City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Commission, 29 Nov 2022

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Police Commission 11.29.2022

A

Foreign insta is there a motion good evening. Everybody welcome to meeting.

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For the portsmouth police, commission and I'd like to officially call the meeting to order and ask.

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Commissioner coyle, if she will lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america to the republic.

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For which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Thank you and before I make the motion to suspend the agenda and move up item number.

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One under the chief's report, I'd like for all of us to take a moment of silence our greater.

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Seacoast community suffered and terrible loss on thanksgiving morning with the death of drew lucky.

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Number seven- and I know her family celebrated her life today, and I know that many of the folks on.

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In this department were on hand and helped save lives that day and for that work we're.

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Eternally grateful and for now, if we can just take a moment of silence to honor, drew.

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Thank you and our thoughts and prayers are with her family and all of her friends.

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Now, I'd like to request a motion to suspend a gen the agenda to move item number one. I.

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Moved to suspend the agenda to move to item number one or to the chief's report. Second,.

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All in favor, aye, aye chief, take it away.

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Welcome everyone. Thank you for coming and attending we'll start off with.

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Newly sergeant tom sycho, if you want to come up to him,.

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I'll call her a little bit just me and you.

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So, on october 24th, the board of the police commission is unanimously voted to appoint.

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Tom cisco, to the rank of sergeant assigned to the patrol division soon thereafter, on november 9th.

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The board also voted to promote don denman to detective.

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It is my pleasure to invest both of these with my authority and their new position.

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Tom is in a sixth year of the portsmouth police department assigned a patrol.

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During this time, he served as a member of the motorcycle unit.

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The crime scene team, the drone unit and most recently as a field training officer.

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In this edition of service for the portsmouth police department, thomas served 14 years as a.

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Police officer of the north olmsted police department in ohio in 2015 he was awarded.

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The vfw police officer of the year award for his hard work and dedication prior to becoming.

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A police officer tom served for four years, a patrol officer with the state of ohio tom, holds.

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A bachelor's degree in criminal, criminology and criminal justice from the ohio state university.

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By virtue of the authority vested in me, through the commission by rsa 105-c colon a and the.

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Portsmouth city charter, amendment e trusted in your experience, integrity and fidelity. I.

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Do but I promote you to the rank of sergeant of police with a personal police department.

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With all the power and authority and subject to duties and liabilities of the decision, congratulations, [applause].

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Oh, you got your packed on a little guitar, that's cheating! She can't stop. You.

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All right, [applause].

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Connie you want to come up.

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Donnie has been with the ports of pd for five years, while he'll be assigned to all being.

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Assigns the patrol division within this time he has joined multiple teams, including the seacoast.

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Emergency response team, the crime scene team and the street crimes unit donnie holds a bachelor's.

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Degree in criminal justice, with a minor in environmental science from franklin, pierce.

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By virtue of the authority vested in me, through the commission by rsa 105-c colon a and the.

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Portsmouth city charter, amendment e trusting in your experience, integrity and fidelity. I do buy.

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Here promote you, the position of detective of the portsmouth police department, with all the.

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Power and authority and subject to all the duties and liabilities of the position. Congratulations.

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Police officers we swearing in tonight.

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Start with uh christian pete, if you want to step forward christian 's, a portsmouth new hampshire.

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Native he's currently working the administrative capacity until he's able to attend the 191st.

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Police full-time police academy in january of 2023. christian is a graduate of the university.

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Of new hampshire with a degree in criminal justice and homeland security and was a member.

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Of the unh football team, he also completed an internship with our department of spring in 2021.

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Ben and step forward ben comes us to from leominster mass he's a graduate of fitchburg.

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State university, with a master's degree in criminal justice ben recently, graduated.

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From pittsburgh, state police, fitchburg state university police academy becoming a certified.

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Police officer prior to being hired by the post police department he's crawling the beginning.

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Stages of our department's field, training program that both of you guys raise your hands.

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Going to repeat after me, I state your names.

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The above name appointee the above.

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The above name of pointy solemnly swear that will faithfully and impartially.

