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EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY SETTLED, ALL A COMMISSIONERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE COMMISSION, WOMEN AND GIRLS GAME, UH, ORDER FOR OCTOBER 23RD, 2024.
AND MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE TIME, TIME IS SIX 30.
AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL ROLL COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
OKAY, FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER SHA PATTERSON IS EXCUSED.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE COMMISSION? UM, SEEING NONE.
SO, WELCOME NUMBER ONE TO TODAY'S MEETING AS THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
UM, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO PASS THE MIC FOR THIS MEETING'S.
WELCOME REMARKS TO COMMISSIONER ALEX LEVIT, WHO'S DEDICATED HER CAREER TO THE ISSUE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I, I AM REALLY EXCITED TONIGHT BECAUSE, UH, IT'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
WE WERE, I THINK, THE FIRST PROGRAM TO DO A PROGRAM FOR MEN WHO BATTERED THEIR WIVES.
WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF ANCILLARY PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, AND JENNY'S GONNA TELL YOU EVERYTHING, AND I'M SO HAPPY.
SHE'S, UM, BEEN WITH WOMEN'S SHELTER MORE THAN NINE YEARS AS AN EMPLOYEE, AND PRIOR TO THAT AS A, AS A VOLUNTEER.
UM, SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY HERE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I WOULD JUST TELL YOU, ONE OF THE VERY FIRST WALKATHONS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAS ON OCEAN BOULEVARD WHEN THE P***Y CAP THEATER WAS STILL THERE AND ALL THE BARS, AND THEY BOOED US ALL THE WAY DOWN.
SO WE STARTED A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PD, UH, PRETTY EARLY ON.
AND, UH, I'M, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
SO TO ENSURE THE INCLUSION OF ALL OF OUR MEETING PARTICIPANTS, I'M GOING TO PERIODICALLY REMIND SOME FOLKS TO SPEAK UP, UM, WHEN MAKING YOUR COMMENTS OR ASKING QUESTIONS, OR EVEN PRESENTING IF WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, SO YOU DON'T HAVE MIND.
UM, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE FOUR PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
SO IF YOU COULD BE CONCISE IN YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, JUST SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS, UM, HAVE TIME TO GET THEIR ITEMS, UH, TO GET THROUGH THEIR ITEMS. SO, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE FIRST ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN IN GIRLS MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2024.
CAN I GET A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? SO I SECOND? SECOND.
UM, WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
DO, UH, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON OUR MINUTES, IF THERE ARE ANY OR VIA ZOOM? OKAY.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM ONE IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW.
AND IF THERE'S ANY IN PERSON, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR STAND UP.
SEEING NONE, BOTH IN THE ZOOM AND IN PERSON.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE.
COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEMS ON OUR MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING? NO.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE? YES.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE NEXT TO ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH ABOUT THEIR SERVICES TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.
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ON THIS ITEM.UM, SO TODAY WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WELCOMING JENNY BARBOSA, WHO IS DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH.
WOMEN'S SHELTER IS AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE THAT AIDS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND MRS. MS. BARBOSA TODAY IS GOING TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY SEE DAY TO DAY
AND I'M LIKE, IS THERE A SPECIFIC PLACE TO KIND OF SPAN OR JUST, JUST HERE.
SO I'M SUPER THRILLED, UM, AND EXCITED TO BE HERE JOINING YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY ON THIS MONTH.
UM, THAT IS NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS JENNY BARBOSA, AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION AT WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH.
BEING THIS MONTH, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE ABOUT OUR AGENCY, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IS, IS HUGELY IMPORTANT.
BUT FOR ME, SPECIFICALLY, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH THE AGENCY FOR CLOSE TO NINE YEARS NOW, BEING ABLE TO TALK ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE BECAUSE NOT JUST ONLY AM I THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, BUT I AM ALSO A SURVIVOR OF CHILDHOOD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND I'M ALSO SURVIVOR OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE.
SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT NOT JUST WHAT OUR AGENCY DOES, WHICH IS OUR MISSION, TO ELIMINATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH COMPASSIONATE INTERVENTION, PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT, AND, UM, EDUCATION IS BEING ABLE TO SHARE, BUT BRING TO LIGHT ON THIS IMPORTANT CONCEPT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M LIKE, JUST SECOND HERE.
SO BEFORE I GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE, I DO WANNA GIVE EVERYONE A CONTENT WARNING THAT THE INFORMATION I WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU ALL TODAY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT SENSITIVE.
SO AT ANY TIME YOU'RE FEELING ANY TYPE OF REACTION GOING THROUGH YOUR BODY, MAYBE YOU MIGHT START FEELING, UM, A HEADACHE COMING OUT ON THE STOMACHACHE, A BACKACHE, MAYBE YOU MIGHT START FEELING ANXIOUS, NERVOUS, WHATEVER IT IS, PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
AS WE KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THIS CAN BE A VERY SENSITIVE INFORMATION OR TOPIC.
AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR 24 7 HOTLINE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE IN NEED OF SERVICES OR JUST SOMEONE TO TALK TO.
SO JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT.
SO LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR VISION IS TO ELIMINATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, OR WITH OUR SERVICES, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THESE SERVICES FOR OVER 40 YEARS NOW.
AND I WISH I COULD TELL YOU THAT EVERY TIME WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT OUR AGENCY, THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT US.
BUT THE TRUTH AND REALITY IS THAT WHEN WE GO OUT TO SHARE ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO, WE STILL GET FOLKS THAT ARE NOT AWARE THAT SERVICES LIKE OURS ARE AVAILABLE.
WE STILL HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME TO US AND TELL US, I HAVE NO IDEA THAT THESE SERVICES EVEN EXIST.
WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LITTLE, UM, PROBLEMATIC, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE WANT INDIVIDUALS TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN BREAK THESE CYCLES AND THAT THEIR SERVICES TO SUPPORT THEM AT NO COST.
SO OUR SERVICES, WE PROVIDE INCLUSIVE SERVICES, AND ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND PROVIDED TO ANYONE AT NO COST.
WE DON'T ASK FOR ANY MEDICAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL SECURITY, ANY OF THAT.
AS LONG AS A FAMILY SHARES THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE, INTIMATE PARTNER OF VIOLENCE OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THEY CAN RECEIVE THESE SERVICES FOR FREE.
SO JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY, YOU MIGHT SEE A FAMILIAR PICTURE HERE, ALICE.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING US.
SO HERE IN THIS PICTURE, UM, IF YOU ALL SEE THIS PICTURE, YOU MIGHT SEE A FAMILIAR FACE THERE.
AND I WANTED TO PUT THIS BECAUSE ALICE HAS BEEN PART OF OUR HISTORY AT WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH.
OUR AGENCY STARTED IN 1977, WHERE IT WAS INCORPORATED BY DR.
VIRGINIA COBER AND WHO DONATED OUR FIRST SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FACILITY, WHICH IS AGAIN FROM 1977.
AFTER THEN, 1977 AND 1984, WE WERE ABLE TO RELOCATE TO A 10 ROOM, 31 BED FACILITY.
AFTER WE WERE IN 1980 TO 1990S, WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE YWCA TO OF LONG BEACH TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES AND BE ABLE TO SERVICE THOSE THAT WERE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND WHEN WE KNOW AROUND THIS TIME, UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAS A PREVALENT ISSUE, BUT AT THE TIME IT WASN'T SOMETHING BEING FOCUSED ON AND MUCH, AND A LOT OF SERVICES WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THOSE THAT WERE EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE.
IN 1994, WE WERE ABLE TO REORGANIZE AS WSOB AND BE ABLE TO BECOME OUR OWN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION,
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WHICH WAS PHENOMENAL TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.IN 19 90, 99, OUR FIRST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER WHERE WAS ABLE TO OPEN WHERE WE HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THOSE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY, THIS INCLUDED PROVIDING FREE SUPPORT GROUPS FOR ADULTS, FOR WOMEN.
BUT IN ADDITION, AS THE YEARS CONTINUED PASSING BY, WE WERE THEN ABLE TO LAUNCH SERVICES NOT JUST FOR ADULTS, BUT ALSO YOUTH AND CHILDREN AS WELL.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECOGNIZED THAT AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IT'S NOT JUST THE ONE PERSON ISSUE, WE WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS DIDN'T JUST IMPACT THE FACT THE ADULT, BUT ALSO THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT WERE GROWING UP IN THE HOME, WITNESSING THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
LATER ON IN 2019, WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TERESA'S HOME, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO YET AGAIN HAVE A NEW SPACE LOCATION TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE OUR FAMILIES.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN YOU HEAR THE TERM SHELTER, OFTENTIMES FAMILIES THINK IT'S JUST MAYBE CUT BEDS, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE JUST GONNA STAY WITH DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS THERE.
BUT OUR HOME IS CREATED AS A SAFE SPACE FOR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN ROOMS, THEIR OWN BEDS, BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN RESTROOMS. THEY DO SHARE A KITCHEN SPACE AND LIVING ROOM SPACE, BUT IT'S A SPACE DESIGNED FOR THEM TO FEEL SAFE AND LIKE THEY'RE AT HOME.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOW RECOGNIZE WHEN FAMILIES ARE FLEEING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION, THEY'RE LEAVING EVERYTHING BEHIND.
SO THE BEST THING THAT WE TRY TO DO IS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM THAT SAFE SPACE, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW WE'RE VERY AWARE THAT IT'S NOT THEIR HOME, BUT TRYING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE HOMEY FOR THEM TO FEEL THAT THIS IS MY HOME FOR THE TIME THAT I'M HERE.
LASTLY, IN 2023, WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE COMPASSIONATE DIRECT SERVICES WITHIN OUR AGENCY BY PROVIDING TRAINING, PROVIDING THAT SAFE PAYMENT FOR FAMILIES THAT WOULD SERVICE WITHIN OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORT HOUSING, BUT IN ADDITION, IN OUR RESOURCE CENTER AND WITHOUT PROVIDING HOTLINE CALLS.
BUT ALSO ONE OF THE THING THAT WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, WHICH IS PART OF OUR PREVENTION PROGRAM, IS BEING ABLE TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS ON TEAM DATING, VIOLENCE AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE RECOGNIZE, AGAIN, IF YOUTH ARE GROWING UP IN A HOME WITNESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THESE ARE BEHAVIORS THAT BECOME NORMALIZED AND THEY BELIEVE THAT, HEY, THIS IS HOW RELATIONSHIPS SHOULD BE.
SO OUR MISSION IS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLANT THOSE SEEDS, SHARE WITH YOUTH THAT EVEN IF THEY HAVE WITNESSED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THAT THEY CAN BREAK THESE CYCLES AND THAT THEY ARE DESERVING OF HEALTHY, LOVING, SAFE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO WITH THAT, TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SERVICES.
SO OUR SERVICES, WE HAVE MANY SERVICES AND I'M EXCITED TO SHARE ABOUT THEM TODAY BECAUSE OFTEN, AGAIN, AS YOU HEAR WOMEN'S SHELTER, THE IDEA IS, WELL, YOU JUST PROVIDE SHELTER SERVICES.
BUT WE DO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SO WE HAVE OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER WHERE WE PROVIDE FREE NON-RESIDENTIAL CLIENT SERVICES.
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT GROUPS FOR ADULTS.
WE PROVIDE FREE SUPPORT GROUPS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH OUR ADULT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A 16 WEEK DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM WHERE FAMILIES RECEIVE THAT PSYCHOEDUCATION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR ADULTS HAVE AND RECEIVE A 21 WEEK LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE PARENTING SKILLS, RESUME BUILDING, ANY INFORMATION THAT CAN SUPPORT THAT FAMILY.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE PROVIDE CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUPPORT GROUPS WHERE WE HAVE A 20 WEEK PROGRAM WHERE THE FAMILIES OR THE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT CONFLICT RESOLUTION, SELF-ESTEEM, DATING VIOLENCE, BUT BEING ABLE TO LEARN DIFFERENT COPING SKILLS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BREAK THOSE CYCLES, BUT ALSO UNLEARN ANY UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS THAT POSSIBLY THEY HAVE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
AND OF COURSE, WE ALSO, IT'S ALSO SERVES AS A DROP DROP-IN CENTER, SO THAT ANYTIME ANYONE IS MAYBE, LET'S SAY, NOT JUST READY TO TAKE THE STEP TO POSSIBLY LEAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP, OUR CENTER SERVES AS A DROP-IN CENTER FOR ANYONE TO COME SEEK SERVICES, TALK TO AN ADVOCATE IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE OPTIONS MIGHT BE, THAT WILL ALLOW 'EM TO KNOW THAT, HEY, THESE ARE MY OPTIONS AND THESE ARE SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE FOR MYSELF.
SO EVEN IF AN INDIVIDUAL'S NOT READY, JUST AT THAT TIME, THEY CAN MEET WITH AN ADVOCATE, GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT OFTENTIMES WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO COME INTO OUR CENTER AND LEARN ABOUT THE SERVICES AND MEET WITH THAT ADVOCATE, OFTENTIMES A LOT OF THOSE
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INDIVIDUALS DO COME BACK TO ENROLL INTO OUR SERVICES.AND I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD, UM, OFTENTIMES INDIVIDUALS DO NOT COMPLETE PROGRAMS, BUT WE HAVE HAD A HIGH SUCCESS OF THOSE THAT OFTENTIMES MAYBE AT THAT TIME THEY DON'T COMPLETE, END UP COMING BACK TO THE SERVICES AND END UP COMPLETING THE SERVICES AND OFTENTIMES ARE EVIL TO LEAVE THAT PERSON OF HARM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FACILITY.
AND THIS IS FOR OTHER FAMILIES THAT ARE IMMEDIATE CRISIS AND THEY NEED TO FLEE A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
WE HAVE A 24 7 HOTLINE THAT FAMILIES CAN CALL, GET CONNECTED TO THE SERVICES, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THE SHELTER ASSISTANCE.
I WILL SAY THAT IF THERE'S FAMILIES THAT ARE IN THE CITY, SORRY.
UM, AND I, I'LL SAY THAT IF FAMILIES DO RESIDE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, I WILL SAY, NOT TO SAY THAT WE WON'T PROVIDE ANY SERVICES TO THEM, BUT IF THEY ARE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, WE WILL REFER 'EM TO A DIFFERENT CITY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT OF CONNECTIONS AND NETWORKING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHER PARTNER AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT FOR THEM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE PROVIDE SUPPORT GROUPS, CASE MANAGEMENT AS THE FAMILIES ARE THERE, AND WHILE THE FAMILIES ARE THERE, WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE OUR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WHERE WE PROVIDE TRAINING WORKSHOPS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BEING ABLE TO PLANT THOSE SEEDS ON WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CREATE AWARENESS, AND NOT JUST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT ALSO TEAM DATING VIOLENCE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO FOCUS IS WE DO OFFER 40 HOUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE TREE FOR ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED TO GET INTO THE FIELD OR JUST BE ABLE TO LEARN HOW I CAN SUPPORT OTHERS.
