Public Safety Committee — Columbia, SC
Date: 2024-06-25
Time: 13:00

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
 TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024


The Public Safety Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. at
the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. Members of the
public may view the meeting online at www.columbiasc.gov. Please contact the City Clerk’s
Office at (803)545-3045 or cityclerk@columbiasc.gov if you have questions regarding the
meeting.

 The Honorable William Brennan, District III
 The Honorable Tina N. Herbert, District I  The Honorable Peter M. Brown, District IV

Prior to entering the meeting please turn all electronic communication devices to the silent, vibrate or off position.
 All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes.

CALL TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. Approval of May 21, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

2. Review of Options to Expand the Current Curfew for Minors - Mr. William “Skip”
 Holbrook, Police Chief

ADJOURNMENT




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PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
 TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024


The Public Safety Committee will conduct a meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. at
the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. Members of the
public may view the meeting online at www.columbiasc.gov. Please contact the City Clerk’s
Office at (803)545-3045 or cityclerk@columbiasc.gov if you have questions regarding the
meeting.

 The Honorable William Brennan, District III
 The Honorable Tina N. Herbert, District I  The Honorable Peter M. Brown, District IV

Prior to entering the meeting please turn all electronic communication devices to the silent, vibrate or off position.
 All presenters are asked to speak directly into the microphone for recording purposes.

CALL TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. Approval of May 21, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

2. Review of Options to Expand the Current Curfew for Minors - Mr. William “Skip”
 Holbrook, Police Chief

ADJOURNMENT




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MEETING DATE: June 25, 2024

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Approval of May 21, 2024 Public Safety
 Committee Meeting Minutes
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:


ATTACHMENTS:
  #a: PSC_MN_05212024 (DOCX)




Updated: 6/21/2024 3:30 PM Page 1
 Packet Pg. 2
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 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024


CALL TO ORDER

The Public Safety Committee conducted a meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at the Busby Street
Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. The Honorable Will Brennan, Chair
called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m.
 Attendee Name Title Status
 Will Brennan Chair Present
 Tina N. Herbert Member Present
 Peter M. Brown Member Present
PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATES

1. Columbia Police Department Briefing - Mr. William “Skip” Holbrook, Police Chief –
 Received as information

  Year-to-Date Crime Report
  Vehicle Pursuits and Technology
  City Camera Update
  Vehicles for Hire (Taxi Cabs)

Police Chief Holbrook shared the Police Department’s year-to-date numbers, highlighting a
positive trend with overall crime down by 18% compared to the previous year. Specific decreases
include robbery and assault by 22%, auto break-ins by 24%, and motor vehicle theft by 36%. He
underscored the benefits of ShotSpotter technology, noting a corresponding increase in police
actions following alerts, despite a decrease in alert frequency.

Investigator Cannon Fulmer, Crime Analyst/Columbia Police Department presented insights from
dashboards that included gun seizures, auto break-ins, ShotSpotter, and gun violence.

Police Chief Holbrook provided updates on the operational status of 199 camera sites, including
license plate readers at key neighborhood entry and exit points. He said we’re working with our
camera vendor, Motorola, to put together a package to introduce our business community to
potential increased camera coverage. That, along with additional technologies, are still in process
of being implemented.

Sergeant Robert Uhall, Traffic Safety Unit/Columbia Police Department discussed pursuit
policies, emphasizing strict criteria, ongoing assessment, and post-event reviews. He introduced
the Grappler for safely immobilizing fleeing vehicles and highlighted StarChase's GPS tracking
effectiveness in other municipalities. He detailed regulations governing taxis versus ride-sharing
services like Uber, noting the city's 123 taxis, all passing recent inspections. Starting a taxi
company requires a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity, involving coordination with the

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 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024


Director of Public Works to meet vehicle color and ordinance requirements (Section 24).
Inspections, now streamlined to a week annually, include meter seals and vehicle decals for fare
accuracy.

Ms. Teresa Wilson, City Manager urged staff to identify and address overly burdensome aspects
of current processes, while emphasizing a need to streamline operations to enhance business
friendliness.

There was discussion about camera footage from private businesses; media engagement strategies;
the growth of ShotSpotter; the increase in gun seizures and a notable decrease in guns stolen within
jurisdictional limits; the correlation of dashboard data with gun-related public service
announcements; receiving an update on the pilot of StarChase technology; and streamlining non-
employee centric processes by using online applications.

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

2. Proposed Right-of-way Signage Ordinance - Ms. Jazmon Kearse, Esq., Advisor for the
 Columbia Police Department – Endorse for City Council Consideration

Ms. Jazmon Kearse, Esq., Advisor for the Columbia Police Department said we made minor
changes to Chapter 22 of our code section, with the additions of code sections 2275 through 2277.
She shared amendments aligning local laws with state regulations concerning signage in public
right-of-ways. This encompasses all types of signage, including political signs. A new city
ordinance supplements state penalties with a signage removal fee. Upon notification of unlawful
signage placement, recipients have a 10-day window to appeal to the City Manager or designated
authority. The fee structure is tiered based on the number of infractions. She clarified that multiple
infractions on the same day count as a single offense. Efforts are underway to enhance enforcement
using technology to identify repeat offenders, particularly in high-traffic areas.