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Discharge and perform all duties and come in on me.

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As a police officer, constable and night watchmen of said city of portsmouth possible.

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According to the best of my ability.

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Agreeable to the rules and regulations of the constitution of the constitution and laws of the state of new hampshire.

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So help me, god, by virtue of the authority vested in me through the police, commission and rsa 105-c.

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Trusting in your integrity and fidelity due here by constitution, appoint you a police.

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Officer constable knight watchman, who said city of portsmouth, with all the power and authority.

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And subject to all the duties and liabilities provided by law, congratulations, foreign.

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D

D

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That's the end of our ceremony. If you guys would like to see, stand and watch.

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Our commission meeting you're more than welcome, but you can leave now.

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It's tough to put a bird.

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Thank you all. Congratulations.

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Okay, so we will resume our normal agenda.

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And can I ask for an acceptance of the minutes from the meetings.

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2022 held on october 25th, I shall move second, all in favor, aye, aye.

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And now we'll move on to public comment. I don't see anyone here.

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Prepared to make public comment so we'll move forward, uh move on to new business for police.

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Commission we've done the acknowledgments relative to the promotions earlier.

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So why don't we move right on to facilities, update and, first chief, you want to share any.

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Updates on the restoration efforts here, so the restoration efforts are progressing slowly but.

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Steadily, we were had moved to the court office and have run into a little bit of a roadblock with.

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Some plumbing issues so we're trying to remedy that which has set us back a couple weeks, but.

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Still moving forward and hopefully fingers crossed will be done.

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I would even say january is our is our new goal so, but we are still progressing. Hopefully, this is.

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Our last uh road roadblock and the rush should uh be done closely by the end of the year. Okay,.

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Any questions on the restoration efforts.

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uh And if I could ask you, commissioner, coyle to share an update on the next steps for the public.

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Safety facility planning work. Yes, so we um we conducted some interviews of design architect.

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Firms and those interviews went great um there there's a lot of talent and we're at this point.

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Waiting to get some proposals back to us, which will then evaluate, but um it was very encouraging.

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Talking to these firms and they had lots of ideas in many different directions, so we'll see.

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It's exciting any questions, commissioner sure no anyone else have any questions on the update, great.

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Moving on to community priorities, again, I'm going to turn it back to you, commissioner coyle. I know.

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You have a couple updates here to share sure, uh mostly that we have updated the tracking tool.

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And thanks to jackie, who has already posted it to the website um just uh to reflect some.

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Of the updates with respect to non-disclosure agreements, as well as some of the other efforts.

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um With the new uh unh surveying, and um so as that, as we continue to gather data we'll.

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Continue to update the tracking tool just so the community has access to see what we're doing.

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In our progress chief to that end, can you share anything new about.

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The cad rms system and where we are at this point, so we have selected a final uh well.

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uh Company that we are going with and we're still working on the final.

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Of what it's going to be done on it? Okay, any idea anything more to add on to that. Well, I was just.

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Going to say, um we we've got the proposals and whatnot, um but daisy's working on the ancillary.

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Programs that kind of have to fit in with that there's one for fire and the vendors didn't.

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Have a court module really that was workable, so we're looking at an ancillary program for that.

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And daisy's working once we, she gets information on that that they can talk to each other and pass.

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Information back and forth, then we can do a final like contract and and whatnot, and so once the can.

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You share more about the length of the contracting process. How long do you think that will take.

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um We actually had a meeting scheduled, but we had to reschedule it to put all.

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The materials together for the legal department upstairs okay, so once they.

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Have everything all indexed they'll go through a review? I'm not sure how long that will take.

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um But then the final contract also has to go through them right. So thank you for that update.

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Any other questions go ahead. There's a final contract need approval by the city council.

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um Since we went out to bid um no okay, no the money's already been authorized for us correct.

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B

All right, thank you for that update. So now we'll move it over to you, chief. I know we covered the.

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First item on your agenda: already: okay, I'll let the deputy handle the traffic stats and.

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Then uh I'll go on from there. Thank you. uh So, for the month of october, we had a total of 735.

