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Police Chief Allan Shields is set to present the department’s quarterly report to the Danville Town Council during the next regular meeting on Tuesday evening.
Highlights of the report include a drop in overall crime, but a major increase in injury-causing collisions in the first half of 2021, compared to the last half of 2020. Shields will also present on the department’s inaugural Citizens’ Academy this spring, and other department outreach efforts.
In addition, town officials will consider Shields’ requests for funding to the department for two equipment upgrades: a new motorcycle for the traffic division and encryption of existing police radios.
The motorcycle requested would be a replacement for one previously damaged beyond repair in a collision. Funding of $35,000 is temporarily requested from the town’s asset replacement funds, while the department continues seeking damages from an insurance settlement.
Council members will also consider granting the department $90,000 from its unappropriated contingency fund, in order to upgrade the existing 105 police radios with encryption keys and additional programming.
The move is intended to comply with a 2020 bulletin from the California Department of Justice, emphasizing privacy protection by requiring encryption of police radios and additional privacy protection measures, according to police staff.
The council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday (Sept. 21) at 5 p.m. via Zoom. The agenda is available here.
In other business
* The council will consider allotting funds for technology upgrades to town services, aimed at replacing outdated systems, and enhancing cybersecurity.
* Council members will debate extending the county’s abandoned vehicle abatement fee locally for an additional 10 years, by adding it to a ballot measure in the June 2022 election.
* They will also consider replacing decorative components of the gazebo at Hap Magee Ranch Park, and maintaining the existing structure until the bidding climate becomes more favorable for replacing it.
Correction:
This story originally said council members would consider “holding off on replacing the entire structure until they can receive a higher bid,” regarding the gazebo at Hap Magee Ranch Park. This portion has been updated for clarity and accuracy.
