HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-03-22 City Council (5)TO:
City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MARCH 22, 2004 CMR:197:04
POLICE RESPONSE TO NOISE COMPLAINTS AT 2811
MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On February 2, 2004, the City Council requested a detailed analysis of the Police
Department’s response to all noise violation calls for service relating to the
Safeway store at 2811 Middlefield Road.
It is important to understand how noise violation calls for service are prioritized
within the Police Department’s call taking/response procedures. All police calls-
for-service received by the 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center are assigned a level
of priority based on the initial facts known at the time of the call. The highest
priority calls are defined as emergency/high priority calls. They usually are of a
life-threatening nature or major crime in progress, and receive an immediate
dispatch and response by an officer within three minutes.
The second level of calls-for-service consists of medium priority calls. These calls
are usually dispatched within 10 minutes, with corresponding officer arrival within
30 minutes after being dispatched. Examples of medium priority calls include an
intoxicated person, missing person, suspicious packages, etc.
The third level of priority is low priority. Depending upon other higher priority
calls-for-service and availability of staff, these calls are dispatched within 30
minutes of receipt, with officer arrival 30 minutes after being dispatched.
Examples of low priority calls-for-service would be theft reports that are not in
progress, cold vandalism reports and noise violations. Many times low priority
calls are dispatched and responded to well under the 60-minute time goal.
Occasionally, during exceptionally busy periods, response to low priority calls
CMR:197:04 Page 1 of 4
may be extended. If a low priority response is extended due to a high volume of
higher priority calls-for-service, the reporting party is usually contacted by a
dispatcher or field supervisor and advised of the delay.
DISCUSSION
Staff reviewed all calls-for-service for in and immediately adjacent to the Safeway
store at 2811 Middlefield Road for the two-year period between January 1, 2002
and February 27, 2004. All noise violation complaint calls were analyzed for the
call type, date of call, time the call was received, time the call was dispatched,
time the officer arrived and the disposition of the call.
There were five noise calls reported during this time period, including one
complaint regarding construction noise, one loud music complaint, two complaints
of power washers being used and one complaint of a loud leaf blower. The
average total response time was 15 minutes from the time the calls were received
until the officers arrived. See Attachment A for the specific details for each call.
Officers contacted the subjects responsible for the noise in four out of the five
cases. Responding officers were unable to locate a responsible party in one of the
cases. One written warning was issued.
As a result of concerns from residents in the area of the Safeway store, staff has
assigned specific police personnel to work with Safeway regarding noise
complaints. This officer has met with senior Safeway management staff and has
provided training to Safeway management regarding Palo Alto’s Noise Ordinance,
including hours of operation for construction, power Washing and leaf blowers.
They have been advised of the types of noise complaints that have been reported at
their business and that future noise violations will result in the issuance of
citations.
Staff has also emphasized the importance of responding police personnel to
properly document noise violations and issue citations when necessary.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A:Noise Comp!aints Reported to Palo Alto Police from January
1, 2002 to February 27, 2004
CMR: 197:04 Page 2 of 4
PREPARED BY:
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
/ ~
BRAD.ZOOK
Police Captain
LYNNE
Police Chief
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
EMILY HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
CMR:197:04 Page 3 of 4
Attachment A
Noise Complaints Reported to Palo Alto Police
from 2811 Middlefield Road
01/01/02 to 02/27/04
Call Type
Construction
noise.
Music from
a car in rear
lot of
Safeway.
Power
washing in
Safeway lot.
Loud leaf
blower.
Power
washing in
Safeway lot.
Date of Call Time Time Time Disposition
Received Dispatched Arrived
03/02/2002 12:35 am 12:52 am 12:56 am
08/! 1/2002
08/10/2003
09/02/2003
01/31/2004
10:24pm
7:57 am
8:32 am
8:30 am
10:32 pm
7:58 am
8:35 am
8:32 am
10:36 pm
8:03 am
8:43 am
8:40am
Pest control
workers
contacted.
No report
taken.
Subject
contacted,
music turned
off. No
report taken.
Contact with
person using
the power
washing
machine.
Verbal
warning
given. No
report taken.
Unable to
locate the
violation.
No report
taken.
Violator
contacted
and given a
"First
Warning."
Report
taken.