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Motor vehicle stops, we had 15 dwi arrests, which is a market increase in years past.

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Of those traffic stops, a total of 692 warnings were issued.

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um And last month there was a request to have a bit more of a breakdown on what are we summoning.

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And warning for more frequently during our motor vehicle stops uh due to the limitations of.

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Coincidentally, our cad rms system, it's difficult to pull exact percentages, but um of those that of.

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That data we were able to pull just some overall figures. Speed is the number one reason uh for.

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Motor vehicle stops and that's reflected in 59 warnings. uh Four summonses stop sign.

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Violations: seven warnings, one summons traffic control device, which would be a traffic signal.

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Or, or something similar to that four warnings: two summonses unregistered motor vehicles, 43.

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Occasions, 33 warnings, 10 summonses, 77 inspection violations, 65 warnings, 12 summonses and again.

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Just uh the bottom number here is readjusted today again based on some anomalies in the.

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In the current cad program, we had 67 total reportable crashes in the month of october, so.

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um And again, piggybacking on the the cat rms um we're very anxious to be able to pull more.

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Specific data in the future, uh because uh even just even just pulling these these numbers here.

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Is time consuming and it's not easily mined from the current system we use, but that does give you.

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um A break a breakdown commissioner sure you had asked last month a lot of stops for speed.

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Inspection stickers, some of them moving violations- some not, but um that is an overall picture of.

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Our traffic enforcement efforts, um just as a a follow-up question, a topic of some interest to me.

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um uh I'm looking at the most of the non-moving violations uh that is like.

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Inspection sticker registration. um How often are those a warning and summit or a summons.

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uh So in in looking at inspections, so in this instance here uh 60 77 total total motor vehicle.

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Stops 65 of those 77 were warnings uh and 12 of those 77s or summonses, got it. um Oh, okay and now.

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A lot of times what is is customary as well is um we would issue uh a summons uh with a seven day.

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Grace period, so if, if I'll issue you the summons and I'll put seven days on it and if you bring.

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To the station your inspection sticker, you get it inspected within those seven days, it'll be changed.

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Compliance right I mean the golf sports yeah right, yeah and that's that's. A very common practice is.

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To if you know, if somebody says I'm on my way to get it inspected more often than not we're going.

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To give the benefit of the doubt, and you bring that sticker to the station the next day or within.

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Seven days we'll we'll take that back and turn it to a warning. Thanks and just one side note wt.

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V will insight this afternoon into how difficult it was to migrate. The data using the cad rms.

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System so we do appreciate this information, but I think today we got a little bit of insight into.

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How difficult the extraction of the data is and why we're looking forward to the new cag system.

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Amen- and I just added since we're on traffic stats, I want to talk to about uh the dwi arrests.

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That we've been having uh we've been before thanksgiving came out. We posted on our website.

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On instagram, we've been messaging out, trying to ask people to drink and drive responsibly.

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And one of our sergeants max weber pulled the dwi stats for this year and right now we are.

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At 76 total dwirs, which is almost 50 percent higher than we're normally at uh 15 or 15 50.

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50, so that was just for this year, not including december. So I asked him to give me the stats for.

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The last three years, uh uh yeah three years back in 2019 and looking at the number of dwi arrests.

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We had and then also the number of dwi arrests. We had relative to a motor vehicle accident so.

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The deputy had just given you the the monthly report of total accidents for the month, which.

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I think he said was 60 67 67. so for this year in 2022 out of the 67 act. Well, not relative to.

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The 67 that he said, but we've had 23 dwi related accidents uh going back to 2021. The number was 22.

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If you go back to 2020 now, where you get into the cove pre-covered times, uh it was 13 and in 2019 it.

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Was 14. so those numbers have almost doubled. The double a number of dwi accidents related.

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Accidents, but if you look at our dw arrest numbers so we're at 76, as of today um last year, number was.

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79 dwi arrests in 2020 that number was 48 and in 2019 it was 59. So we've had some significant.

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Increases so we're just trying to emphasize even more now it's another forum for us to.