SO I'M LIKE, WITH THAT BEING SAID, LIKE, IS IT, UM, IT'S CHANGING THE SCREEN.
IT'S, I SEE THAT IT'S ALRIGHT.
SO NOW THAT I SHARED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SERVICES, I DO WANNA SHARE ABOUT WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS BECAUSE I CAN SHARE ABOUT OUR SERVICES AND WHAT WE DO AND WHO WE ARE.
BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO KNOWING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
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SO[00:34:35]
FIRST[00:34:35]
WE HAVE TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE FOLLOW UP WITH QUESTIONS.SO, UM, IF YOU COULD, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ZOOM, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER TWO.
UH, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW, AND IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO WRITE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE STAND UP OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
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SEEING NONE, BOTH IN THE ZOOM AND IN PERSON.THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, AS KIND THE MATTER OF ORDER HERE, I COULD ASK FOR, UM, COMMENTS FROM OUR MOVER, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS, UM, COMMISSIONER ETTE.
AND THEN, UM, AFTER THAT WE ASKED FOR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ.
I HAVE JERRY, DO YOU HAVE SECOND STAGE HOUSING NOW? MM, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
SO RIGHT NOW, I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ONLY PROVIDE SHORT TERM HOUSING, WHICH IS 30 TO 45 DAYS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, HAVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE GOING INTO EMERGENCY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT STABILITY INTO WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO HOPEFULLY HAVE THAT RUNNING SOON.
BUT WE'RE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO DEFINITELY MORE INFORMATION TO COME AS WE START THOSE PLANNING STAGES, UM, FOR OUR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALICE, FOR THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, I WILL SAY THAT IS VERY, UM, DIFFICULT, UM, SITUATION RIGHT NOW FOR I THINK FOLKS RIGHT NOW.
SO,
I, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU EXISTED AND I REALLY APPRECIATE.
I I DO HAVE A QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU SERVICED.
UM, 35,000, THERE ARE EXCLUSIVELY RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH.
SO ACTUALLY IT IS PRIMARILY, UM, RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH, BUT ALSO OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING, LIKE I MENTIONED, IF THEY ARE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, WE WILL KIND OF MAKE TRANSITIONS OR SAFETY TRANSFERS.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, IF THE PERSON, THE FARM LIVES IN THE AREA, RIGHT, OR FAMILY MEMBERS LIVE IN THE AREA, THAT CAN BE VERY, UM, PERFECT FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL.
SO WE DO SERVICE NOT JUST LONG BEACH RESIDENTS OR OUR RESOURCE CENTER, BUT FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING, OTHERS SURROUNDING CITIES.
SO NOW WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO, UM, ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR MISSION GROUPS AND OUR VICE CHAIR.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND I WANNA THANK YOU PARTICULARLY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE SCREEN THAT OFFERED US TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES AND, AND THAT IT'S HARD TO HEAR.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WAS A REALLY MEANINGFUL BEGINNING.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU EVER HAD, HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED SO MUCH OF, UH, ELDER ABUSE BY CARETAKERS? MM.
SO I WILL SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH OUR FOCUS IS WITH AN INTIMATE PARTNER, VIOLENCE AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, UM, RECENTLY WE HAVE, UM, NOTICED AN INCREASE IN REGARDS TO ELDER ABUSE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS, WHAT, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIPS ARE TRULY IMPORTANT.
UM, BEING THAT WE'RE AN INTIMATE PARTNER, VIOLENCE, NOT TO SAY THAT WE WON'T SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS.
IF ANYONE DOES COME INTO OUR DROP CENTER IN SEEKING SERVICES, WE WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES SUCH AS WISE, UM, AGENCY HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO THOSE, UM, ACCURATE RESOURCES.
I I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHERE IT'S ALL FREE.
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR MONEY? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
I'M LIKE, SO FUNDING A LOT OF DONATIONS.
UM, WE GRANT FUNDING, UM, THAT WE APPLY AND CONSTANTLY KIND OF SEEKING FOR, BUT AGAIN, IT'S PRIMARILY A LOT OF DONATIONS, FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS.
SO RIGHT NOW, I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S GREAT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE OR I THINK VICTIM SERVICES RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN RECENT CUTS IN FUNDING THAT MANY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGENCY AND SERVICES LIKE OURS, UM, WERE IMPACTED IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK EVEN WITH THOSE CUTS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FIGHTING AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, COME TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT WAS REALLY INSIGHTFUL, HELPFUL.
IT'S INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE WORK.
UM, WHEN YOU GO INTO THE SCHOOLS TO DO THE OUTREACH, ARE YOU, DO YOU FIND THAT'S LIKE A EASY PARTNER TO ESTABLISH? ARE THEY WELCOMING,
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OPEN TO THAT? YEAH.OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU KNOW WHAT, I WILL SAY THAT IN THE RECENT YEARS, IT HAS BEEN MUCH EASIER ACTUALLY TO GET INTO THE SCHOOLS.
NOW, I WILL SAY THAT BEFORE, AT LEAST WITHIN LONG BEACH UNIFIED, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR US TO GET INTO IT AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
UM, WE HAD BEEN CREATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKE DIFFERENT HEALTH TEACHERS AND TEACHERS AROUND THE DISTRICT, SO THEY WOULD BE THE ONES KIND OF BRINGING US IN.
BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW, AS LONG BEACH, UM, UNIFIED I THINK HAS EXPANDED MANY OF THE SERVICES, INCLUDING WELLNESS CENTERS, WHICH I ALWAYS, I'M A IBC STUDENT HERE ALSO GRADUATE FROM HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO BEING ABLE TO SEE THAT THE WELLNESS CENTERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR YOUTH, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, UM, HAS ALLOWED FOR THAT EXPANSION FOR OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS OURS, TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND BE ABLE TO SHARE THESE TOPICS.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE NOT JUST SAYING LONG BEACH LOCALLY, BUT ALSO OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS LIKE WE'VE BEEN TO ALHAMBRA, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF LA AND JUST AGAIN, BEING ABLE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS SAY, IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT OPENS THEIR DOORS AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN PLANT THOSE SEEDS, I WILL SAY THAT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.
RECENTLY, NOT THAT LONG AGO, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO MILLIKEN HIGH SCHOOL AND WE GOT TO SHARE IN REGARDS TO OUR BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
AND AGAIN, AS I SHARE SOME OF THE STATISTICS, WE KNOW THAT THIS DOESN'T JUST AFFECT WOMEN AND GIRLS, BUT ALSO OUR YOUNG BOYS AND MEN.
AND IT'S BEING ABLE TO ALSO INCLUDE THEM IN THESE CONVERSATIONS TO KNOW THAT, HEY, IF THEY'RE A PERSON WHO'S CAUSING HARM FIRST, HAVING THEM RECOGNIZE THOSE BEHAVIORS, SEEING HOW THEY CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES, BUT ALSO HAVING THEM RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING ALSO THAT MAYBE IF THEY'RE BEING HARMED.
BUT AT THE END, AT THESE PRESENTATION, WE HAD A, A YOUTH WHO WAS ABLE TO APPROACH US AFTER AND SHARE THAT AFTER LISTENING TO THE INFORMATION, THEY WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHARED, THEY WERE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING IN THEIR OWN RELATIONSHIP.
AND THANKFULLY THEY WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THE TEACHER AND GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED.
BUT I THINK, AGAIN, HAVING THE YOUTH BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE SIGNS AND BEING ABLE TO LABEL THAT IT'S NOT JUST TOXIC, UNHEALTHY OR ABUSIVE, BUT BEING ABLE TO LABEL, HEY, THIS IS A TEAM LEADING VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP I AM IN.
AND IF MY PARTNER IS BELITTLING ME, PUTTING ME DOWN, THAT'S THE TYPE OF EMOTIONAL, MENTAL PIECE, RIGHT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, YEAH, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
SORRY, I EXPANDED A LOT MORE WITH THAT, BUT, BUT YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY MORE TO, TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION HERE WITH THEM.
OH, COMMISSIONER
'CAUSE I'M YOUTH, I'M A 15-YEAR-OLD AND I THINK I LEARNED A LOT TODAY, SO THANK YOU.
AND I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOUTH ARE BEING INCLUDED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK I WANTED TO POINT IT OUT EARLIER, BUT, BUT I'M LIKE, IT EXCITES ME TO SEE YOUTH BEING PART OF THESE DISCUSSIONS AND, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR WAITING THAT
I THINK, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE WITH US AND EDUCATE US THIS EVENING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR DEALING WITH OUR TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, UH, AND, AND PROVIDING US WITH THE, WITH THE RESOURCES IN ADVANCE, WHICH HELPS GET THROUGH THOSE.
UM, I WANTED TO ASK IF THERE'S LIKE AN AVERAGE NUMBER OF SURVIVORS OR IN THEIR FAMILIES THAT YOU WORK WITH EACH YEAR, AND THEN IF YOU'VE SEEN OR NOTICED ANY TRENDS OVER TIME IN TERMS OF LIKE, IF THAT'S INCREASING OR KEEP LOSING.
YEAH, SO IN REGARDS TO THE TRENDS, UM, I WILL SAY THAT I THINK AFTER THE PANDEMIC WE, THE, WE DID NOTICE A HIGH INCREASE, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICES THAT WE WERE PROVIDING TO INDIVIDUALS.
I THINK WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS GOING ON, UM, WE NOTICED A DECREASE IN FOLKS SEEKING THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUALS WERE LEAVING AT HOME WITH THE PERSON OF HARM, SO IT WAS HARD FOR THEM TO SEE.
UM, SO WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS, WHICH THEY'RE ACTUALLY COMING UP.
UM, SO USUALLY DURING THE HOLIDAYS THEY DO, UM, THERE IS EXPECTED NUMBERS, UH, THAT INCREASE DURING THAT TIME BECAUSE OF THE, JUST ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS, FAMILY DYNAMICS AND, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL, UM, BURDENS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT OCCUR.
SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE SEEN, AND AGAIN, I ALWAYS SAY EVERY TIME, YOU KNOW, IT
[00:45:01]
HURTS ME TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT IT, IT INCREASES, UM, VERSUS THE DECREASE IN, EVEN THOUGH I THINK BOTH ALWAYS ALARMING, LIKE WHERE'S THE DECREASE, RIGHT? OR THE INCREASE, BUT ESPECIALLY THE INCREASES, UM, OF NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVICE OR THE PHONE CALLS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING.BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WISH THAT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY WISH WE HAD A MAGIC WAND AND WE CAN LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAKE VIOLENCE DISAPPEAR.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THAT'S NOT THE REALITY.
SO AGAIN, PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO YEAH.
BE ABLE TO, AND I KNOW WE HAVE TO GET TO OUR OTHER PRESENTATIONS, BUT I WANTED TO ASK TOO, UM, WHAT THE MOST COMMON KIND OF BARRIER THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT FROM, FROM SURVIVORS TO YOUR SERVICES OR TO OTHER SERVICES THAT CAN HELP THEM? YEAH, SO I THINK, UM, MANY OF THE BARRIERS I THINK THAT WE OFTEN HEAR FROM FOLKS THAT COME TO OUR SERVICES IS, I, I, I THINK BEING UNAWARE OF THE RESOURCES, THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
LIKE I MENTIONED, OFTENTIMES FOLKS, EVEN I KNOW THE CITY OF LONG BEACH NOW HAS A SERVICE, UM, WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO CALL IN REGARDS TO RESOURCES NOW.
AND I WILL SAY THAT THERE STILL CONTINUES TO BE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT AWARE THAT THAT SERVICE EVEN EXISTS WITHIN OUR CITY.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW WE, UM, KIND OF SHARE WHENEVER WE KINDA ARE TABLING OR PARTNERING WITH OTHERS.
UM, SO DEFINITELY THE LACK OF RESOURCES, BUT I THINK IN ADDITION TO THAT, OTHER BARRIERS THAT WE NOTICE IS THE FINANCIAL MEANS.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES IF A FAMILY IS EARNING A CERTAIN SET AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW, FINANCES WITHIN THEIR, THEIR HOME OR THEIR HOUSEHOLDS, UM, SOMETIMES CERTAIN LIMITATIONS IN REGARDS TO THE INCOME MIGHT NOT ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THAT ACCESSIBILITY.
SO THIS CAN INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE OR TRANSPORTATION OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK HOUSING IS ONE OF THE, THE MAJOR THINGS RIGHT NOW, LIKE I MENTIONED WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SHORT TERM HOUSING, BUT THE NEXT STEPS IS HOW DO WE DO AND HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER, RIGHT? TO HAVE THEM BE STABILIZED AND FEEL LIKE, OKAY, NOW I LEFT THIS RELATIONSHIP, RIGHT, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEPS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY? AND THEN
UM, IT'S A TRANSITIONAL QUESTION, I GUESS.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FAMILIES WHEN THEY MEET? YOU SAID THEY, THEY LAST AN AVERAGE ABOUT 30, 30 DAYS.
AND CONSIDERING THAT WE DON'T YET HAVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THEM, WHERE DO THEY GO? WHAT, WHAT CHALLENGES DO HOUSING CHALLENGES DO THEY FACE AFTER THAT? YEAH, SO, WHICH IS, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S THE MOST CHALLENGES, CHALLENGING THINGS THAT WE EXPERIENCE.
SO ONCE FAMILIES ARE WITHIN THEIR EMERGENCY HOUSING, LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY'RE THERE WITHIN 30, 45 DAYS.
BUT I WILL SAY EVEN IF IT HAS BEEN TO THE 45 DAYS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LIKE, OKAY, FAMILIES LEAVE.
RIGHT? ONCE THEY HIT THE 45 DAYS, PRETTY MUCH THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TIME, OUR ADVOCATES WILL WORK WITH THE FAMILIES TO KIND OF CREATE WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THE NEXT PLAN, RIGHT? MAYBE SEEING WHAT IS THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEM, IF THEY HAVE OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, IF NOT, LIKE I MENTIONED COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
LIKE I KNOW WE WORK CLOSELY WITH LIKE RAINBOW SERVICES, UM, AND OTHER SAFE HAVEN, UM, AND OTHER AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO THAT TRANSITIONAL, KIND OF LIKE THE NEXT STEPS.
BUT I WILL SAY SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES AND SOMETIMES BARRIERS THAT THEY COME ACROSS AND OF OFTENTIMES BECAUSE WITH THAT CYCLE, THERE'S THAT HONEYMOON THING.
AND OFTENTIMES IF THAT INDIVIDUAL, THAT PERSON OF HARM IS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OR HAVE ANY TYPE OF CONTACT, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT PERSON WILL, YOU KNOW, FILL THEM UP WITH ALL THESE FALSE PROMISES THAT THINGS ARE GONNA BE BETTER, THINGS ARE GONNA CHANGE, DON'T DO THIS TO THE CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, LET'S GET BACK TOGETHER.
