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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2013.04.09 - 36709BILL DWYER Chairperson MIKE BOSNIC Vice Chairperson HELAINE ZACK Minority Vice Chairperson April 9, 2013 Chairperson Dwyer called the meeting of the Public Services Committee to order at 11:3 0 a.m., in Committee Room A, Commissione rs’ Wing, County Service Center, Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT : Bill Dwyer, Mike Bosnic, Helaine Zack, Shelley Taub, Michael Spisz, Gary McGillivray COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None. OTHERS PRESENT : MICHIGAN STATE POLICE Christopher Hawkins, First Lieutenant U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE Barbara McQuade, U.S. Attorney FRANKLIN -BINGHAM FARMS POLICE Daniel Roberts, Chief WEST BLOOMFIELD POLICE Michael Patton, Chief SHERIFF’S OFFICE Michael McCabe, Undersheriff Dale Cunningham, Business Manager PUBLIC SERVICES - MEDICAL EXAMINER Robert Gerds, Administrator HUMAN RESOURCES Heather Mason, Analyst COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH Lisa Dunn, Community Liaison BALDWIN PUBLIC LIBRARY Sheila Brice, Library Trustee BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY Pamela Williams, Library Trustee THE DETROIT NEWS Lauren Razzaq, Reporter THE OAKLAND PRESS John Turk, Reporter Tim Thompson, Photographer OTHERS Roy Salisbury Minnie Washington BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Marcia Gershenson, Commissioner Chris Ward , Analyst Tracy Stolzenfeld, Committee Coordinator PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES McGillivray moved approval of the minutes of March 12, 2013, as printed. Supported by Spisz. Motion carried on a voice vote. OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 N. TELEGRAPH ROAD, PONTIAC, MI 48341-0470 Telephone (248) 858-0100 FAX (248) 858 -1572 PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Shelley Taub Michael Spisz Gary McGillivray PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 2 April 9, 2013 PUBLIC COMMENT Roy Salisbury, citizen and resident of Rochester, made a brief statement regarding Second Amendment rights. Minnie Washington, Encouraging Hearts founder, commented regarding their program for students. AGENDA ITEMS 1. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – AUTHORIZATION FOR SALE OF RECOVERED AND STOLEN PROPERTY IN SPRING AUCTION The Sheriff’s Office is requesting authorization to sell recovered property which has been unclaimed in the spring auction scheduled for May 18, 2013 , pursuant to Public Act 54. Taub moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Spisz. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 2. PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT – MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE POSITION DELETION AND CREATION The Public Services Department is requesting authorization to delete a full -time noneligible clerical position and create a full-time eligible position in the Medical Examiner’s Office in hopes of reducing the turnover rate of that position. In 2012 the depart ment had a turnover rate of four out of six clerical employees. Medical transcription is a necessary skill for this office position and requires approximately one year of training. The cremation fee increase will fund the benefits for this upgrade. Bosnic moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by McGillivray. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. THE COMMITTEE RECESSED FROM 11:40 -11:43 a.m. 3. COMMITTEE CHARGE PURSUANT TO MR #13017 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – EXAMINATION OF HOW OAKLAND COUNTY CITIZENS ARE PROTECTED FROM GUN VIOLENCE – INPUT FROM FEDERAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES Chairperson Dwyer welcomed all to the third meeting on the gun violence issue and made a short opening statement. The third panel was intr oduced by Commissioner Bosnic as follows: Chris Hawkins from the Michigan State Police, Barbara McQuade, U.S. Attorney, and Daniel Roberts, Chief of Police for Franklin -Bingham Farms and FBI retiree. Michael Patton, police chief from West Bloomfield Police was recognized also. The focus of this discussion is to gain information from the representatives and their recommendations. The representatives thanked Chairperson Dwyer for the invitation to participate. In response to committee members’ questions, the following information and suggestions were discussed. • Violent crime rates - increased a bit last year and rates had been decreasing the five years prior. PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 3 April 9, 2013 • Law Enforcement Training – has prepared officers to treat all public as being armed. • Definition of Open and Carry – is carrying a firearm in plain view, for example, a pistol in a holster or shotgun or rifle slung over the shoulder. Once a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) is obtained, that licensed person may open carry in a pistol free zone. • Concealed Carry – means a coat or jacket covering the pistol. To conceal carry requires a Concealed Pistol License in the state of Michigan . • Pistol Free Zones - in the penal code are listed as school property, churches, courts, theaters, sports arenas and day care centers. The state legislature would have to make the change to add libraries to the pistol -free zone list. Designation of a pistol free zone may not make a location safer. • Long Gun – is defined as any gun over 26 inches in length and a pistol is 26 inches or less. Long guns, such as rifles and shotguns, are not required to be registered in Michigan, only pistols. Most assault type weapons are considered long guns, such as AR -15 and AK-47, and are not required to be registered in Michigan. • Information and Reporting Systems – can be useful when guns are attempted to be registered. Michigan is one of the few states that utilizes the registered gun database. Registration is achieved when the serial number of the gun is entered into the database. In the last 18 months 400 stolen guns were attempted to be registered by law -abiding citizens. Michigan has been compliant with entering data into the NICS, also known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It may depend on each state’s regulations and how well the records have been transferred into the database. Information received by the Michigan State Police is entered realtime. Most states do not require registration of