City Council Planning Sessions

Monday, October 25, 2021 1. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilman Barbier Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilman Brown Councilwoman Fitch Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller City Staff Physically Present: Michael Dzugan, City Manager John Duguay, Assistant City Manager William Murphy, Police Chief Princeton Youker, Deputy Police Chief Daniel Salzmann, Police Sergeant Daniel Peck, Public Relations Coordinator City Staff Virtually Present: Nathan Plunkett, Street Superintendent 2. Approval of October 11, 2021 Minutes The Council approved the October 11, 2021 City Council Planning Session minutes. 3. Public Comment There were no public comments. 4. Body Worn Cameras City Manager stated that one of the goals for the Wheaton Police Department’s FY2021 budget included evaluating and potentially employing body worn cameras. He stated that members of the Wheaton Police Department would present the results of the investigation into body worn camera products and provide a recommendation for the Council to consider. Sergeant Salzmann presented the reasoning for employing body worn cameras, including transparency and accountability with the Wheaton Police Department, and the State legislative mandate that requires all Illinois Police Officers to be equipped with body worn cameras by Jan. 1, 2024. Researched benefits of utilizing body worn cameras include increased civilian compliance and officer professionalism; quicker resolutions to complaints; safer communities; increased department efficiency; and higher officer morale. Sergeant Salzmann stated that the Wheaton Police Department focused on three body worn camera companies as part of their investigation, which included Axon, Body-Worn, and WatchGuard. He stated OCTOBER 25, 2021 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES that the investigation included interviews with local police agencies using similar products and a 30-day trial of each product’s software and hardware. Ten police officers, four records staff, and several evidence personnel were part of the Wheaton Police Department Trial Period Staff. Sergeant Salzmann provided an overview of the legal requirements needed for body worn cameras, which included a pre-event 30-second video buffer that would allow for video to be recorded up to 30 seconds prior to a camera being turned on for use; a minimum of a 10-hour battery life; and the ability to perform supervisory compliance audits. Wheaton Police Department personnel had a list of preferences that included high-quality video and audio capabilities; CAD integration; the ability to efficiently share data with the DuPage County State’s Attorney Office; redaction capabilities; a user-friendly software; and automatic event activation. Sergeant Salzmann presented the highlights of the Axon body worn camera product, which included: high video and audio quality; long-lasting battery life; CAD integration; user-friendly video management software; audio-transcription technology; auto ID redaction software; efficient data sharing capability; supervisory audit software; efficient method to share digital evidence with DuPage County State’s Attorney Office; and extensive product refresh warranties. Disadvantages included: limited unrecorded data capability; inherent uniform malfunction risk; and additional costs for additional features. The total cost for the Axon body worn cameras for a 5-year service agreement is $407,692, or $81,538 annually. One hundred percent of Wheaton Police Department Trial Period Staff recommended the product. In response to questions from Council, Sergeant Salzmann stated that every officer would be equipped with a body worn camera and, by state-mandated legislation, cameras would need to be activated during any law enforcement activity. He added that officers would be trained on the use of cameras and accompanying software by the company provider, then would be trained on the policy for using cameras based upon department policies and state legislative mandates. Sergeant Salzmann presented the highlights of the Body-Worn body worn camera product, which included: geo-fencing capabilities; CAD triggered activations; and the installment of cameras inside officer uniforms as opposed to attachments on the outside. Disadvantages included: low video and audio quality; low battery life; extensive issues with cameras fitting inside officer uniforms; and poor redaction software. The total cost for the Body-Worn body worn cameras for a 5-year service agreement is $397,525, or $77,505 annually. One hundred percent of the trial staff did not recommend the product. Sergeant Salzmann presented the highlights of the WatchGuard body worn camera product, which included full integration with the Wheaton Police Department’s current in-car recording system; detachable batteries; and “record-after-the-fact” technology. Disadvantages included: low nighttime video quality; accidental activations; low battery life; uniform malfunction risks; poor redaction software; and no CAD activation. Sergeant Salzmann stated that the WatchGuard body worn cameras utilize “record-after-the-fact” recording technology that allows for up to 40 hours of additional video recording. He stated that it is an advantage as it allows recordings to occur in case an officer forgets to activate a camera but is also a disadvantage as it could also be a personal invasion of