AND SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME FAMILIES THAT END UP GOING BACK INTO THAT SAME REPETITIVE CYCLE, WHICH IS AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED I THINK HOUSING IS A HUGE, HUGE THING THAT I THINK WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IN NEED OF, YOU KNOW, MORE FUNDING, WHICH IS, AGAIN, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT TRANSITIONAL, UM, FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED.
BUT UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GET THAT ROLLING, IT, IT KIND OF LEAVES US WHERE, OKAY, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? AND WHO CAN WE WORK WITH AND HOW CAN WE CONNECT THEM TO THOSE ACCURATE, UM, RESOURCES SO THEY CAN KNOW AND FEEL EMPOWERED THAT THEY CAN LEAD THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
YOU ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
SEEING THEN, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE TO RECEIVE FILE THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALLEN HARPER.
[00:50:01]
LASSETER? YES.COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
UM, LOOKS ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS, UM, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL THE NEXT ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DETAIL REGARDING CURRENT RESOURCES AND TRENDS AND VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN.
I TAKE ONE QUESTION TO THE STAFF.
DO YOU NEED ME TO CALL RECESS TO DEAL WITH THE TECHNICAL ISSUE BEFORE WE START? OKAY.
WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, CAN I GET A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? THANK YOU.
UM, AND WHILE WE'RE DOING ONE DETECTABLE ISSUES, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE AND THANK DETECTIVE ARTHUR VEGA OF THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
UM, DETECTIVE VEGA WORKS ON THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DETAIL AND IS GOING TO PROVIDE US WITH AN OVERVIEW OF RESOURCES AND TRENDS AND VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN.
UM, WE DO OUR COMMISSION WITH TIME CERTAIN OF EIGHT 30, BUT WE CAN EXTEND IT LATER ON IF WE NEED TO.
UM, SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO.
THAT'S, THAT SHOULD BE WONDERFUL.
ARE YOU READY FOR, IS IT OKAY IN THE MEANTIME? SO, IF IT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, AND I DO HAVE THINGS HERE, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE ONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PASS THE BAG AROUND AND YOU TAKE ONE EACH.
PLEASE DO HAVE THE COURT DOES THE REMOTE WORK ROOM? YES.
I WORK WITH
SO MYSELF, I'VE BEEN OFF FOR 23 YEARS.
UM, I'VE BEEN DETECTIVE SINCE 2019.
I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH LIVING TASK FORCE.
I'M CURRENTLY ON THE PROUD MANAGEMENT TEAM AND I'M ALSO AN ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, PT, PHYSICAL TRAINING.
UM, I ALSO DO PRESENTATIONS FOR THE WOMEN'S SHELTER OF LONG BEACH FOR THEIR, UH, UH, ADVOCATES.
AND THEN ALSO WITH THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER.
UM, I DO SOME PRESENTATIONS FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO IT'S GONNA BE AN OVERVIEW OF THE RESPONSE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
JENNIFER DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS AND THE EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS SHE GAVE YOU SOME WONDERFUL STATISTICS AS WELL.
UM, SO FOR US, I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I DUNNO IF YOU RECOGNIZE THAT GUY UP THERE.
SO USUALLY DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WE DO AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, UH, AND VIDEOS, UH, WE PUT OUT TO, YEAH, FOR AWARENESS TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IF IT, IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THAT'S FINE, WE CAN MOVE ON.
SO THE QUICK DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, IT'S THE WILLFUL IN FICTION OF CORPORAL INJURY.
PERSON WOEFULLY INFLICT CORPORAL INJURY UPON ANOTHER PERSON.
[00:55:01]
IT HAS TO BE A QUALIFYING RELATIONSHIP, WHICH THAT PER THE OTHER PERSON IS A SPOUSE, A FORMER SPOUSE DATING RELATIONSHIP, FORMER DATING RELATIONSHIP, FORMER COHABIT COHABITANTS, UH, ALSO FORMER OR CURRENTLY ENGAGED, UH, PARTNERS OR PARTNERS THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN COMMON.IT RESULTS IN A TRAUMATIC CONDITION.
SO ANY, WHERE THERE'S ANY TYPE OF VISIBLE INJURY, AND THAT IS THE FELONY.
WE ALSO HAVE A MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC BATTERY, WHICH IS UNLAWFUL FORCE OR VIOLENCE AGAINST THE SAME QUALIFYING RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, AND WHERE THERE'S USUALLY NO VISIBLE INJURY, MORE IT'S MISDEMEANOR SECTION, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A MINOR, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN CHARGES WHEN WE GO TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS.
UM, IF WE, THE OFFICERS GET THERE AND THEY, DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THEY FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF VIOLENCE USE.
THOSE ARE THE TWO SECTIONS THAT, THAT WE ARREST FOR.
WE ALSO IN CHARGE OF OTHER, UM, CRIMES RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UH, SAME QUALIFYING RELATIONSHIPS WE DO, WE HAVE A CRIMINAL THREAT STALKING, UH, COMMUNICATION ATTEMPT TO NOI, MALICIOUS DESTRUCTION OF TELEPHONE LINES, VANDALISM, UH, PREVENTION, DISSUADING A WITNESS, VICTIM INTIMIDATION, UM, ALSO RAPE AND OTHER FORMS OF, UH, ASSAULTS, DEADLY WEAPON KIDNAPPING, BURGLARY, VANDALISM, VIOLATION OF COURT ORDERS.
UM, WE ALSO HANDLE CHILD ABUSE, WHICH RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ANIMAL CRUELTY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAUSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS CALLS I WOULD RESPOND TO.
UH, WE TRY TO HANDLE EM WITH AS MUCH CAUTION AND CARE AND ATTENTION.
UM, ALSO IT IS ONE OF THE CALLS WHERE OFFICERS ARE ASSAULTED THE MOST AND, AND, AND KILLED THE MOST RESPONDING TO.
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN THEY'RE APPROACHING ANY TYPE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS.
'CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW, UM, WHAT'S BEHIND THAT DOOR WHEN, WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DEALING WITH ANGER, EMOTIONAL, AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE EMOTIONAL, YOU DON'T ALWAYS MAKE THE BEST CHOICES 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT THINKING STRAIGHT.
ALSO, SOMETIMES THE ABUSERS ARE UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND THEY'RE CAPABLE OF DOING ALMOST ANYTHING.
IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE LOSING THEIR FAMILY, THEIR LIFE, THEIR FREEDOM, UM, SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT IN A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE THINKING LOGICALLY AND ARE CAPABLE OF SAYING, AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE STATISTICS FROM THIS YEAR FOR US.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, TOTAL CASES WERE UP 3% THIS YEAR SO FAR, YOUR DATE.
UM, AND WHY THAT IS, COULD BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT MAYBE 'CAUSE OF THE AWARENESS, UM, THAT, THAT WE ARE GIVING TO THE PUBLIC, THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE CALLING TO REPORT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHETHER IT'S THE VICTIM THEMSELVES, FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIENDS, OR A NEIGHBOR WHO, WHO MIGHT HAVE HEARD OR SEEN SOMETHING.
UM, THAT'S WHAT I HOPE IS THE REASON WHY IS THAT WE'RE ALL DOING OUR JOB TO PUT THAT AWARENESS OUT THERE.
AND THEN JUST SOME DOJ STATISTICS IN TERMS OF CALLS THAT WE RESPOND TO FROM 2014 TO 2023.
IT'S KIND OF GONE UP TO 2014, IS 2057, TOTAL CALLS 2023 TO ALMOST 2,500 CALLS.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE AWARENESS WE PUT OUT THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY CALLING FOR HELP OR CALLING FOR, FOR OTHERS.
AND THEN I KNOW JENNIFER TALKED ABOUT STRANGULATION.
WE TAKE STRANGULATION SERIOUSLY.
UM, IT'S THE FORM OF A ASPHYXIA.
IT'S NOT SO, IT'S NOT CHOKING, LIKE SHE SAID.
CHOKING IS WHEN YOU ENTER SOMETHING INTO YOUR MOUNTAIN AND YOU CHOKE ON IT.
UM, IT'S WHEN OUTSIDE PRESSURE, UM, CLOSES THE, THE, THE BLOOD VESSELS.
UH, SO IT'S EXTERNAL PRESSURE.
UM, SMOTHERING ASPHYXIA IS ALSO, AND THEN, UH, CRUSH ASPHYXIA IS WHEN SOMEBODY'S ON TOP OF YOUR CHEST.
SO THERE'S MANY FORMS OF ASPHYXIA.
UH, BUT WE TAKE THESE SERIOUS 'CAUSE.
HOW, HOW INTIMATE IS IT WHEN SOMEBODY GETS IN RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU EYE TO EYE AND WRAP THEIR ARM OR THEIR HAND AROUND HER NECK AND JUST SQUEEZES? I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT JUST HOW YOU KNOW, HOW SERIOUS THAT IS.
AND ALSO STUDIES HAVE FOUND OUT THAT, UM, 20 YEAR STUDY BY I COUNTY DA ON LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS KILLED ON LINE OF DUTY ON THAT 50% WERE KILLED BY A SUSPECT WHO HAD A HISTORY OF STRANGULATION AGAINST WOMEN IN A PRIOR RELATIONSHIP.
ALSO, THEY, A LOT OF TIMES THEY WANT TO MINIMIZE IT BECAUSE OF, UH, THE VICTIMS BECAUSE THERE'S NO MARKS.
THERE'S NO METH BAND, RIGHT? IT'S JUST, OH, YOU JUST CHOKED ME, IS WHAT THE TERM THAT THEY USUALLY USE, BUT IS STRANGULATION.
UM, BUT THEY'RE UNAWARE OF THE INTERNAL DAMAGE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED.
[01:00:01]
SO ONE OF THE MANDATES THAT, THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE MUST TELL THE VICTIMS OF ANY TYPE OF STRANGULATION THAT YOU MUST SEEK NO MEDICAL ATTENTION IF YOU HAVE ANY, ANY TYPE OF SYMPTOMS, UH, RELATED TO THAT INCIDENT OF STRANGULATION.AND THEN ONCE OFFICERS GET OUT TO THE SCAN OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL, UH, VICTIM SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE.
UH, WE SECURE THE SCENE AND COLLECT ANY TYPE OF EVIDENCE, WHETHER IT IS VIDEO WITNESS STATEMENTS, UH, A WEAPON USED ANYTHING, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE THE CASE, UM, OFFICERS GET THERE AND INVESTIGATE CRIMINAL CONDUCT AND MAKE ARRESTS WHEN APPROPRIATE.
IF THERE'S ANY FIREARMS IN THE HOUSE, UM, WE HAVE TO COMPENSATE 'EM.
AND WE'RE ALLOWED TO, UH, BY 18 2 50 FOR THE PENAL CODE SECTION.
UM, WE TRY TO DETERMINE IF ANY ALCOHOL OR DRUGS ARE USED, ASCERTAIN THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE SUSPECT.
BECAUSE IF THERE WAS A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED, WE, WE WANT TO MAKE THAT ARREST.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT VICTIM IS SAFE.
WE CAN PROVIDE EPOS, IT'S AN EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE ORDER WHEN APPROPRIATE, AND THEN FILE A REPORT.
AND THEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE FOLLOW, IF SOMEONE HAS LEFT THE SCENE, WE WILL CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION.
THE OFFICERS WILL CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, DETERMINE THE CRIME COMMITTED.
AND BY LAW WE'RE MANDATED TO TAKE ANY REPORTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE CAN'T JUST SHOW UP AND SAY, UH, HEY, WHAT HAPPENED? OH, MY PARTNER HIT ME.
OH, OKAY, BUT I DON'T WANNA REPORT.
I DON'T WANNA PROSECUTE, I DON'T WANT ANY OF THIS.
OKAY, YOU JUST TOLD ME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
I MUST TAKE A REPORT AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND IF THAT SUSPECT IS THERE, WE SHALL MAKE AN ARREST.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THE VICTIM IS SAFE, SAFE.
THE OFFICERS LET THE VICTIM KNOW ABOUT THE FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURE.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE A DR NUMBER IS THE REPORT NUMBER AND A MARCY'S RIGHT TO CALL IT.
SO OFFICERS WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH A REPORT RECEIPT, WHICH HAS A REPORT NUMBER AND, AND A HOW TO OBTAIN A REPORT AS WELL AS WE GIVE THEM INFORMATION ON HOW TO OBTAIN A RESTRAINING ORDER.
UM, AND ALSO WE GIVE 'EM A VICTIM RESOURCE, UH, FORM AS WELL AS THE MARCY'S RIGHTS CARD, WHICH GIVES THE VICTIM RIGHTS.
AND THEN JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT THE, THE REPORTS MUST INCLUDE.
IT MUST BE APPROPRIATE CLASSIFIED WITH WHATEVER CRIME OCCURRED, UH, WHATEVER THE CHARGE IS.
UM, QUALIFYING RELATIONSHIP, UH, ANY PREVIOUS REPORTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, WHETHER THEY REPORTED IT TO US OR NOT, WE ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S A PATTERN THERE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT, THAT THEY REPORT OR THAT IT'S HAPPENED, BUT MAYBE THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY REPORTED.
SO WE WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF PATTERN THERE.
IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF ESCALATION WHERE, HEY, THIS IS NOT GOOD.
UH, WHETHER ANY WEAPONS WERE USED, DRUGS OR ALCOHOL INVOLVED.
AND THEN WE MUST FOLLOW THE DEPARTMENT POLICY IN WHICH STATES WE SHALL MAKE AN ARREST WHEN IT COMES TO ANY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR, OR DOMESTIC MADE DOMESTIC ABUSE.
AND THEN WE TRY, SOMETIMES THERE'S MUTUAL AGGRESSORS WHERE THEY BOTH CLAIM THAT ONE HIT THE OTHER.
THAT MAKES IT KIND OF TOUGH SOMETIMES FOR OFFICERS DETERMINE, UM, HEY, WELL, WHO'S THE AGGRESSOR? THEY DO THEIR BEST TO TRY TO, UH, ASCERTAIN THAT BY JUST ASKING QUESTIONS.
A LOT OF TIMES, ONE PERSON WILL HAVE INJURIES ON THEM BECAUSE SELF-DEFENSE, DEFENSIVE WOUNDS, WHATEVER, UM, WHETHER IT IS, UM, SCRATCHES ON ONE'S ARMS OR WHATEVER.
AND IT COULD BE JUST FROM A, JUST THE VICTIM DEFENDANT.
SO TRYING TO SCRATCH THE SUSPECT AWAY FROM THEM.
UM, SO THEY DO THE BEST TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHO THE DOMINANT AGGRESSOR IS.
UM, SOMETIMES BOTH PARTIES ARE ARRESTED IF THEY CAN'T, UH, DETERMINE THAT.