handguns. The registration and licensing system has been un der attack ever since Michigan became a concealed carry state over a decade ago. • Mental Health Tracking Measures – consist of entering mental health orders and court orders deeming persons legally incapacitated into the NICS syst em. Each state is governed by their statutes as to what type of mental status can be reported and that information is inconsistent across the country . With each state reporting mental health issues differently, these irregularities with the database should be addressed. The gun application process relies on an applicant’s answer to mental health s tatus questions . The application process for the concealed gun license requires the applicant to sign a waiver allowing the gun board to contact mental health professionals; however, he alth care professionals are reluctant to provide the information due to HIPAA violations. • Project Ceasefire – is an anti-gun violence program based on an idea from David Kennedy’s books. The concept is that some people turn to firearms violence and gang life for the reason of feeling alienated in the urban community, then join a gang for self -esteem and a sense of belonging. The program calls on these individuals and lets them know the impact of their behavior in an attempt to rid their anonymity. It al so gives convicted felons resources on where to find employment. It is often a small number of people who are engaged in gun-related crimes and if those people are targeted, they may be stopped. This theory has proven effective in large communities and s ome cities have seen a 20 to 30 percent reduction in violent crime. Detroit has received a grant for this program. Flint has a similar program called Lifelines. A coordinated effort using this type of call -in program may be possible in Oakland County ev en with budget constraints. Law enforcement may identify those on parole and probation, then talk with them using the call -in program about the PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 4 April 9, 2013 consequences of their continued criminal activity and the social services available to them. Oakland County has a gang task force to specifically address gang violence. • Legislation Regarding Gun Violence - is presently being introduced to shore up gaps in the investigative system. Michigan has no law requiring background checks on long gun purchases. To reduce the sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines, limits may be proposed on these weapon types to minimize damage in a gun violence incident . The trend now is less restrictive on open carry rules . • Concealed Pistol License (CPL) - requires one to be 21 years old for licensing, although an 18-year-old could purchase and possess a pistol in Michigan and may open carry. Someone holding such license is prohibited only from carrying concealed weapons in pistol free zones, not including open carrying guns, which is currently legal. Other licensing requirements include an extensive background check, never having been convicted of a felony, which is determined by fingerprinting, taking a gun class and undergoing a county gun board review. The violation of concealed carrying of a gun in a pistol free zone result s in a 90 day misdemeanor. Even though requirements may be met to grant someone a CPL, the licensing gun board does have the ability to deny an individual a license if they have reason to believe the applicant would be a threat to the mselves or others. Other preclusions to prevent one from obtaining a license may be misdemeanors or domestic type crimes. The Michigan State Police website contains licensing information and the most frequently asked questions regarding firearms. This information is utilized by officers and is available to all. • Violent video games and other media – may instill some desensitization to violent acts. Good parenting is encouraged . (See previous discussion on March 12 and February 26, 2013 meeting minutes.) • Private citizens – are being relied upon as the eyes and ears of law enforcement as budget cuts are carried out. Citizens can report known mental incompetency issues to authorities, share information on their knowledge of stolen guns and black market gun sales , as well as watch for drug trafficking. Local police may be contacted with concerns. Most times unless there is a threat of harm or an illegal act being committed, law enforcement cannot intervene. • Gun Storage Laws – pertain to when a person is transporting a gun in a car. The law states a firearm must be stored in a case inaccessible from the operator of a vehicle. CPL holders are exempt from this regulation. There are no state laws regulating gun storage in the home. Child neglect has been determined in cases where firearms were stored improperly. In closing the panel contributed the following comments. Citizens would like to defend the Second Amendment rights for responsible citizens to bear arms, but un like the First Amendment, it is not absolute and there are restrictions. Government is in the process of proposing funding for security systems to be placed in schools and things like cameras and door locks to be installed to increase school safety. Out of the 18 million checks the FBI conducted last year, 83,000 people were denied a gun license. Michigan State Police is committed to work with state and local partners to educate them on current firearm laws. Chairperson Dwyer commented that the first me eting was with local law enforcement representatives and the second panel consisted of school superintendents. It was announced that the upcoming Public Services Committee will meet on April 23 and a panel of mental health experts PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE Page 5 April 9, 2013 will speak. At the meeting on May 14 individuals will present on Second Amendment rights. At the meeting scheduled on June 13 the Committee will consider a final report with recommendations to be given to the entire Board of Commissioners. COMMUNICATIONS A. Sheriff’s Office – 2013 Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program – Grants Application. Spisz moved to receive and file the communications. Supported by Taub. Motion carried on a voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 12:50 p.m. _____________________________________ ___________________________________ Tracy Stolzenfeld Jim VerPloeg Committee Coordinator Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.