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Please ask to be responsible driving if you're going to have some alcohol to find alternative.

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Methods of getting home, whether it be a designated driver or a taxi or uber, lift some of the form of.

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Transportation, we are increasing our patrols, dwi patrols, to try to prevent people from from.

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Thriving intoxicated we're just asking for the community's help and support to just try.

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To be responsible, if you think, if you've had too much to drink, please do not drive.

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Just a couple of little other stats uh relative to the uwi's. For this year, 2022 we've had 48 mail.

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Arrests, 28 female arrests and the average age has been 37 years old. Those who have taken tests to.

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Show what their blood alcohol or their alcohol limit is when they are arrested. The average is.

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0.14 and the legal limit is 0.08, so they're almost twice as high as the legal limit. So they're not.

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People that are just maybe think, they're, okay, they're people that are heavily intoxicated.

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And then, as I stated, the number of accidents we took 23 accident reports where the driver was was.

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Arrested for dwi after an on-season investigation, so chief- can I just say hopefully in in this.

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Motivates me to do some additional outreach for the public awareness effort if seacoast online.

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Portsmouth herald fosters is listening. We need to do a story about this. People need to be aware made.

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Aware of the problems in our community so that it can discourage, they can provide rides. They.

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Can be aware and be be trying to help their neighbors their family members prevent this.

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From happening, we do not drink and drive, it's uh it's a decision that can cost lives and so.

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Of course, with harold's listening, I'm going to be following up with a phone call, because these stats.

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Need to get out there, so people can hear them and understand that the problem we know the problem.

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Of mental health is at a tipping point. People are suffering they're struggling alcohol is often used.

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As an antidote and it's causing a lack of public safety, so we got to do everything we can to raise.

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Awareness thank you for bringing these stats to our attention. Well, just to build on that. I think.

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um At least as reported in the portsmouth herald a horrible example of the the problem was the.

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Accident last thursday, thanksgiving morning where uh one person died, and it seemed at least from the.

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Republic reports that that uh alcohol is involved, so um I have one question: do do we ever look at.

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Where the people who are uh arrested for dwi live, I mean: do we have a sense whether we're arresting.

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People who are coming to portsmouth to drink or we're arresting portsmouth residents, so I don't.

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Have the specific answer to that, but I think they're not just people from out of town some.

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Of them are local portsmouth residents. Some people are, you know that live in the seacoast area. Some.

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People from out of town is, I don't think uh and like correctly, if I'm wrong, there's any particular.

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Scope of someone that we could focus on to try to address that attention on there are people.

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From all different walks of life, all different places, people that are familiar here- uh local.

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People they're just people that are making bad decisions. Why not? You only have to look at the.

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Alcohol sales at the state liquor store to know that more alcohol is being consumed. More alcohol.

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Is being purchased, therefore, there's greater risk of people getting behind the wheel of the car and.

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Causing a danger to themselves and other people on the road, so um we use circulate those stats so.

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We can yeah, we can do it, so it's actually. Yes, we will- and I think I don't know if they're up on our.

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Website but we can get them up there. That would be great on the facebook page, but I mean this.

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Is not just a a problem with just portsmouth: this is going on across the entire state. You know last.

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Week in in hampton they had an intoxicated drive a drive through a front of a restaurant. You know.

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Where four people had to go to the hospital was he had too much to drink? You know. State police have.

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Been dealing with operators on the highways driving over 100 miles an hour, intoxicated.

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So it's not something, that's just a porcelain problem, but it's a statewide problem and a 50.

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Increase in arrests and the correlation and the number of accidents is astonishing and and again.

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It's not a lack of enforcement in prior years. It's because the incidents are are higher. Now.

B

Okay, anything else on that particular topic. I think next, is this financial report yep.

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um Through the end of october, we're tracking, just under five percent below the cap,.

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um For the period which is unusual, I don't think I've ever seen- five percent below but.

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um But in november, uh we've seen a significant uh increase in the overtime coverage training over.

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Time and events over time, such as accidents or case investigations, um and also at the operations.

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Meeting this morning they said the first half of the next shift. There's already 120 open shifts.