UH, BUT WE'VE TRIED TO NOT HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
THEY DO THEIR BEST THEY CAN TO, UH, FIGURE OUT WHO THE DOMINIC ARRESTER REALLY IS AND MAKE THAT ARREST.
AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SELF-DEFENSE.
PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.
OKAY? UM, AND THAT THE AMOUNT OF FORCE HAS TO BE REASONABLE.
LIKE A PERSON CAN'T SAY, OH, I HIT HIM OVER THE HEAD AFTER HE PUSHED ME.
I HIT HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE LEVELS OF OF SELF-DEFENSE HAVE TO BE REASONABLE.
UM, BUT EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO RETREAT, THEY CAN'T DEFEND THEMSELVES.
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE, THOSE RESPONSE TO, UH, SUMMARY OF THE RESPONSE IS, WE MAKE AN ARREST OR WE CAN CITE AND RELEASE FOR MISDEMEANOR VIOLATIONS THAT ARE NOT DOMESTIC BATTERY OR VIOLATION OF COURT ORDERS.
THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TO MAKE AN ARREST AND WE SHALL MAKE AN ARREST.
[01:05:01]
PERSON'S ARREST, UH, FOR ANY MISDEMEANOR VIOLATIONS RELATED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.UM, THERE ARE TIMES ALSO WHEN THEY RESPOND TO, UM, CAUSE OF A POSSIBLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
BUT ONCE THEY GET THERE AND, AND THEY CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION, IT'S DETERMINED.
UM, SO WHAT THEY DO IS OFFICERS OUT THERE, THEY TRY TO KEEP THE PEACE AND RESOLVE, RESOLVE CON ANY KIND, KIND OF CONFLICT SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK, UM, BECAUSE IT GOT HEATED AFTER THEY LEFT.
SO USUALLY WE TRY TO SEPARATE THE PARTIES SOMEHOW.
UM, YOU DO THE BEST TO TRY TO CALM THINGS DOWN.
UM, 'CAUSE YEAH, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO BACK OUT BECAUSE AN ACTUAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OCCURRED.
AND ALSO STILL, SO WE'LL STAND BY.
WE CAN STAND BY WHILE ONE PARTY, UM, DECIDES, OKAY, IT'S BEST THAT I LEAVE FOR THE NIGHT SO THAT SOMETHING DOESN'T OCCUR.
UM, WE STAND BY SO THAT PERSON CAN RETRIEVE THEIR THINGS AND LEAVE THE LOCATION SAFELY.
AND THEN DETECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO CONDUCT, UH, IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIONS BY INTERVIEWING VICTIMS, WITNESSES AND SUSPECTS WHEN NEEDED FOR CASES FOR A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION WITH THE CITY PROSECUTOR, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WE ALSO WRITE, EXECUTE SEARCH WARRANTS, ARREST WARRANTS.
WE ENSURE THE VICTIM IS GIVEN ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCE REFERRALS.
SO THE OFFICERS DON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT BY HANDING THEM, UM, THE INFORMATION.
AND ALSO WHEN WE SPEAK TO THEM, WE, WE ASK THEM, HEY, DO YOU WANT ANY TYPE OF RESOURCES? UM, AND THEN WE ALSO REQUEST, WE ALSO SOMETIMES NEED TO REQUEST, UH, FOR MEDICAL RECORDS.
AND THEN WE MAKE SURE THAT PICTURES OF THE INJURIES WERE TAKEN.
USUALLY THEY'RE TAKEN BY THE OFFICERS WHEN THEY RESPOND, BUT SOMETIMES, UM, THEY TAKE PICTURES IN THE BRUISING OR WHATEVER.
THE INJURIES SOMETIMES DOESN'T SHOW UP I UNTIL A DAY OR TWO LATER.
SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO GET PICTURES OF ANY INJURIES THAT MAY HAVE SHOWN UP AFTER THE OFFICERS RESPONDED.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, DART.
SO DART IS A DOMESTIC ABUSE RESPONSE TEAM.
SO WE HAVE A CALL BACK CRITERIA WHERE A DETECTIVE IS, HE'S ALWAYS ON CALL.
WE'RE ALWAYS ON CALL, ONE OF US.
AND WE WILL RESPOND TO A, A SPOUSAL RAPE THAT OCCURRED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.
IF THE VICTIM'S TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL DUE TO SERIOUS VIOLENT INJURY, UH, SERIOUS VIOLENT INJURY, BUT THE VICTIM DECLINES, GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
UM, IF THERE'S THREE OR THREE PRIOR REPORTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BETWEEN TWO, THE SAME TWO PARTIES AND ANY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYER PIPS OR THE WATCH COMMANDER DEEMED THE SERIES UP TO WHERE THEY WANT US TO RESPOND THEN AND THERE.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS A REPORT IS TAKEN IF NOBODY, IF NO ARREST WAS MADE, WE WON'T GET THAT REPORT TILL MAYBE WEEKS LATER ONCE IT'S GONE THROUGH THE RECORDS CHAIN.
BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEEMED SERIOUS ENOUGH AND MEET THIS CRITERIA, WE WILL RESPOND THEN AND THERE.
TRY TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN, UM, TO MAKE AN ARREST.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OF VERBAL PROSECUTION.
SO THE SAME NEW TEXAS ASSIGNED INCIDENTS INVOLVED, THE SAME SUBJECT.
SO I HAVE CASES WHERE I HAVE THE SAME PARTIES INVOLVED WITH MULTIPLE INCIDENTS.
I HAVE ONE WHERE I PROBABLY 15 INCIDENTS REPORTS THAT WERE TAKEN BETWEEN THE TWO.
UM, SO I HANDLE ALL OF THOSE BECAUSE I I'M FAMILIAR WITH, WITH THAT, UH, WITH THAT COUPLE.
UM, AND THEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS, UH, SIGNED ATTORNEYS TO REVIEW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEX CRIMES, AND CHILD ABUSE CASES.
UM, AND THEN THE SAME DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILL HAVE WHOLE CASE FROM THE ARRAIGNMENT ALL THE WAY TO TRIAL WITH US.
IF IT GOES THAT FAR, SOMETHING FOR VICTIMS, UH, THEY CAN USE FOR PROTECTION WITH MOST JUST A PIECE OF PAPER, IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT, THAT THEY COULD HAVE, UM, THAT COULD HELP.
WE CAN ISSUE EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE ORDERS OUT IN THE FIELD OF AN INCIDENT.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WHERE THE OFFICER FEELS SAY, HEY, I NEED TO GET AN EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE ORDER NOW, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ISSUED BY A JUDGE.
THEY CALL A COMMISSIONER, UM, WHO ISSUES IT OVER THE PHONE.
WE CALL OUT THE PAPERWORK AND THEN, UH, WE MAKE SURE THE VICTIM HAS A COPY AND WE SERVE THE SUSPECT.
THOSE ARE GOOD FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS.
UM, IT GIVES THEM ENOUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE COURT AND GET THEIR OWN RESTRAINING ORDERS OR SETTLE THEIR AFFAIRS AND MOVE OUT OR TRY TO FIND, UH, SAFETY OR SHELTER THAT ALLOWS 'EM THAT TIME.
UM, RESTRAINING ORDERS, UH, THEY'RE OBTAINED BY THE VICTIM FROM CIVIL COURT AND THEY'RE USUALLY GOOD 2125 DAYS, UM, UNTIL THE ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE HEARING.
AND ONCE THAT, AT THAT HEARING, IF IT'S GRANTED, THEY'RE USUALLY THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
AND IN ORDER FOR ANY OF THESE TO BE VALID, THE PERSON, THE PERSON THAT'S RESTRAINED MUST THEY MUST BE SERVED.
AND THEN CRIMINAL PROTECTIVE ORDERS ARE REQUESTED BY THE PROSECUTOR AND ISSUED BY CRIMINAL COURT AS POWER AS A CRIMINAL CASE.
AND THEY'RE ALWAYS SERVED IN COURT BY THE BAILIFF.
[01:10:02]
AND THEN SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE VICTIM.NUMBER ONE THING IS VICTIM'S SAFETY PROVIDE MEDICAL ATTENTION IF THEY GET THE SCENE OF NEXT SPOUSE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE VICTIM NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION, THAT THEY MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET IT.
UM, AND THEN ANY FOLLOW UP, UH, FOR THE VICTIM THAT THEY PROVIDE.
THE REPORT NUMBER ASSIST WITH CONTACT INFORMATION WITH US, THE DETECTIVES, UH, THEY PROVIDE RESOURCE INFORMATION, RESTRAINING ORDER INFORMATION, VICTIM RESOURCES, UH, INFORMATION REGARDING SHELTERS AND REFER APPROPRIATE.
UH, THEY ENCOURAGE STRANGULATION, VICTIM SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AND STANDBY TO ENSURE THE VICTIM, UH, IS SAFE SAFELY OUT OF THE RESIDENCE, ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION IF NECESSARY.
AND ALSO INFORMED THE VICTIM THAT IF THE BATTERY IS ARRESTED, THAT THEY MAY RELEASE WITHOUT NOTICE.
THE MOST CRITICAL TIME IS USUALLY RIGHT A RIGHT AFTER IT HAS OCCURRED.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD WHERE VICTIMS, THEY RECANT, THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
SO THE BEST TIME, THE MOST CRITICAL TIME IS TO TRY TO GET THEM HELP RIGHT AFTER THE ACTUAL INCIDENT.
UM, SO WE TRY, WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, UM, RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO PROTECT VICTIMS, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.
UH, LIKE JENNIFER SAID, THE CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS TOO.
UM, THEY'RE VICTIMS. THEY WITNESS THIS AND TRAUMATIZES THEM.
AND THEN IT JUST BECOMES KIND OF A CYCLE WHERE THEY, IT IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR.
THEY SEE THIS IN THE HOME AND THEY FEEL, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY, ONCE THEY GROW UP, THEY FEEL LIKE, OH, THAT'S, THAT'S NORMAL.
THAT'S THE WAY YOU LOVE SOMEBODY.
OR THEY COULD BECOME A VICTIM AS WELL AND FEEL THE SAME WAY.
FEEL LIKE, OH, OKAY, WELL THEY LOVE ME.
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
YOU KNOW, IT HIT ME, WHATEVER.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STRESS TO OFFICERS WHEN WE DO OUR TRAINING IS DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE CHILDREN.
AND WE WANT TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, THE VICTIM AND THE CHILDREN SO THAT WE BREAK THIS CYCLE SO IT DOESN'T CONTINUE TO CONTINUE.
UM, AND ALSO, I KNOW SHE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO GET RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH PLACE SOMEWHERE ELSE AT TIMES.
UM, IT IS A MISDEMEANOR TO DISCLOSE LOCATION OF A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER.
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE KNOWING WHERE OUR VICTIM IS SO IT DOESN'T GET BACK TO THE SUSPECT.
SO IT IS A MISDEMEANOR TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION.
ONE OF OUR PARTNERS THAT WE USE FOR VICTIM SERVICES, THE LONG BEACH TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT COMES OUT TO OUR OFFICE AND IS THERE ONCE A WEEK.
UM, AND THEN THEY FOLLOW UP WITH THE VICTIMS. UM, PHYSICAL ASSAULT, CHILD ABUSE, SEXUAL TRAUMA, INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, COMMUNITY TRAFFICKING, FELONIES, HOMICIDE VICTIMS, ELDER ABUSE, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE SHOOTINGS, TRAUMATIC LOSSES, REFUGEES.
THAT'S WHO THEY SERVE, VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND THEN THEY'RE FREE TO FREE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
BILINGUAL SERVICES, LOCATIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE AND TRANSPORTATION'S THROUGH SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION.
THEY CONNECT WITH CAL BCB, UM, WHICH IS THE STATE, UH, VICTIM COMPENSATION BOARD.
UM, THEY ALSO OFFER PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT.
AND THEY ALSO, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SERVICE A PERSON, UM, THEY'LL HAVE THAT CAPABILITY.
THEN THEY ALSO REFER OUT, AND THEN THEY'RE LOCATED AT ST.
THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER OF HOURS.
AND THEN I KNOW JENNIFER TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT A FAMILY ISSUE, IT'S A CRIMINAL ISSUE.
UH, IT IS A PATTERN OF INCREASING FREQUENT AND SEVERE ASSAULTIVE ABUSIVE BEHAVIORS, NOT JUST PHYSICAL.
THERE'S ALSO EMOTIONAL ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE.
AND THESE MATTERS USE DIFFERENT TACTICS, UH, TO CONTROL BASICALLY ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL.
AND SHE WENT OVER THE POWER AND CONTROL WHEEL, UM, WHICH KIND OF ILLUSTRATES THREATS OF VIOLENCE OR VIOLENCE AND THE TACTICS USED BY THE BATTERS OR SUSPECTS.
AND JUST, I KNOW SHE SHOWED, UH, THE POWER CONTROL WHEEL.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE ALSO TEACH THE OFFICERS TO LOOK AT AND LEARN AND HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SO THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY THIS IN OUR VICTIMS OUT THERE.
'CAUSE A LOT, A LOT OF TIMES THE VICTIMS WILL DOWNPLAY WHAT HAPPENED OR THEY'LL SAY NOTHING HAPPENED.
UM, WE WANT TO TRAIN THEM TO IDENTIFY ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE THEM, UM, LOOK AT AND TRY TO LEARN AS PART OF THEIR
[01:15:01]
TESTING AND ALL.WE ALSO USE IT ON VICTIMS AS WELL.
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES VICTIMS, THEY'RE KIND OF UNAWARE OF HOW SERIOUS, UM, IT IS.
UM, AND SO WE KIND OF GO OVER THAT STUFF AS WELL WITH THEM SO THEY CAN REALIZE, HEY, THIS IS NOT NORMAL, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND TRY TO GET THEM HELP TO GET THEM OUT SO I DON'T HAVE TO SEE THEIR NAME COME ACROSS MY DESK AGAIN.
ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR BY A BATTER, REINFORCED BY ONE OR MORE ACTS OF VIOLENCE IS STILL A THREAT OF A FUTURE VIOLENCE ATTACK.
ALLOWS BATTER TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN CONTROL OF A VICTIM.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO IDENTIFY, ESTABLISH A PATTERN OF INTIMIDATION AND CONTROL OF THE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I KNOW SHE WENT OVER REASONS WHY THEY STAY.
'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WELL, WHY DO THEY STAY? YOU KNOW, DO THEY LIKE GETTING HIT? NO, NOBODY LIKES GETTING HIT.
BUT THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY FINANCIALLY, UH, THREATS OF SUICIDE, HOMICIDE, THREATS OF FUTURE VIOLENCE.
UM, THE CHILDREN, RELIGIOUS CULTURAL BELIEFS, UM, BELIEF IN KEEPING THE FAMILY TOGETHER.
UM, THERE'S PRACTICAL REASONS AND EMOTIONAL REASONS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE LOW SELF-ESTEEM.
