PSC 01-10-02 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION HELD JANUARY 10, 2002
CONFERENCE ROOM A, CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA
1. CALL TO ORDER:
The Chair, Emma Darknell,
Il. SALUTE TO THE FLAG:
The Chair led the Salute.
IlL ROLL CALL:
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent:
Staff Present:
7:30 PM
called the meeting to order.
Darknell, Dor, Tice and Majewski
None
Jeffrey Trybus, Code Enforcement
Lieutenant Smedlund, Sheriff's Department
Sergeant Puruso, Sheriff's Department
Detective John Spagnola, SheriWs Department
Deputy Chief Lopes, Santa Clara County Fire
Staff Absent: None
Visitors Present: Mahesh Nihalani
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
December minutes not approved.
V. REPORT FROM COUNTY FIRE:
Assistant Chief Lopes distributed and discussed the monthly statistics for the month of December.
Assistant Chief Lopes told the commission that the month of December has been surprisingly quiet for fire
department reports.
Assistant Chief Lopes advised the commission that fire loss year to date for single family/duplex homes
have been approximately $593,000.
Assistant Chief Lopes told the commission that there have been 11 Haz Mat reports for the month and a
total of 36 reports year to date.
Assistant Chief Lopes advised the commission that there have been approximately $103,560 dollars worth
of fire loss due to vehicle fires for the year.
_ Public Safety Commission Minutes Regular Meeting of January 10, 2002
Page 2
VI. REPORT FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE:
Lieutenant Smedlund distributed and discussed the monthly statistics for the month of December.
Lieutenant Smedlund advised the commission that this year's "Avoid the 13" drunk driving campaign
resulted in 36 arrests throughout the west valley patrol division this year, about a 20% decline from last
year. Lieutenant Smedlund advised the commission that 450 vehicles were checked and there were (0) zero
DUI arrests.
Lieutenant Smedlund advised the commission that there have been an 80% increase in the overall number of
residential burglaries in the West Valley area.
Lieutenant Smedlund advised the commission that the City of Cupertino received 61 burglaries last quarter.
Lieutenant Smedlund told the commission that suspect(s) are entering through unlocked rear sliding glass
doors or windows or forced entry through rear sliding glass doors or windows leading directly into the
master bedroom. In some cases, suspect(s) entered through unlocked garage doors and gained entry into the
main part of the house.
Lieutenant Smedlund advised the commission that in some of the burglary cases the residents were at home
during the burglary and these are highly unusual as burglaries usually occur during the day when residents
are away at work or school. Law enforcement officials know these burglaries as "hot prowls".
Sergeant Puruso told the commission that on 1/5/02 at approximately 3:00 AM, residents on the 12300
block of Sara glen Drive in Saratoga confronted a prowler in the front yard. The prowler emerged from
some bushes and he activated an exterior motion detector. The subject identified himself as a police officer
to the residents that questioned him and the subject was holding a flashlight and a radio and was apparently
talking with someone on it. The subject then fled on foot and deputies arrested him at the corner of
Prospect & Scully. At this point, there is no indication that this suspect is related to the burglaries in
Cupertino, however it's not out of the question.
Detective Spagnola advised the commission that on 1/9/02 deputies arrested 3 juvenile males, ages 12, 13
and 16 for burglary in Cupertino. The juveniles live and go to school in Cupertino. The juveniles may be
responsible for at least five burglaries in the Glenbrook Apartments and the commons. The juveniles would
knock on doors and when no one answered they would make entry into the home, usually through an
unlocked door. Approximately $20,000 dollars worth of stolen property was recovered.
Lieutenant Smedlund advised that they have been putting crime alerts on the new e-Cap, e-mail system to
notify the residents of criminal activity in the city.
Lieutenant Smedlund told the commission that the Sheriff's department has conducted several nighttime
surveillance details that have been unsuccessful to date. Lieutenant Smedlund also advised that there have
been increased in nigh~ime patrols of residential neighborhoods to include more frequent stops for
identification.
Detective Spagnola told the commission that the detective bureau has been receiving numerous leads that
detectives are following up on and two new detectives have been added to the investigation effort.
_ Public Safety Commission Minutes Regular Meeting of January 10, 2002
Page 3
VI: REPORT FROM THE SHERIFFS OFFICE CONT:
Commissioner Majewski advised the sherifl's office that he would like to know the correlation between
Calls for service vs. response times and man-hours. Majewski felt this information was useful for city
council to know, in case the city needs to increase staffing levels. Lieutenant Smedlund told the
commission that he would attach a report containing this information for the next meeting.
Sergeant Puruso advised the commission that it is much busier now than fifteen years ago. Sergeant Puruso
told the commission that deputies respond to every 911 and aIarm call that will take up much of the
deputy's time.
VII. COMMISSIONERS REPORT:
Commissioner Darknell told the commission that she attended the Mayor's breakfast and Lowenthal advised
that Andronika's would not be going in at Oaks Mall, because the company ran out of money.
Commissioner Darknell told the commission that Mary Street will be made narrower and a pedestrian
overpass will be placed over 280 from the high school on Homestead. Planning will be checking on the
plans for the pedestrian overpass.
Commissioner Darknell told the commission that a planning retreat would take place on January 18, 2002.
VIII. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
None.
IX. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS:
None.
X. OLD BUSINESS:
Commissioner Tice advised that he did not finish the Crossing Guard safety report and he will write it up at
a later date if the commissioners would like to review and discuss it.
Xl. NEW BUSINESS:
The Emergency Plan will be reviewed at the February 14, 2002 meeting with Marsha Garcia.
Parents with cell phones parked at the schools were discussed and the dangers involved with using them
while driving.
Public Safety Commission Meeting Minutes Regular Meeting of January 10, 2001
Page 4
XII. ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Code Enforcement Officer
Approved by the Public Safety Commission at the regular meeting of March 14, 2002.
~, ~ff'/~') v .v a Dark~.~nell, Chair