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Or shift it could be a four hour or a ten hour shift depending um so that's before we even get.

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Into the day day-to-day operations of people going out on sick or whatever we have military.

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Deployments fmla schedule annual and even though there are going to be three officers coming off.

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Of field training mid-january to help offset that they're still going to be the military employment.

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So it's all this long-term stuff that we seem to get. We can't seem to get out from underneath.

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Captain cummings did an evaluation. When we do our budgeting, we do a shift relief factor into.

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Every how many extra officers you need per shift um because about 20 to 30 percent of your shift.

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Will not be there, you just have to plan for that. He did an analysis and he was up to 50 of some.

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Shifts that had that where people were out so we're way above the the average right now and.

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Combating that detectives is also down staff and, as you know, dispatches down staff. So there's just.

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Going to be a lot of overtime expenditures over the next several months, um grants there's no new.

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Grant awards for this month and still plugging away with a strategic plan. So um karen can we.

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Go back to on the the point of it over time, because I know this is often uh a point of.

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Question concern in the community and on the city council and just making it clear for folks that.

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The the overtime we're talking about is covering our basic uh shifts. It's not above and beyond. It's.

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It's not elective, it's not voluntary. In many cases, it's it's mandatory over time and it's.

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Because we don't have enough staff we're working to address that. But as every industry across.

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The region has been hurt by challenging workforce recruitment retention. Hiring places is at the top.

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Of the list of professions that are struggling to have enough talent in the in the pipeline to fill.

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In uh just to mention on the on the staffing wise, our numbers are getting better as far as getting.

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Closer to being fully stuffed, but because it it's not like when we hire someone, they start on the.

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Street tomorrow, it generally could be anywhere from four to six months before we actually can.

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Use them to put them in service and when there's openings at the academy as well. It's just another.

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I'd also point out that um it's my understanding and talking with the chief that uh and and with.

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Karen that, even when the department is fully staffed, the nature of shifts and and allocating.

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uh uh Patrolmen to um to uh shifts uh we're not going to cure the overtime problem, but we're.

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Going to improve uh the we're going to improve we're going to have less overtime right, I mean.

A

I've been here for over 20 years, and I have never seen so many people out long term, whether it be.

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The military deployment or the in on the job, injury or whatnot I've never seen this number.

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um So and so to be clear when someone's out long term.

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Creates a vacancy within the staffing model, but it doesn't create an opening that we could fill.

B

For crystal paying that person to to do the job when they return they're very difficult.

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And that this comes into effect of why we can ask for additional officers and people.

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Have to understand like why do you need 70? Police officers is because there has.

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To be a relief system, because at any point in time we could be down 20 to 30 percent.

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Of that 70 people, but we still have to do our job and we still have minimum staffing levels.

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And without those numbers we're forcing people to work more hours than they should be working.

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Thank you all right, any other questions on the financial report. Nope.

B

um We have patrol division, uh we don't have a report to present today or a court office report.

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The other thing before we close or any other miscellaneous distance anyone wants to raise. I.

D

Don't okay! I I do just want to thank the men and women who responded on thanksgiving morning to.

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That horrific accident, uh I know we, we honored drew's life at the beginning of the meeting.

B

I have been carrying with me in the days since what her family must be going through and.

B

I can only imagine to the officers who were there trying to help save lives. The impression that left.

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On all of you- and uh you know, I thank you. Thank you for the service you provided that day and.

B

I want to make sure we've done everything we can to support and help and provide the reinforcement.

B

Needed because the trauma of that scene, I can only imagine so, I know deputy maloney. You were.

B

There and I'm grateful for your efforts chief for your leadership and making sure people were.

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Ready to respond, obviously everybody wishes they could do more in a situation like that.

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But I know what you did do is help save lives. So uh I think for that we want to commend and thank.

B

You and know that if there's anything more, the commission can do to support the folks.

B

Who were there who experience the trauma? Please please tell us what it is. We can do.

B

B

For that I guess we'll to adjourn the meeting. I moved to adjourn the meeting. Second, all in favor.