UM, THEY FEEL LIKE NOBODY ELSE WILL LOVE THEM.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL I HAVE, THIS IS WHAT I KNOW.
UM, SO THERE'S MANY REASONS WHY, AND WE TRY TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY THAT AS BEST WE CAN.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO TELL THEM, SAY, HEY, THERE'S SOME SERVICES THAT CAN BE HELPFUL FOR YOU.
AND WE REFER THEM OUT AND HOPEFULLY THEY GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
A LOT OF TIMES WE GIVE 'EM INFORMATION AND WE LATER ON WE FIND OUT THAT THEY NEVER REACHED OUT.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT FOR ME.
SO FIRST WE HAVE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL GIVE TO THE COMMISSION, UM, OR QUESTIONS.
SO MA'AM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CHECK TO SEE IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE ONLINE YES.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW OR DIAL STAR NINE IF CALLING IN.
AND IF THERE'S ANY IN PERSON, PLEASE STAND UP OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
SEEING NONE, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN ZOOM.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENTS.
OR ITEM NUMBER THREE, IF MEMORY SERVE ME CORRECTLY, OUR MOTION WAS COMMISSIONER
UH, MAYBE SO FIRST OF ALL, ASK, WE'LL ASK FOR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONER OUR MOTION FROM OUR SECONDARY.
I KNOW OUR SECOND WAS COMMISSIONER MU.
SO FIRST WAS COMMISSIONER S OUR SECOND WAS COMMISSIONER ULLA.
UM, COMMERS, COULD EVERYONE TURN THE VOLUME UP A BIT? THANK YOU.
MISS COMMISSIONER UL, YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU'D LIKE TO START WITH? YES.
UM, I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND, UM, OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTER FOR THE GREAT INFORMATION TODAY.
AND, UM, AS A WOMAN, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER AND, YOU KNOW, LIFELONG LONG BEACH, UM, RESIDENT, I'M NOTICING THE POTENTIAL FOR GREAT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BOTH OF YOUR, UH, LINES OF WORK, WHICH I'M SURE IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
SO I GUESS I'M, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THOSE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND I'M ALSO WONDERING, UM, WHAT, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE TO BE ABLE TO, LIKE, IF THERE ARE NEEDS, WHAT, WHAT THOSE ARE TO BE ABLE TO DO YOUR WORK, UM, TO THE FULLEST, FULLEST EXTENT, OR TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE SER MORE MAYBE MORE SENSITIVE SERVICES TO, TO THE VICTIMS OR, OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED HOUSING, BUT, UM, I'M WONDERING ABOUT, UM, ON THE PD SIDE OF THINGS.
WELL, ON THE PD SIDE, WE DO OUR BEST TO IDENTIFY ANY POSSIBLE NEEDS.
UM, IN THE MOMENT OUR OFFICERS, TEACHER OFFICERS TRY TO IDENTIFY ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE IMMEDIATE, UH, WHETHER IT BE AN EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE ORDER OR EMERGENCY HOUSING IN THE SHELTER.
UH, AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE AS DETECTIVES FOLLOW UP AND WHEN WE TALK TO THE VICTIMS, WE ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, HEY, DO YOU WANT ANY TIME? YOU KNOW, WE TALK TO THEM, ASK HOW THEY'RE DOING, AND TRY TO DETERMINE IF THEY, IF THEY NEED ANY SERVICES.
BUT THEN WE'LL ALSO ASK THEM, ARE ANY SERVICES THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR WITH LIKE, HOUSING, COUNSELING? UM, AND IF THERE ARE, THEN WE USUALLY REFER THEM TO, UM, FOR NOW THE, UH, TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER, BECAUSE THAT'S WAS IN THE OFFICE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO MAKE THEM AWARE OF ALL THE, THE RESOURCE ONE THAT WE HAVE HAS A LOT OF OTHER RESOURCES THAT, THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO AS WELL.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OTHER, UM, SHELTERS THAT, UH, WE CAN REFER THEM TO IF NEED BE.
[01:20:01]
AS A FOLLOW UP, LIKE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND WITHIN YOUR TASK FORCE, LIKE IF YOU COULD SAY LIKE, JUST PIE IN THE SKY, THIS IS WHERE, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SO THAT WE COULD DO OUR, THIS WORK REALLY MEANINGFULLY.UM, I THINK MORE, WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF OUR, UM, VICTIM ADVOCATES.
UM, WHETHER IT'S
UM, SO I THINK, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE DOING REAL WELL AS A TEAM BECAUSE IT IS A TEAM.
UH, OBVIOUSLY IT STARTS WITH US BY GOING OUT AND, AND, UH, RESPONDING TO THE CALLS AND REPORTS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THEN WE, THE PROSECUTOR COMES IN AFTER WE CONDUCT OUR FOLLOW UP INVESTIGATION OR ANYTHING WE MIGHT NEED REPRESENT THE CASE.
AND THEN ALSO TO HELP THESE VICTIMS HOPEFULLY NOT CONTINUE IN THESE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, REFER THEM AND GET THEM SERVICES THE BEST WE CAN.
I MEAN, THERE ARE PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE I KNOW I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF A VICTIM SAID, OH NO, I'M GOOD.
WHEN I'VE HAD I PRIOR INCIDENTS WITH THE SAME SUBJECTS, IT'S LIKE, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING HERE SO THIS DOESN'T CONTINUE.
SO THAT'S THE FRUSTRATING PART FOR US, IS A LOT OF TIMES VICTIMS DON'T WANT HELP IF PEOPLE DON'T NEED HELP.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO EXPLAIN TO 'EM WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
UM, SO THAT'S, FOR US, THAT'S THE FRUSTRATING PART BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO IF THE VICTIM DOESN'T WANT ANY HELP.
BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH OUR VICTIM RESOURCES.
MR, DID YOU HAVE ANY? YES, ACTUALLY MY QUESTION IS REGARDING THE CULTURAL TRAINING.
UM, CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UM, CONSIDERING THAT WE LIVE IN A VERY DIVERSE CITY AND THAT, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S SOMETIMES CHALLENGES THAT INDIVIDUALS NOT WANTING THE SERVICES, BUT MAYBE IT'S, UH, I'M NOT, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT CULTURES, NON-DOMINANT CULTURE THAT'S INVOLVED, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER GROUPS.
AND WHAT KIND OF CULTURAL TRAINING SENSITIVITY DO YOU OFFER YOUR OFFICERS? AND THEN ALSO, UH, WITH JENNY AS WELL, WITH YOUR GROUP? IS THERE ANY SENSITIVITY TRAIN, CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING? WE'RE MANDATED TO DO THINGS, THAT TYPE OF TRAINING IN THE ACADEMY.
WE DO GET CULTURAL DIVERSITY TRAINING.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO HAVE EVERY TWO YEARS, UM, WITH OUR, OUR CURRENT OFFICERS.
UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, I KNOW CULTURAL BELIEFS IS, IS ONE OF THE, UM, ROADBLOCKS.
UM, YEAH, BECAUSE FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE'S SOME CULTURES THAT BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE OR THAT IT'S OKAY, UNFORTUNATELY.
I MEAN, FOR US, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT CULTURE YOU ARE.
UM, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT RACE, GENDER, WHATEVER.
WE DO OUR BEST TO HELP THOSE VICTIMS THAT NEED THAT HELP.
UM, AND TRY TO GET THEM TO REALIZE THAT NO, THIS IS NOT OKAY, REGARDLESS OF YOUR CULTURAL BELIEFS, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, OR WHATEVER TYPE OF BELIEFS YOU HAVE.
AND, AND IT'S MORE ABOUT, I GUESS, THE APPROACH THAT YOU TAKE TO CONNECT WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
I GUESS THAT'S WOULD BE MY CONCERN.
AND I KNOW, UH, WITH, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER GIRLS, BUT I KNOW WITH, WITH THE LA LATINO COMMUNITY, IT'S A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE.
RIGHT? AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S ALSO TIED TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
AND, AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A PROVIDER, YOU HAVE TO USE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
AND THE, THE, FOR US, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT WHEN THEY WON'T TELL US WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO, WHETHER IT'S FOR CULTURAL REASONS, FINANCIAL REASONS, EMOTIONAL REASONS.
FOR US, IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT GOES BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHY.
THEY'LL JUST SAY, NO, I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING.
WE CAN ASSUME WHAT IT MIGHT BE.
SO UNLESS THEY TELL US WHAT IT IS, AND WE TRY TO ASK 'EM, SO WHY, WHY DON'T YOU WANNA PROSECUTE? WHY, YOU KNOW, UM, MOST OF THE TIME THEY WON'T TELL US.
THEY JUST SAY, I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH IT OR I DON'T WANT TO.
SO THAT'S, THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING CULTURAL OR OTHERWISE IS NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHY.
SO NOW I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY TO SPEAK UP.
I'M GOING TO, UM, OPEN THE FLOOR TO QUESTIONS TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
[01:25:01]
UM, DR.ENG HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? YES.
CAN YOU PLEASE, UH, EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE FOR A CHILD IN COMMON, UH, MUST BE BORN? SO FOR THAT, AND THAT'S FROM THE PENAL CODE SECTION.
I MEAN, CHILD ACTUALLY HAS TO WARN THAT, NOT JUST PERSON PREGNANT.
UM, BUT USUALLY WHEN THAT'S THE CASE, THERE USUALLY WAS A DAILY RELATIONSHIP.
UM, BUT 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL JUST DEAL WITH PEOPLE WITH CHI COMMON.
THEY, THEY JUST, I HAD SEXUAL INTERCOURSE ONE TIME AND, AND THEY HAD A CHILD.
UM, SO IF THERE'S ONLY THAT, UM, FOR THE P CODE SECTION, THE PERSON'S JUST PREGNANT.
I WOULD SAY A ONE NIGHT STAND OR SOMETHING.
THERE WAS NO REALLY RELATIONSHIP THERE.
UM, WHO WOULD FALL THEIR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNLESS THAT CHILD IS ACTUALLY BORN.
AND THAT'S BASED OFF THE PENAL CODE SECTION.
WHY LEGISLATORS? I MEAN, I SAID THAT'S, WE JUST, WE FOLLOWED WHAT SUBPOENA CODE SECTION WAS AND THE DEFINITIONS OF, OF WHAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS.
I SAW THAT YOU WERE DOWN THREE PEOPLE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE, I MEAN, IT STAFFING'S AN ISSUE EVERYWHERE.
AND WE HAD 10, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DETECTIVES TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE CASE LOADS.
'CAUSE UH, WE PROBABLY HAVE THE HIGHEST CASE LOADS OF, JUST BY ANY DETAIL IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND SO BECAUSE OF STAFFING ISSUES, WE'RE DOWN TO SEVEN, WE JUST AREN'T ABLE TO REPLACE ONES THAT HAVE LEFT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHETHER IT'S PROMOTION, WHETHER IT'S RETIREMENT.
UM, WE'RE UNABLE TO REPLACE THOSE BECAUSE WHERE DO WE GET THE BODIES FROM WITH THESE PROBABLY PATROL, UH, OR ANOTHER DETECTIVE DETAIL, BUT THEN THEY HAVE A NEED AS WELL.
AND THEN THEY, THEY WOULD FILL IT WITH SOMEBODY FOR PATROL.
AND PATROL IS THE BACKBONE OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE NEED THE OFFICERS OUT IN THE FIELD TO RESPOND TO BUDGET SITUATIONS.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE SHORT.
WELL, IT USED TO BE THAT THEY WERE SHORT OF CARS AND RADIOS.
YOU GUYS HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU NEED IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT.
I, I FEEL WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
I REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY WHEN WE HAD TO SHARE RADIOS, ALL THESE OFFICERS BEFORE ME TOLD ME ABOUT HOW THEY HAD TO SHIFT RADIOS AND SHORTAGE OF CARS SOMETIMES.
WELL, I KNOW WE, WE WENT THROUGH SHORTAGE OF CARS TOO, WHERE WE WOULD BE SITTING AT THE STATION WAITING FOR THE LAP OF THE, THE PREVIOUS SHIFT TO COME IN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A CAR TO GO OUT IN.
WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT? WE JUST NEED BODIES.
WE NEED, WE NEED MORE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I HAVE A FEELING THAT, UH, THE NEXT DETECTIVE'S PRESENTATION MAY ANSWER, BUT I RIGHT AHEAD.
UM, I'VE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH, UM, HIGH PROFILE VICTIMS. MM-HMM.
UM, IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD.
I WORK IN ABOUT TO, TO TESTIFY, TO BE BRAVE, TO COME FORWARD, TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
UM, IT'S MORE AN ADVOCACY FOR THE VICTIM.
UM, AND I JUST USE A WORD I'VE NEVER USED.
I STOPPED USING IT LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND I NOTICED IN, IN, IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND IN THE FUTURE ONE, AND, AND YOUR LANGUAGE, YOU, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU HAVEN'T MADE THE SHIFT TO SURVIVOR? BECAUSE IT MEANS SO MUCH TO THE WOMEN THAT I'VE TALKED WITH AND ENCOURAGED TO STOP IT, TO STOP THE CYCLE.
THAT USING THE WORD SURVIVOR IS MORE WHOLE W-H-O-L-E.
IT'S MORE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS.
IT HAS AN EXPECTATION OF A BETTER OUTCOME.
I THINK IT, IT, IT'S MORE POWERFUL.
I THINK IT, IT GIVES THE, THE VICTIM A SENSE OF POWER TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION AND SURVIVE.
CAN I, CAN I ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THE WORD SURVIVOR? WE CAN.
IT'S JUST THAT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT TERMS OF I KNOW.
UM, BUT NO, DEFINITELY THEY, THEY ARE SURVIVORS AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
[01:30:01]
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO KEEP BEING VICTIMIZED.WELL, I JUST, I, IT, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW ON THE OTHER SIDE.
RIGHT? UH, AND I DON'T MEAN THIS REMIND ME OF WOMEN WHO ARE SURVIVORS, UM, HAVING MADE THAT LEAP, AND IT TOOK A WHILE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
IT IT WAS REALLY MEANINGFUL IN HOW THEY SAT AND HOW THEY WERE OPEN AND HOW THEY WANTED TO LISTEN.
AND I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THAT.
UM, THIS IS KIND OF SMALL, BUT I CARE.
UM, WHEN YOU GET CALLED, DO YOU GO OUT IN, UH, YOUR BUSINESS CLOTHES LIKE YOU ARE NOW, OR DO YOU GO OUT IN UNIFORM LIKE US OURSELVES? YES.
WE, IF WE GO OUT TO RESPOND, WE GET CALLED OUT, WE WILL GO.
WE'LL GO EITHER LIKE THIS OR IN BUSINESS CASUAL CLOTHES.
UM, SO THAT WAS TWO AND I'LL, I'LL CALL YOU LATER FOR THE OTHER 9,998.
I THINK I HAVE A NUMBER OF ON THE POWERPOINT.
BELIEVE ME, I KNOW WHERE YOU WERE.
