to the sheriff’s office. Any material, notes, evidence or minutes generated from the public safety/traffic and parking commission hearing will be forwarded as a result of the complainant’s public address to the sheriff’s department of internal affairs bureau.
The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall not be a “police review board,” nor shall it conduct itself as one.
k. Limitations: It shall not be the role of the Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission to conduct investigations into individual complaints related to the service being provided by the city or any of its contractors including the Los Angeles County sheriff’s office. Nor shall it be the role of the commission to direct the process or the procedure by which service level recommendations are carried out. (Ord. #1474, §1; Ord. #1639, §8. Formerly 2-24.10)
2-24.8 Traffic, Parking And Safety Duties:
The Lynwood public safety/traffic and parking commission shall have the following additional powers and duties related to traffic, parking and safety:
a. Parking Matters: With respect to parking matters, the commission shall suggest the most practical means for coordinating the activities of all officers and agencies of the city having authority with respect to the administration and/or enforcement of parking regulations; stimulate and assist in the preparation and publication of reports concerning parking; receive complaints having to do with parking matters; and recommend to the city council and to the city engineer, law enforcement officials, and other city officials ways and means of improving parking conditions and the administration and enforcement of parking regulations.
b. Traffic Matters: With respect to traffic matters, the commission shall suggest the most practical means for coordinating the activities of all officers and agencies of the city having authority with respect to the administration and/or enforcement of traffic regulations; stimulate and assist in the preparation and publication of traffic reports; receive complaints having to do with traffic matters; and recommend to the city council, the city engineer, law enforcement officials and other city officials ways and means of improving traffic conditions and the administration and enforcement of traffic regulations.
c. Safety Matters: With respect to safety matters, the commission shall provide a forum for the receipt of information, recommendations, and complaints from the community relating to emergency preparedness. The commission shall recommend to the city council plans, programs, procedures, policies and proposed legislation for the purpose of promoting, enhancing, and improving emergency preparedness in the community. The commission shall cooperate with city departments and other public agencies in promoting all aspects of emergency preparedness, and, if so authorized by the city council, shall organize workshops relating to emergency preparedness. (Ord. #1639, §8)
Prior ordinance history: Ord. #1378, §§1—7.