El Camino Police Department

El Camino Police Department Division council Meeting October 27, 2010

Present: Mike Trevis, Arlene Bautista, Gary Robertson, Michael Martinez, Erika Solorzano, Erick Mendoza, Kenny Galan, Mike DeSanto

The meeting began at 10:20 am. The minutes of the September 15, 2010 meeting were approved as written.

Old Business

Call Rotation When several officers are on duty, how is it determined as to which officer gets which call? The dispatch center starts from 1-D or the less senior officer. Report calls will be alternated. The officer who is called first by the Dispatch Center is the handling unit.

Mike Trevis - If dispatch sends someone on a call and the officer does not want to handle the call, the officer should go ahead and handle the call. After the call is handled, the officer should see the watch commander to further discuss this and should not go back to the dispatcher to express his/her preference.

If an officer goes to the dispatcher, the dispatcher should advise the officer to discuss it with the watch commander.

If an officer is doing a report, he/she should still take a call.

Officers can decide among themselves what calls they prefer to handle. When they have agreed to this, it must be cleared with the watch commander. Once the watch commander authorizes this, dispatch should be notified. Sgt. Toruno oversees the Dispatch Center.

Note: A separate meeting will be held to discuss the pros, cons, or recommendations for calls officers prefer to handle.

Baseball Caps Fading Erika spoke with the vendor regarding the condition of our department’s baseball caps. She will bring the hats to the vendor. The vendor will look into it and get back to Erika.

Unit Identifiers Unit identifiers EC 10 and Compton 11 are working. The sub-dispatchers need to be informed of this so that they do not forget to use the correct identifiers.

New Business The Great California Shakeout Drill was successful. It was handled within 20 minutes. POST ID Number Chief Trevis was at a Commission on POST meeting, and it was mentioned that attendees are required to use their POST ID numbers. POST made a suggestion to have the officer’s POST ID number on the back of police ID cards.

Erick Mendoza will coordinate the new police department ID’s which will include the officers’ POST number on it. The dispatchers’ POST ID number will also be on their ID’s. The new ID must be exchanged with the old ID.

The meeting was temporarily stopped at 11:14 a.m. and reconvened at 1:00 p.m.

Videotaping Policy A copy of the policy for the Mobile Video System (MVS) was sent to all the officers for review.

The camera activates when the Unitrol is used. The recording time is 3 weeks. A watch commander, Erick or Josh can pull the tape. If on the weekend the tape is full and no one can pull the tape, the officer should advise the dispatch center for a CAD entry. The tape will be changed when it is full.

The MVS does not take the place of the officers’ department issued digital recorders. These recorders should still be turned on.

The department issued digital recorders are to be used as the primary recording device. Chief Trevis recommended that those recorders be activated at the same time the MVS is activated.

Erika Solorzano will obtain specs (different types and prices) on a case for the remote control for the MVS.

Round Table

Kenny Galan There are some officers who would like to put together a modified Traffic Unit. Kenny discussed this with Sergeant Ott and Lt. Box. A proposal will be submitted. Chief Trevis would like the Traffic Unit to place its emphasis on traffic education. Officers need to attend three (3) classes at a traffic school. Once they complete the training, they will be able to wear the Traffic wings.

Erick Mendoza Police Units 53 and 56 have been replaced with two new units. The fleet managers are working on floor mats for some of the older units. The golf cart trams were moved to the police department sub-station storage area. Chief Trevis advised that if funding is available, the decals on the police units will be redone. Michael Martinez Mike is working on getting samples of training shirts for the cadets. We are looking at T-shirts vs. polo shirts.

Mike inquired as to whether the reserve academy is coming back. A coordinator needs to be selected for the program. A 20-hour clerical position is needed for the POST EDI requirements. The reserve academy is schedule to start in Fall 2011.

Mike Trevis Mike encouraged everyone to go to the POST website and sign-up for leadership and ethics classes.

The police department will have a Reserve Police Officer program. We would like to start with a minimum of 3 reserve police officers with a maximum of 5.

The El Camino Fire Academy is looking at a location at 190th Street and Madrona Avenue in Torrance. However, funding for this is a problem. Another location under consideration is at the Hamilton Adult School on 182nd Street. The Torrance Unified School District wants to sell this property.

The detective position will be effective January 2011. The interviews will be similar to the FTO interviews. A memo of interest and a resume’ must be submitted to the chief. This position is will handle investigations, follow-up and clearing cases at El Camino and Compton Center Police Dept. This is an assignment, not a promotion. There will be a $150 stipend during the duration of the position.

Mike will bring the suggestion of a 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift to Gary Robertson.

We need a mechanism to locate an officer when he/she can’t be contacted on a radio and cannot locate. Call on cellphone? Send someone out to locate them? This is a safety issue. Further discussion will take place and recommendations will be submitted to the chief.

Erika Solorzano Erika will coordinate the holiday extravaganza potluck.

Gary Robertson Stop signs at the first level intersection at the Lot H parking structure need to be posted. There have been near traffic collisions. The sign could be installed on the north pillar.

Unit 54’s airbag light comes on every so often. It will be sent to Bothwell Automotive.

Can Josh come in on overtime to fix the CARS program? Okay with chief.

Time ended: 2:37 p.m.