THANK COMMISSIONERS FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND YOU WANNA ASK A QUESTION? YES.
HOW MANY OF YOUR DETECTIVES HAVE WORK IN THIS DETAIL? ARE FEMALE? WE HAVE CURRENTLY ONE, ONE JUST LEFT.
UM, SHE ACTUALLY LEFT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UM, WITH HER FAMILY.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DATA.
AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THAT.
DOMESTIC ABUSE RESPONSE TEAM CALL OUTS 35, RIGHT.
UM, BUT LAST YEAR THERE WERE ABOUT 2,500 TOTAL CALLS THAT INVOLVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE SHORT STAFFED.
SO IF YOU COULD ENLIGHTEN US AS TO THE VOLUME OF CALLS VERSUS THE VOLUME OR, OR THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES DEDICATED TO THEM AND WHY WE'RE SEEING THAT GAP.
SO THE DARK CALL OUTS ARE JUST THE, THE ONES THAT MEET THAT CRITERIA THAT I SHOWED YOU.
SO THE MORE SERIOUS, UH, INCIDENTS WERE THE NEEDED, UH, FOR US TO GO OUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
UM, AS FOR THE OTHER ONES, THEY'RE USUALLY REPORTS THAT WE WILL GET, UM, AS SOON AS IT GOES THROUGH THE CHAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR RECORDS CHAIN AND TO OUR DETAIL AND GET ASSIGNED TO DETECTIVE TO FOLLOW UP ON.
SO THAT TOTAL, THE TOTAL CASES, UM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST 2,500 HERE, RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S THE TOTAL CASES THAT WE'VE HAD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SO FAR.
AND AS FOR THE, UH, THE 45, UM, DARK CALL OUT ONES, TOTAL CASES, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WERE BEING MORE SERIOUS WHERE WE HAD TO GO OUT AND RESPOND TO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR AFTER BUSINESS HOURS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT EXPLAINS IT.
UM, IN TERMS OF TRAINING FOR LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS, DO, ARE THEY ALL TRAINED IN HOW TO RESPOND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS AND DEAL WITH VICTIMS, LIKE ARE ALL OFFICERS? SO, YEAH, IT IS.
PART OF IT IS A LEARNING DOMAIN, UM, UM, THAT WE TEACH, WE ALL THE ACADEMY TEACH RECRUITS.
UM, IT'S A 10 HOUR BLOCK AND, AND IT, IT'S BY POST, IT'S POST MANDATED.
UM, SO ALL, EVERYTHING THAT WE TEACH 'EM IS FROM POST OR CALIFORNIA, UH, PIECE SOFTWARE STANDARDS AND TRAINING.
AND TO FOLLOW UP, WE DO, UH, UPDATES EVERY TWO YEARS TO OUR CURRENT OFFICERS OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO THEY GET 10 HOURS IN THE ACADEMY, AND THEN WE GET, UH, UPDATES EVERY TWO YEARS.
COMMISSIONER LALA, YOU USED TO, UH, FOR TRAINING, UH, AND AT THE ACADEMY AND ADVANCED OFFICER, THEY USED TO BRING IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE.
AND THEN IT BECAME AN IN-HOUSE.
IS IT STILL IN-HOUSE OR ARE YOU BRINGING IN COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO DO TRAINING? SO ON OUR LAST ONE, I BROUGHT SOMEBODY TO THE LONGEST TRAUMA TRAUMA CENTER TO SPEAK TO THE, UH, RECRUITS ON SERVICES THEY PROVIDE, AND SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT THEY CAN OFFER OUR VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS.
AND THEN ONE PREVIOUS ONE WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN, UH, A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO TALK TO THEM AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD, THANK
[01:35:01]
YOU.UM, MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE TO RECEIVE PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALLEN PARKER.
COMMISSIONER DONATO SACK? YES.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
OKAY, FOLKS, THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO SORT OF TAKE A LITTLE POLL HERE.
UM, FORGIVE ME, BECAUSE BEFORE WE VOTED ON A TIME CERTAIN, WE PLANNED THIS MEETING WITH OUR PUBLICATIONS.
SO IF WE NEED TO EXTEND THIS MEETING, I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY HAPPEN.
WE'LL, HOW MANY FOLKS ARE ABLE AND WILLING TO STAY? CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION ON THAT? YES.
WHO, WHAT TIME WOULD YOU LIKE PICK A NEW TIME IF WE COULD? 8 45.
WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE FOLKS HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY.
AS LONG AS WE HAVE A QUORUM, WE'RE OKAY.
BUT I DO WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAFE.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE READ THE NEXT ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT SEX CRIMES DETAIL REGARDING CURRENT RESOURCES AND TRENDS IN VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN.
VERY MUCH CAN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
SO WELCOME AND THANK YOU TO, UM, DETECTIVE DARLENE RICHMORE, WHO'S WITH OUR SEX CRIMES DETAIL, WHO'S GONNA BE SPEAKING WITH US TODAY AND PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEX CRIMES DETAIL FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT AND RESOURCES FOR WOMEN.
UM, DETECTIVE, IF I COULD ASK YOU TO TRY TO STAY 15 MINUTES, I WOULD, WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
SO, I'M DETECTIVE JOLENE WINMORE.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR ABOUT, UH, 23 YEARS, JUST SHORT OF, UH, DETECTIVE VEGA.
BUT, UM, I WORKED WEST DIVISION, UH, I WORKED BY BIKE PATROL IN WEST DIVISION.
I HELPED, UH, HELPED REJUVENATE 14TH STREET AREA.
UH, WE WERE JUST DEDICATED, UH, TEAM WORKING WITH CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, WORKING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, TRYING TO CLEAN UP 14TH STREET PARK.
AND THEN FROM THERE I WENT ON TO WORK, UH, PROPERTY CRIMES.
AND THEN FROM THERE WORKED FINANCIAL, UH, CRIMES FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
AND SINCE 2015 I'VE BEEN IN SEX CRIMES.
UM, PART OF THAT WE HAD A LOOTING TASK FORCE THAT, AS DETECTIVE VEGA MENTIONED, THAT WAS, UH, DURING THE RIOTS THAT, UH, HAPPENED BACK IN 2020.
UM, BUT, UM, YES, I'VE BEEN, UM, UH, WITHIN SEX CRIMES, LIKE I SAID, FOR ALMOST, UH, 10 YEARS NOW.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR MONTH OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS IS IN APRIL.
AND WE CELEBRATE, UH, DENIM DAY, UM, AT THE, IT'S THE LAST WEDNESDAY, I THINK, OF, UH, THE MONTH OF APRIL.
UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA, I'M HOPEFULLY GONNA GO THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT DETECTIVES, UH, VEGA AND THEN, UH, JENNIFER TALKED ABOUT HAS ALREADY BEEN COVERED, UM, WITHIN THEIR PRESENTATION.
SO WITHIN, UH, LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A SPECIAL VICTIM SECTION, AND THAT INCLUDES SEX CRIME DETAIL.
WHERE I'M FROM, WE HAVE A CHILD AND ELDER ABUSE SECTION THAT'S A GROUP OF, UH, DETECTIVES THAT HANDLE THOSE SPECIFIC TYPES OF CRIMES.
AND THEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH YOU JUST HEARD FROM DETECTIVE B, WITHIN SEX CRIMES, WE HAVE FIVE DETECTIVES.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE SIX IF WE WERE FULLY STAFFED.
WE HAVE ONE SERGEANT, ONE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST, THREE SPECIAL SERVICE OFFICERS, ONE CLERK TYPIST.
OUR CRIMES INVOLVE SEXUAL ASSAULTS OF ADULTS OR MINORS WITH NO FAMILIAL TIES.
WE DEAL WITH CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, ONLINE CHECK PREDATORS, SEX SEXTING, SEXUAL BATTERY, INDECENT EXPOSURE, REVENGE PORN, SEX ARSON, AND NARCOTICS REGISTRATION DESKS.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE OUR THREE SPECIAL SERVICE OFFICERS WORK.
THAT IS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST SAY OUR TWO 90 REGISTRATION.
[01:40:02]
SO THAT'S SEXUAL OFFENDERS.BUT INCLUDED IN THAT, WE ALSO, THAT'S OUR, UM, CSAR, OUR, UH, CALIFORNIA SEX ARSON REGISTRATION.
UM, SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE SEX REGISTRANTS WITHIN LONG BEACH, WE HAVE ARSON REGISTRANTS AND WE HAVE NARCOTICS REGISTRATION.
WE USED TO HAVE GANG REGISTRATION, BUT NO LONGER DO WE, UH, UH, KEEP TRACK OF THAT.
THERE'S ONE OR TWO THAT ARE MISSING FROM THE LIST THAT I PROVIDED YOU PRIOR TO THAT.
UM, THE DEFINITION OF SAR, IT'S A COORDINATED INTERDISCIPLINARY EFFORT BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S US, THE DETECTIVES PROSECUTION, THAT'S EITHER CITY PROSECUTOR OR WHAT WE MOSTLY DEAL WITH IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEN WE HAVE OUR MEDICAL, WHICH IS OUR FORENSIC NURSE SPECIALIST AND OUR ADVOCACY EXPERTS.
AND WE ALL MEET THE FORENSIC NEEDS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, UM, AND THE MEDICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THESE SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVOR.
UM, SO YES, THERE'S TYPICALLY FOUR OF US.
YOU'VE GOT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROSECUTION, THE NURSES, AND THEN WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM.
NOW, THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A CART OR DART DETECTIVE DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF THE VICTIM AND OR SUSPECT, AND THE RELATIONSHIP, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SURVIVOR AND SUSPECT, IF ANY.
UM, USUALLY IT'S WITHIN 24 HOURS RESPONSE WHERE WE GET THE NURSE, THE ADVOCATE, AND IF POSSIBLE, THE DA.
NOW, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, OCCURRING WITHIN 24 HOURS.
OUR RESPONSE TIME, WHAT WE AS DETECTIVES ARE, WE ARE ON CALL.
WE ARE ON CALL FROM A TUESDAY, 7:00 AM UNTIL THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY.
SO WE ARE ON CALL A WHOLE WEEK WITHIN HIS DETAIL.
IF HE WAS FULLY STAFFED, HE HAS 10 DETECTIVES.
SO EVERY 10 WEEKS OR THEY WOULD BE ON CALL IN OUR DETAIL.
WE ONLY HAVE FIVE, SO WE'RE ON CALL EVERY FIVE WEEKS POTENTIALLY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, AND WE ARE ON CALL 24 7 DURING THAT WEEK.
SO WE CAN GET CALL LIKE HE'S SAYING, YOU KNOW, TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO RESPOND TO A CALL.
NOW SAR, THAT'S US SEXUAL ASSAULT.
SO THAT'S THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM.
AND IT'S ANY FELONY SEXUAL ASSAULT OCCURRING WITHIN THE PAST 24 HOURS INVOLVING AN ADULT OR CHILD EXCLUDING FAMILIAL RELATIONS OR A JUVENILE SUSPECT.
THEN WE HAVE CART, WHICH IS THE CHILD ABUSE RESPONSE TEAM, AND A CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT OCCURRING WITHIN 24 HOURS INVOLVING A FAMILIAL RELATION OR JUVENILE SUSPECT.
ALSO RESPONDS FOR PHYSICAL ABUSE AND ELDER ABUSE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE DART, WHICH IS THE FELONY ASSAULT OCCURRING WITHIN THE PAST 24 HOURS INVOLVING INTIMATE PARTNERS, WHICH IS MARRIED, COHABITATING, HAVE CHILDREN TOGETHER, DATING RELATIONSHIP.
THEY ALSO RESPOND PURPOSES OF ABUSE.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TEAM.
THIS IS COLLECTIVELY PRETTY MUCH OUR SEXUAL, OUR SPECIAL VICTIMS SECTION.
SO THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE AND SEX CRIMES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, WHILE HUGE, OOPS.
SO THE SART CART AND DART PROCESS, YOU HAVE WHAT OCCURRED.
THEN YOU HAVE THE PATROL OFFICERS WHO RESPOND, THEN THEY MAKE THE DETERMINATION, IS THIS SOMETHING WHERE WE NEED TO CALL OUT AND ACTIVATE SART CART OR DART? AND THEN WE, AS DETECTIVES RESPOND, WE ALSO HAVE THE NURSE, THE ADVOCATE AND OR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY RESPOND AS WELL.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A SURVIVOR WHO CALLS BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID THEY EXPERIENCE THE, WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH, NOW THEY'VE GOTTA TELL AN OFFICER WHAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH.
THE DETECTIVE ARRIVES, NOW I'M ASKING QUESTIONS.
THEN YOU'VE GOT A NURSE WHO'S COMING IN AND IS ASKING FURTHER QUESTIONS.
SO, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
SO THEY BASICALLY TOLD THIS STORY ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND WE DO OUR BEST 'CAUSE WE REALIZE WHAT THEY'VE HAD TO EXPERIENCE.
[01:45:01]
ALMOST 10 YEARS OF THIS.SO I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY AND HOPEFULLY I FEEL THAT I AM VERY COMPASSIONATE AND CAN DO A GOOD JOB TO GET THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AND COMMEND THEM ALL THEIR BRAVER BRAVERY TO COME FORWARD AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED.
SO AGAIN, OUR, OUR ROLE AS A DETECTIVE, WE RECEIVE THE INITIAL INFORMATION FROM THE PATROL OFFICERS.
WE DIRECT THOSE SAME OFFICERS IF NEED BE FOR ANY FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION, MAYBE VIDEOS, MAYBE WITNESSES, UM, NEEDING TO TALK TO.
WE COLLECT THE EVIDENCE, INCLUDING THE KIT.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S BOOKED INTO EVIDENCE, WE OBVIOUSLY CONDUCT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
AFTER WE'VE GOTTEN ALL THAT INFORMATION, WE'RE AT OUR DESK.
WE'RE USING OUR DATABASES, WHAT WE CAN, UM, WE FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE, ENHANCE OFFICER'S BAIL IF NECESSARY.
UM, AND THAT WE GET WITH CITY PROSECUTOR'S, HELP DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S HELP.
AND THEN WE PRESENT THESE FINDINGS, OBVIOUSLY TO, AND AGAIN, MOST OF WHAT WE DEAL WITH IS DEALING WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
UH, HERE ARE VICTIM'S RIGHTS THAT WE ADHERE TO, UM, WHERE WE HAVE, UH, THESE ARE JUST THE PENAL CODE SECTIONS.
UM, BASICALLY THIS FIRST ONE IS JUST THAT WE ARE TO NOTIFY A LOCAL RAPE VICTIM COUNSELING CENTER.
IN OUR CASE, WE DEAL WITH THE YWCA, WHICH IS THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
YOU KNOW WHY MCA? WELL, THIS IS THE YWCA.
SO THAT'S WHO WE, UM, USED TO COME IN AND HELP WITH WORKING WITH OUR SURVIVORS.