Ms. Teresa Wilson, City Manager Wilson emphasized the collaborative effort involving various
city departments. She highlighted the importance of ensuring all city staff are well-versed in the
rules to handle inquiries effectively. She also promoted the upcoming launch of the "MyColaSC"
app as a convenient tool for residents to submit complaints, emphasizing its potential to streamline
communication and enhance public engagement during campaign seasons and beyond.

There was discussion about the prevalence of illegal political signs; how the lack of
communication on how to report signs impacts beautification efforts; deterring promotion of
illegal businesses; public education campaign; and temporarily storing removed signs, especially
during campaign seasons, while acknowledging challenges in long-term storage.


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 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024


There was consensus of the committee to endorse the proposed ordinance for City Council
approval.

3. Fighting Hate on Main Street Municipal Toolkit - Ms. Jessica Kinard, Esq., Senior
 Assistant City Attorney – Received as information

Ms. Jessica Kinard, Esq., Senior Assistant City Attorney said the Mayor wants to ensure that our
ordinances are up to pace with the stringency of the provided model ordinances. She reviewed
overpass banners, which currently lack specific regulations due to their location typically falling
under state Department of Transportation jurisdiction. Existing city ordinances cover banners over
streets like Elmwood Avenue, requiring city approval for placement and removal. She suggested
that the committee consider drafting an ordinance to regulate these banners, with particular
attention to content approval.

Ms. Teresa Wilson, City Manager welcomed feedback and collaboration from city staff to refine
proposed amendments and explore additional measures where necessary. She encouraged staff to
take this under advisement and to work with various departments, especially the Columbia Police
Department and Public Works to determine what is needed and what can't be done.

There was discussion about differentiation between non-controversial projections like sports
championships versus potentially divisive or offensive messages; enhancing the graffiti ordinance
to include safeguards against demeaning language and hate speech; overnight soliciting and
canvassing; and ensuring ordinances aren’t treating protests differently than large gatherings.

There was consensus of the committee to continue this conversation further, following suggestions
from Legal and the Police Department.


ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 a.m.

Respectfully submitted:



Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC
City Clerk



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MEETING DATE: June 25, 2024

DEPARTMENT: City Clerk

FROM: Erika Hammond, City Clerk

SUBJECT: Review of Options to Expand the Current
 Curfew for Minors - Mr. William "Skip"
 Holbrook, Police Chief
FUNDING SOURCE &
ORIGINAL BUDGET:




Updated: 6/21/2024 4:28 PM Page 1
 Packet Pg. 6

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024


CALL TO ORDER

The Public Safety Committee conducted a meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at
the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203. The
Honorable Will Brennan, Chair called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m.

Attendee Name Title Status
Will Brennan Chair Present
Tina N. Herbert Member Present
Peter M. Brown Member Present

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. Approval of May 21, 2024 Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes –
 Approved

Upon a motion made by Ms. Herbert and seconded by Mr. Brown, the Committee
members voted unanimously to approve the May 21, 2024 Public Safety Committee
Meeting Minutes.

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

2. Review of Options to Expand the Current Curfew for Minors - Mr. William
 "Skip" Holbrook, Police Chief – Received as information

Police Chief Holbrook explored the possibility of enacting and enforcing a curfew for
minors. He reviewed Ordinance 2011-059, referred to as the Five Points Curfew and
the second ordinance known as the Youth Loitering Curfew. Both ordinances
address the hours in which underage people can be within certain areas with
specific exceptions. The only other curfews we’ve had were during the COVID State
of Emergency and the period of civil unrest in 2020. Neither are still in effect. He
highlighted the curfew in Myrtle Beach and its role in dispersing large crowds rather
than broadly restricting youth activity. He provided statistical insights showing a
decline in juvenile crimes since 2020, particularly in violent offenses. He noted
significantly higher juvenile crimes in zip code 29203 in comparison to the other zip
codes within the city. In 2024, there has been an overall reduction in shootings but
an increase in juvenile shootings.




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 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
 TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2024


Councilman Bailey inquired about demographic trends within the city. He
recommended surveying other municipalities and their ordinances in regards to
enforcement and exploring the idea of a potential ordinance that states
ramifications for curfew violations.

There was discussion about the benefits of a geographic curfew; confinement and
parental responsibility; and strengthening options for enforcement.

Ms. Teresa Wilson, City Manager suggested looking for solutions to address the
individuals with a history of bad behavior instead of a blanket curfew.

Mr. Trevon Fordham, Director of the Office of Violent Crime Prevention presented
the current engagement and education strategies. He acknowledged the importance
of collaboration and the city's unique role in having such an office. He highlighted
lessening youth violence through community engagement, educating residents on
violence prevention, and enhancing public awareness of city initiatives. Plans
included launching a multimedia safety campaign, increasing partnerships with local
organizations for workshops, and addressing root causes of violence through data-
driven research and community-based interventions. He announced that October is
Youth Justice Action Month.

There was discussion about the importance of a public awareness campaign to
underscore being home by midnight and job fairs to employ youth; connecting with
schools and the school districts; bridging the gap between the Police Department
and schools; and the Handle with Care program.

There was consensus of the committee to review the existing curfew ordinances to
determine their validity.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted:



Erika D. Moore Hammond, CMC
City Clerk



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