THIS NEXT SECTION IS BASICALLY THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT, UM, COUNSELOR PRESENT AS WELL AS ANOTHER SUPPORT PERSON.
UM, WHILE THEY'RE CONDUCTING OUR INTERVIEW WITH A NURSE AT ANY POINT DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS, THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT, UH, MORE RIGHTS TO AN ADVOCATE AND A SUPPORT PERSON.
UH, WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THIS PERSON, THE SUPPORT PERSON.
WE ACTUALLY, IN SEX CRIMES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TRAINING SESSIONS WITH THE YWCA.
AND PART OF THAT IS EMPHASIZING TO THEM THAT WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY ARE THERE JUST AS SUPPORT.
WE DO NOT ENCOURAGE THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS TO BADGER US BADGER THE SURVIVOR, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, UM, THEY ARE OBSTRUCTING US AND WE CAN ACTUALLY ESCORT THEM OUT.
BUT THE OTHER THING TOO, IS THEY WOULD THEN BE A WITNESS AND NEEDED TO, TO GO TO COURT TO TESTIFY IF SOMETHING CAME ALONG WHEN THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS.
UH, HERE IS NOW HAVING THAT SUPPORT PERSON IN COURT, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, WE DEAL OUR, OUR CRIMES ARE VERY, UM, INTIMATE, VERY PERSONAL.
UM, WE HAVE STRONG, UH, PENAL CODE SECTIONS THAT HELP SUPPORT THOSE SURVIVORS AS TO THE RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIALITY.
POLICE REPORTS ARE PUBLIC RECORD THROUGH THE PRA ACT, THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.
BUT A SURVIVOR'S NAME WILL NOT BECOME PUBLIC RECORD UNLESS THAT SURVIVOR REQUESTS CONFIDENTIALITY.
THEY WILL BECOME PUBLIC RECORD UNLESS THE VICTIM REQUESTS CONFIDENTIALITY.
AND THAT'S USUALLY SOMETHING, UM, WE PROVIDE AS POLICE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE, IN FACT, A DETECTIVE S KIND ENOUGH TO BRING THESE SAMPLES.
BUT ANYTIME AN INCIDENT OCCURS, NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF CRIME, THAT PERSON WILL GET A A FORM HERE.
AND IT'S GOT THE REPORT NUMBER AND IT'S GOT INFORMATION AS TO THE RIGHTS AS A VICTIM.
VICTIM'S COMPENSATION, UM, RIGHTS, INFORMATION ON RESTRAINING ORDERS, THE VINE, UH, VICTIM INFORMATION AND NOTIFICATION EVERY DAY.
UM, IF YOU HAD SOMEBODY WHO WAS A SUSPECT, YOU COULD ALMOST KEEP TRACK OF WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE RELEASED.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER GUIDE THAT WE GIVE OUT, WHICH IS JUST A LIST OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES, FURTHER INFORMATION ON RESTRAINING ORDERS.
BUT THERE'S TELEPHONE NUMBERS ON HERE.
SO WE ENSURE THAT ALL VICTIMS, NO MATTER WHAT TYPES OF CRIME, HAVE RESOURCES AND NUMBERS TO CALL.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THE, THE MARCY'S ACT, BUT THAT'S THE VICTIM'S BILL OF RIGHTS.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE, UH, GUIDE RIGHT THERE THAT WE GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO
[01:50:01]
HAVE BEEN VICTIMS AND THEIR RIGHTS.UM, WE DO HAVE, THIS IS ALWAYS AN INTERESTING ONE.
THIS IS A TOUGH ONE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, BUT MYERS, FROM 12 TO 17, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE, THEY ARE OF AGE, ACCORDING TO RPFO.
AND THIS, THIS, I'M SORRY, THE FAMILY CODE THAT IT ALLOWS THEM TO EITHER CONSENT OR DECLINE A FORENSIC, FORENSIC EXAM, TREATMENT AND EVIDENCE COLLECTION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.
WE, IN OUR SEX CRIMES DETAIL, WE EMPHASIZE, WE NEVER FORCED ANYONE TO GO THROUGH AN EXAMINATION.
NOT ONLY WERE THEY FIRST ASSAULTED GONE THROUGH THIS, BUT THEN TO PUT SOMEBODY ELSE, AGAIN THROUGH SOMETHING MORE INVASIVE, INTRUSIVE, IT IS, WE DON'T WANT TO PUSH THAT.
IT'S UP TO THEM TO DECIDE TO DO THAT.
AND YES, MINORS FROM 12 TO 17 HAVE THAT VOICE TO BE ABLE TO DECLINE OR TO CONSENT TO AN EXAM.
AND I UNDERSTAND, BELIEVE ME, I'VE GONE, LIKE I SAID, I HAD ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW, AND I'VE DEALT WITH A LOT OF FAMILIES.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL A MOM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR CHILD WENT THROUGH.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT FORCE SOMEBODY TO HAVE AN EXAMINATION.
OF COURSE, WE TRY TO SEPARATE, WE TRY TO SEPARATE THE SURVIVOR FROM THE PARENTAL UNIT AND TRY TO CONVINCE THEM AND TALK TO THEM.
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO, THOUGH, UH, ADVOCATES, YOU'RE PROVIDING EMOTIONAL AND MORAL SUPPORT TO THE VICTIM.
THEY'RE COOPERATIVE WITH THE DETECTIVE, THE NURSE, AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
THEY DON'T ASK THE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CRIME 'CAUSE THEY MAY END UP BEING CALLED AS A WITNESS.
UM, THEY WERE REMINDED, UM, AS A DETECTIVE, WE HAVE TO ASK DIFFICULT QUESTIONS TO OUR SURVIVOR.
WE ASK CERTAIN QUESTIONS LIKE, HAVE YOU HAD CONSENSUAL SEX WITHIN THE LAST FIVE DAYS? WE'RE NOT TRYING TO ACCUSE YOU, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO JUDGE YOU.
BUT THOSE ARE QUESTIONS WE NEED TO DO AS A DETECTIVE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE, IF YOU HAD SEX WITH SOMEBODY FIVE DAYS PRIOR, WE WANNA ELIMINATE THEM AS A PO POSSIBLE SUSPECT IN WHEN WE COLLECT THOSE EVIDENCE AND SEND ON FOR, UH, ANALYSIS.
UNFORTUNATELY, AN ADVOCATE WILL NOT ALWAYS HAVE ALL THE DETAILS OF THE INVESTIGATION.
SO YOU COME IN, YOU'RE TOLD AS AN ADVOCATE, YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP SUPPORT, BUT YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
I'M GONNA, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS, UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, THERE IS A PENAL CODE SECTION THAT REQUIRES ANY PERSON OF ANY KIND OF AUTHORITY, UH, POSITION, DOCTOR, NURSE, UH, SOCIAL WORKER, UH, POLICE OFFICER, FIREFIGHTER, ANYBODY THAT'S THAT'S IN THAT POSITION.
UM, THEY ARE A MANDATED REPORTER.
HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HEARD OF THAT, UM, THAT, UH, PHRASE.
BUT IF YOU, IF THEY HEAR ANYTHING CONCERNING ANY KIND OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, THEY ARE MANDATED TO CALL POLICE AND HAVE POLICE CALL COME OUT.
A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE, UM, SURVIVORS THAT ARE IN THE HOSPITAL.
THEY'RE TALKING TO THE NURSE, OH, I THINK LAST NIGHT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY A ASSAULTING.
NOW THEY CALL US, WE COME OUT THERE AND OFFICERS IMMEDIATELY GO AND TALK TO THE SURVIVOR.
WHEREAS THE SURVIVOR MAY BE LIKE, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHAT'S GOING ON? I DIDN'T CALL FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO DO.
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL
UM, AND THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT OR OBLIGATION TO ACTUALLY TELL A POLICE OFFICER WHAT HAPPENED.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THEY'RE ASSAULTED.
THEY DON'T WANNA TELL POLICE WHAT HAPPENED.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE AN EXAMINATION.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO COST TO YOU WITHIN TWO YEARS.
YOU CAN CALL US AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? OKAY, I WANT YOU TO INVESTIGATE.
I WANT YOU TO START ON THIS CASE.
AND SO WE CAN, SO NOW WE CAN REOPEN THIS AWA AND GET THAT REPORT ATTACHED TO THIS.
WE, WE HAVE OUR STATE PROSECUTOR WHO WE HAVE TO GET TO AS WELL.
I'M, I'M JUST ABOUT DONE THERE.
UM, LASTLY, WE TALK ABOUT EVIDENCE.
[01:55:01]
HOLDING HANDS, ET CETERA.BASICALLY, YOU'RE CONTAMINATING THAT PERSON.
SO AGAIN, I DEAL WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT INSTANCE.
IT'S BASICALLY A STRANGER INCIDENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, FIRST WE HAVE TO GO, WE HAVE TO, OH, SORRY.
YES, WE HAVE TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MAD CLERK, PLEASE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR IN THE ZOOM AND IN PERSON.
UM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE IN THE ZOOM AND IN PERSON.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND IF WE COULD NOW, UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OUR VICE CHAIR? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, THIS MUST BE REALLY DIFFICULT.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND SAY THANK YOU.
I WANT TO KNOW, IS THERE A BACKLOG ON LINK? IT HERE IS FAMOUSLY THERE.
WE HAD SINCE 2019, WE HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD MAKING SURE WE GET ALL THOSE KITS IN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? OH, COMMISSIONER VIOLET, I JUST WANNA SAY I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION AND I THANK YOU A LOT.
AND, UM, I USED TO HANG WITH RANDY CASTILLO AND, UH, YES.
YES, DETECTIVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS SO THOROUGH THAT YOU HAVE ANSWERED, I THINK A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE FOR YOU.
THANK, SO NO APPROPRIATE DISCUSSION.
MADAM CLERK, YOU PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE FOR RECEIVE FLAG.
OKAY, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE RAISE THE NEXT ITEM? ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE REGARDING THE PROSECUTOR'S ROLE IN ADDRESSING VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN CURRENT SERVICES, RESOURCES, AND TRENDS.
CAN I GET A MOTION ON THE ITEM PLEASE? MOTION.
WE GOT, I SAW A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HARPER FIRST AND THEN SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER DR.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR ELECTED CITY PROSECUTOR, DOUG CALBERT, FOR COMING TO SPEAK TO US TODAY.
UM, AND FOR WAITING TILL THE END, MR. HUBBARD'S BEEN SERVING AS CITY PROSECUTOR SINCE 2010.
SO, WELL, I KNOW YOU WANTED TO SAY THE BEST FOR LAST
UM, BUT I THINK THE SEX CRIMES UNIT AND DOMESTIC, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT ARE TWO OF THE UNITS, UM, THAT I JUST ADMIRE BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE.
THESE ARE CASES THAT ARE NOT JUST FACT INTENSIVE, THEY'RE ALSO IN CHARGE CHARGED WITH A LOT OF EMOTION.
WE, WE GET THAT EMOTION SOMETIMES SIX MONTHS LATER OR A YEAR LATER WHEN A CASE GOES TO COURT.
IN FACT, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A, OF A JURY TRIAL RIGHT NOW INVOLVING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
AND OF COURSE, EVERYTHING THAT COULD HAPPEN, WEIRD DOES HAPPEN.
THE VICTIM DOESN'T WANT TO COME AND THE VICTIM'S MOTHER DOESN'T WANT TO COME.
AND WE JUST FOUND OUT THE DEFENDANT HAD DONE THE SAME THING TO A WOMAN EIGHT YEARS PRIOR.
SO THESE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE VERY EMOTIONAL AND VERY CHALLENGING, AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF CASES THAT THEY HANDLE, THEY DO EXPERTLY.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THAT.
I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE STILL IN THE ROOM BECAUSE YOU DON'T HEAR THAT ENOUGH.
UM, YOU DON'T HEAR THAT APPRECIATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I HANDED OUT SOMETHING, UH, TO YOU.
UM, I CAME IN PERSON BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MY OFFICE HAS BEEN INVITED, UH, TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION HERE.
SO I WANTED TO BE SURE, UM, THAT I MET ALL OF YOU AND YOU HAD A CHANCE TO MEET ME.
UM, SO YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT PROSECUTORS DO.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, BUT YOU, THE TYPES OF CASES THAT WE HANDLE, UM, WE HANDLE OVER 10,000 CASES A YEAR, BUT IT'S EVERYTHING FROM VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER, DUI, OF COURSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WE DO SEX CRIMES, WE HANDLE CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, WE HANDLE VANDALISM, DRUG POSSESSION, UM, JUST A A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS.
UH, LONG BEACH COURTHOUSE, THERE ARE THREE PROSECUTING AGENCIES.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE LA CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS THERE.
THEY HANDLE CASES FROM SAN PEDRO.
[02:00:01]
OF THOSE THREE AGENCIES, OUR OFFICE HAS BY FAR THE MOST CASES, BECAUSE MOST CASES ARE ADULT MISDEMEANORS THAT OCCUR IN LONG BEACH, THAT FALLS INTO THE JURISDICTION.MY OFFICE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, HAS JURISDICTION OVER ALL FELONIES THROUGHOUT LA COUNTY.
NO CITY HANDLES FELONIES, BUT IN 10 CITIES, THEY TEND TO BE THE LARGEST CITIES IN THOSE 10 CITIES.
THE CITIES THEMSELVES HANDLE ADULT MISDEMEANOR CASES.
THEY DON'T HANDLE JUVENILE CASES.
AND I DON'T HANDLE FELONY CASES.
WE HANDLE ADULT RISK PSYCHOSIS.
UM, SO THAT, SO YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO? WE HANDLE CASES AS PROSECUTORS.
THE HANDOUT I GAVE YOU, UM, I'M NOT EVEN GOING INTO THE HANDOUT, BUT WHAT WE'RE OFTEN KNOWN FOR ARE THE THINGS THAT PROSECUTORS DON'T DO AND THINGS THAT I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT.
WE CREATED THE FIRST JOBS BASED DIVERSION PROGRAM, UH, CALLED PATH PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S MENTIONED IN THERE, WE HAVE A PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE GET LIVE-IN DRUG TREATMENT.
UM, IF THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF THE CRIME IS, IS ADDICTION TO DRUGS, UM, WE KNOW THAT OUTPATIENT DRUG TREATMENT DOESN'T WORK VERY WELL WHEN PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS AND SEVERELY ADDICTED TO DRUGS.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY GET THEM TREATMENT.
UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM, THE PAD PROGRAM HAS LARGELY BEEN REPLACED BY THE LEAD PROGRAM, WHICH STANDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED DIVERSION.
UM, BECAUSE PAD IS REALLY A COURT BASED PROGRAM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THEM INTO THOSE BEDS FASTER, DIRECTLY FROM THE STREETS BEFORE THEY GET ARRESTED.
AND, AND SPEND, UH, A WEEK OR A MONTH IN JAIL WAITING FOR A A COURT CASE.
THE CSW PROGRAM IS OUR LARGEST DIVERSION PROGRAM.
UM, COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKER PROGRAM.
UM, RECEIVED A NATIONAL AWARD BEST NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM IN AMERICA FROM NEIGHBORHOODS OF USA.
IT ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, CONVICTED OR CHARGED OR HAVE COMMITTED A LOW LEVEL CRIME TO, UM, INSTEAD OF PAYING A FINE OR GOING TO JAIL, THEY COULD DO COMMUNITY SERVICE.
SO THEY ACTUALLY GET TO PICK THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT THEY, THEY DO.
SO IF THEY WANNA DO BEACH CLEANUPS, THEY'RE BEACH CLEANUP OPPORTUNITIES.
IF THEY WANNA HELP CLEAN UP A PARK, THEY CAN DO THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE, THE, THE TOPIC OF THE DAY, UH, HAS TO DO WITH THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.
I'LL JUST MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT, THAT WE HANDLE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE MORE SERIOUS CASES, THE RAPE CASES, UM, THE MO YOU KNOW, THE VERY, VERY SERIOUS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES ARE GONNA BE HANDLED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THEY'RE A MUCH BIGGER OFFICE THAN WE ARE.
THEY HAVE ADVOCATES THAT, THAT, UH, HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDING THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE.
UM, SO THEY HANDLE A LOT OF THE MORE SERIOUS ONES.
UM, WE HANDLE EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, WE, WHEN I SAY I, I TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY.
BUT IN OUR PARTICULAR CASE, IT MAY BE, UH, THAT THE, UH, THE INJURY IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT IN THE FELONY CASE.
UM, AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY ALL THE TIME IT'S STILL A PROBLEM.
UH, OUR SOCIETY HAS BEEN DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR GENERATIONS, AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH IT.
I DO WANNA SAY A COUPLE THINGS I THINK HAVE IMPROVED.
I THINK SOCIETAL, UM, NORMS OR WHAT WE BELIEVE IS NORMAL HAS CHANGED.
WHEN I STARTED AS A PROSECUTOR 25 YEARS AGO, I WAS TOLD, BE READY FOR THE OLDER PEOPLE ON YOUR JURIES TO JUST NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL.
AND I TALKED TO SOME OF 'EM AFTER SOME OF OUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES, AND THEY WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF BETWEEN THE HUSBAND AND THE WIFE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE POLICE HAD TO GET INVOLVED, OR YOU GUYS HAD TO GET INVOLVED IN IT.
THEY SHOULD, THEY SHOULD HANDLE IT AS, AS A FAMILY MATTER.
UM, WELL, IT'S A CRIME AND MAY, AND IT WAS A CRIME 50 YEARS AGO.
IT'S JUST THAT THE NORM 50 YEARS AGO IS THAT AND BE HANDLED AS, AS A FAMILY MATTER.
AND SO I'VE HAD JURORS WHO ALMOST EMBARRASSED TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE RELATIONSHIP.
AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR IT.
LIKE, WE SHOULDN'T BE EXPOSED TO THAT.
IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET A, A CONVICTION, UH, WITH AN OLDER COUPLE.
AND THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF, UH, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF INFORMATION.
THERE WASN'T A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT RESOURCES.
SO TODAY, I WILL SAY THE, THE RESOURCE INFRASTRUCTURE IS MUCH MORE ROBUST TODAY.
THERE ARE MUL, THERE ARE MULTIPLE, AND THE LUNAR SHELTER IS FANTASTIC.
THERE ARE OTHER SHELTERS, THERE ARE FAMILY SHELTERS.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF SERVICES AVAILABLE.
I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE SERVICES TODAY THAN THEY DID, UH, 25 YEARS AGO.
SO IN THOSE TWO AREAS, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE PROGRESSED, WE'VE
[02:05:01]
MOVED FOR FORWARD, WE'VE ADVANCED.UM, WE USED TO HAVE A DEDICATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURTROOM IN THE LONG BEACH COURTHOUSE.
UM, SHE WAS THE JUDGE THAT HANDLED ALL THE, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES, WHETHER MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY.
AND SHE KNEW THE FAMILY DYNAMICS.
UM, SHE KNEW, IN FACT, I THINK SHE MAY HAVE EVEN TAUGHT SOME OF THESE CLASSES ON, ON THE DYNAMICS.
AND, UM, UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN STATUTES THAT ONLY APPLY TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.
THERE ARE CLASSES THAT ONLY APPLY TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.
AND ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, THE COURT JUST DISBANDED IT.
AND NOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES ARE SCATTERED AMONG THE JUDGES.
AND SO EACH JUDGE HAS, THEY DON'T GET SPECIALIZED TRAINING.
WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THEM AND HOPE THAT THEY CAN FOLLOW ALONG.
AND AS A RESULT, WE GET A REAL DISPARATE RESULT FROM THE JUDGE.
THIS JUDGE MAY TAKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REALLY SERIOUSLY.
THIS JUDGE MAY NOT TAKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF A HUNDRED CASES THAT PERSON HAS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT DEEP UNDERSTANDING.
IN FACT, UM, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THERE WAS A VERY, VERY HIGH PROFILE CASE WHERE WE CONVICTED A MAN, UM, WHO REPEATEDLY, UM, AND IT BECAME SO SERIOUS THAT SHE CALLED THE POLICE, UH, BEAT HIS WIFE, AND WE SECURED A JURY VERDICT.
AND THEN THE JUDGE, UM, EXCUSE ME, SET ASIDE THE JURY, UH, VERDICT WAS HEADLINE NEWS IN LONG BEACH.
WE APPEALED IT TO THE COURT OF APPEALS IN ONE.
DID ANYBODY REMEMBER THAT CASE IN THE NEWS? SORRY, YOU DON'T, YOU WERE RIGHT THE BACK THERE.
I'M GONNA BACK UP HERE MINUTES.
THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOR ME TO STOP AND TAKE QUESTIONS.
WELL, WE DO, WE ARE OUR TIME SERGEANT.
SO IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE READY TO WRAP UP, WE CAN.
UM, AND I'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS. YEAH.
BUT I WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU PERSONALLY.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SOMEONE MENTIONED THE CAMPAIGN.
I DO HAVE TO RUN FOR MY OFFICE EVERY FOUR YEARS AMONG THE BALLOT ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING I CAN HELP WITH TOO? FIRST I HAVE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, CLERK, IF YOU PLEASE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
ARE THERE ANY IN PERSON? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
NOW IF, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? I SAW COMMISSIONER OR ARY? YES.
AND THEN AGAIN, IF EVERYONE CAN REMEMBER TO SPEAK UP, WHY IS THE COURT SUSPENDED THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? UM, THEY SAID BUDGET CUTS, BUT, UM, IT'LL BE VERY CANDID.
COURTS HAVE POLITICS JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND IF ONE JUDGE FEELS THAT THEY HAVE MORE CASES THAN ANOTHER JUDGE, THEY COMPLAIN.
AND SO POLITICALLY WITHIN THE COURT, THEY'RE ALL INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED, UH, OFFICIALS.
SO, UM, AND THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT JOBS AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T LIKE THE JOB THEY HAVE.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, UH, DEBORAH, UM, UH, RETIRED.
THE JUDGE, UH, ANDREWS RETIRED AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE THAT CASE.
AND THEY LOOKED AT THE AMOUNT OF CASES THAT DEBORAH ANDREWS HANDLED AND SHE DID A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB OF 'EM.
UM, AND THEY COULDN'T GET A JUDGE TO DO IT.
AND THEY SAID, I KNOW WHAT WE'LL DO, WE'LL JUST BREAK THEM ALL UP AND SPREAD THEM THROUGHOUT THE COURTHOUSE.
BUT I, WE SAW A DEFINITE CHANGE RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME EXPLAINING WHY SOMETHING HAPPENED.
A GOOD EXAMPLE IS WHY WOULD SHE STAY WITH HIM IF, IF HE BEAT HER? AND THE ANSWER IS, WELL, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH VI UH, VIOLENCE AS MUCH AS POWER AND CONTROL.
OF COURSE, HE DOESN'T WANNA HURT HIS WIFE, HE JUST WANTS TO CONTROL HIS WIFE.
AND A JUDGE THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT IS NOT IS GOING TO, UH, DISALLOW EVIDENCE THAT SHOULD BE ADMITTED AND IS GOING TO ALLOW EVIDENCE THAT SHOULD BE EXCLUDED.
WE'VE HAD THAT, WE'VE HAD THAT A LOT.
ANYWAY, THAT'S MY, THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER IS THEY JUST DECIDED TO DISBAND IT.
I WAS LIKE, IT COULD BE BROUGHT BACK.
BY THE WAY, I I DO HOPE THAT THEY BRING IT BACK.
BUT, UH, IF YOU GUYS WANNA ADVOCATE FOR THAT, I, I SURE.
TO DIRECT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
'CAUSE IT DID HELP OUR SURVIVORS TO KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO COURTROOM THAT ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY WERE GOING.
I'M GONNA INTERJECT REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
COMMISSIONER LEVI VIOLET, I KNOW WE AT 8 45, IF WE WANNA TAKE I 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO WRAP, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS THEIR QUESTIONS IN.
I UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
AM I THE LAST THING ON THE AGENDA? THIS IS THE END, RIGHT?
[02:10:01]
ANNOUNCEMENTS.AND I CALLED DEB AND SHE SAID SHE'S WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS SO EFFECTIVE.
AND IT WAS, WAS THERE AND, AND A COLLABORATION WITH A, WITH A CRISP OFFICE THAT, THAT LOOKED AT WHETHER SOMEBODY HAD REGISTERED FOR THEIR VETERANS INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
I MEAN, WE HAD THE BEST SYSTEM IN LONG BEACH OF ANYWHERE.
AND, AND THAT WAS HEARTBREAKING.
AND THAT, THAT CHANGED JUST ONE COMMENT ON THE BATERS PROGRAM.
I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S AN ONLINE PROGRAM FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ONE OF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS YOU HAVE TO PROGRAM.
I JUST FOUND OUT YOU LOG INTO THE PROGRAM AND YOU HIT NEXT, NEXT, NEXT, NEXT.
AND YOU COMPLETE, YOU CAN COMPLETE A, UH, A I THINK IT'S A 12 MONTH PROGRAM IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF.
THAT'S, AND I, I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM.
IT'S, AND THAT'S, UM, NOT RECOGNIZED IN CALIFORNIA.
IT'S, AT LEAST IT'S NOT ON THE OFFICIAL COUNTY APPROVED LIST.
THE JUDGES ARE ACCEPTING IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T, IT IS ONE 20TH OF THEIR CASELOAD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER HARPER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I ALSO WANNA GO BACK TO DETECTIVE DARLING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECADE OF SERVICE AS A WOMAN IN THE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK FOR BRINGING, IT KIND OF BRINGS THIS WHOLE PICTURE TONIGHT.
IT IS A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS, SO THANK YOU FOR IN THERE.
BUT I THINK HAVING THAT JUST UNDER GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS AND THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, I THINK TO ESPECIALLY WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY OTHER OKAY.
COMMISSIONER, JUST LIKE A QUICK 32ND.
UM, I THINK, UH, WE HAVE SOME BIG LOFTY GOALS WITH THE COMMISSION AND WE WERE, YOU KNOW, VISION MAPPING AND PLANNING ON SATURDAY.
SO JUST EXPECT TO HEAR FROM US IN THE NEAR FUTURE FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND JUST EDUCATION AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED AS A PARTNERSHIP.
UM, TWO OF MY THREE SUPERVISORS HAPPEN TO BE, UM, FEMALE ATTORNEYS.
UM, MY CHIEF OF STAFF IS A, IS A WOMAN.
AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER IN OUR OFFICE, WHICH IS VERY UNIQUE FOR A PROSECUTING OFFICE.
AND OUR, OUR LEAD PROGRAM, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED DIVERSION PROGRAM HAD ABOUT 85% OF THE PEOPLE SERVED ARE, ARE FEMALES.
SO WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY HAVE APPROPRIATE SERVICES, UH, FOR THEM.
AND A LOT OF THEM GET LIVE IN TREATMENT OR THEY GET ACCESS TO A LOT OF IT'S DRUG TREATMENT AND OR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
UH, SO WHO DO YOU WANTED TO CALL IN PARTICULAR? IF YOU WANNA CALL MY OFFICE, YOU MEAN? YES.
IF THERE'S A FUTURE AGENDA, I'D BE HAPPY TO CALL OR BRING SOMEONE FROM MY STAFF WHO'S SMARTER THAN ME.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, THANK YOU MR. I HAD A COMMENT MYSELF, WHICH JUST AS A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, AND I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU IN PASSING, I KNOW WE HAD A HIGH PROFILE CASE WHERE A WOMAN WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT IN THE EAST VILLAGE AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DID NOT WANT TO CLASSIFY THAT CRIME APPROPRIATELY AND YOU PRESSURED THEM TO DO THAT AND THAT THAT CRIME WAS ADDRESSED MORE APPROPRIATELY.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE THAT FOLKS DON'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT WITH THE CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
THEY THINK, OH, IT'S NOT IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE, BUT ACTUALLY THERE'S INFLUENCE THERE.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CALL, UM, I'LL CALL VOTES RECEIVE VIOLENCE PRESENTATION.
COMMISSIONER S STAFF COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? YES.
COMMISSIONER LA VIOLETTE? YES.
CAN YOU CALL FOR NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT? YES.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND TEACHER NOW.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN PERSON, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SEEING NONE, BOTH IN THE ZOOM AND IN PERSON.
THAT CONCLUDES NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND DOES THE LAST THING WE HAVE IS OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
DO ANY ERS HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS?
[02:15:01]
THANK YOU.I JUST HAVE ONE AT THE CALENDAR.
I JUST, I HAD A VERY EXCITING, SO, UM, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING FORWARD TO ALL OF US.
UM, AND MY ANNOUNCEMENT IS THAT WE LOOK AT THE CALENDAR AND TECHNICALLY OUR TAX MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED ON, ON OR VERY BARE HOLIDAYS.
SO, UH, THE NOVEMBER MEETING IS SCHEDULED, SCHEDULED THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
WE DO HAVE TO RESCHEDULE DEFINITELY TO SEPARATE BECAUSE IT'S ON CHRISTMAS, WHICH IS ALL THE DAY STAFF WORKING.
SO YOU'LL BE RECEIVING, UM, SOME COMMUNICATIONS FROM STAFF TO GAUGE WHETHER WE CAN KEEP THE NOVEMBER DATE AND IF NOT, WHEN WE CAN HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH IS WHAT YOU CALL UP WHEN YOU RESCHEDULE.
AND THEN FOR DECEMBER, SORRY, IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, I DECLARE MEETING ADJOURNED.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE TIME? TIME IS 8:46 PM.