privacy of officers as it can record them unknowingly which has resulted in numerous legal lawsuits against the product. OCTOBER 25, 2021 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES Sergeant Salzmann stated that the total cost for the WatchGuard body worn cameras for a 5-year service agreement is $249,945, or $49,389 annually. One hundred percent of the trial staff do not recommend the product. In response to questions from Council, Sergeant Salzmann stated that the City would need to commit to a 5-year service agreement with any of the companies, which is the standard for the service. He stated the total cost includes the lease of the cameras to the Wheaton Police Department along with the software as a service. In response to questions from Council, Chief of Police Murphy stated that funding for the body worn cameras could be covered by the Cannabis Use Tax. The Wheaton Police Department recommended the Axon body worn cameras for use by officers as the product and service offers the highest level of efficiency, is the most cost-effective option, and is universally endorsed by outside law enforcement agencies. Council directed City staff to proceed with preparing a bid waiver and service agreement with Axon for body worn cameras. 5. Sidewalk Snow Removal Requirement - Pedestrian Routes City Manager Dzugan stated that City staff was seeking feedback and direction with establishing an ordinance requiring the removal of snow from specific public sidewalk areas. Assistant City Manager Duguay reviewed the previous discussion regarding the potential ordinance, which included an overview of the areas that are currently cleared by the City, identifying the unique challenges of establishing such an ordinance, and defining areas for required snow removal. Assistant City Manager Duguay reviewed previously cited areas to consider requiring snow clearance off sidewalks by the Council, which included: school crossing at the Roosevelt Road and Warrenville Road intersection; areas along Roosevelt Road; the West Street train station walking path; and along the Prairie Path and Carlton Avenue. Assistant City Manager Duguay provided different scenarios for a sidewalk snow removal requirement in each of the Council’s previously cited areas. City staff sought Council direction on the following: whether the sidewalk snow removal requirement should be for everyone, or a select number of businesses and residents; how the regions for the requirement should be defined (by area or zoning classification); and should commercial areas, school crossing guard locations, and walking paths to train stations be included in the requirement. In response to Council comments, Assistant City Manager Duguay stated that the windrows formed by passing snowplows makes it difficult to keep crossing guard areas completely clear due to the constant accumulation of excess snow and ice along roadways created by snowplows following a snow event. In response to questions from Council, Assistant City Manager Duguay stated that the City begins its snow plowing operations after a snow accumulation of 2 inches. OCTOBER 25, 2021 CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES In response to Council comments, Assistant City Manager Duguay stated that the current snow removal regulations in the City of Wheaton prohibit piling snow on sidewalks, but there is no requirement to clear sidewalks. In response to Council comments, Assistant City Manager Duguay stated that there are challenges with making a snow removal requirement for commercial properties only on Roosevelt Road as there are different zoning classifications, including residential properties, which would create gaps along sidewalks where the snow is required to be removed. In response to Council comments, City Manager Dzugan stated that most complaints for snow accumulations occur where windrows are formed from snowplows on abutting sidewalks and crosswalks. Council requested staff to initially focus on developing a snow removal policy for crosswalk areas and areas where windrows frequently occur in commercial areas. 6. City Council/City Staff Comments Councilwoman Bray-Parker shared that it was National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and there was a Love Purse event drop off location for purses and other items at the Wheaton Public Library through Friday, Nov. 12. Councilman Barbier stated that the Wheaton-Warrenville District 200 Student Excellence Foundation is celebrating their 30-year anniversary and congratulated them on the milestone. Councilwoman Fitch congratulated the Wheaton Lion’s Club on their fundraising over the past year including their record-breaking Candy Day fundraising event and food drive event benefiting the People’s Resource Center. She stated that the Lion’s Club is looking for new members. Councilwoman Fitch shared about numerous activities happening in honor of Veterans Day, including a Veteran’s Collection Drive; patriotic flag displays in downtown Wheaton through Old Glory on Display; the Wheaton Park District Field of Honor Flags at Memorial Park Sunday, Nov. 7 through Thursday, Nov. 11; and the American Legion Post 76 Veterans Day Ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 10:45 a.m. at Memorial Park. Mayor Suess stated that the City’s Halloween Trick-or-Treating hours are 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 31, and stated that the Downtown Wheaton Association will also be hosting a trick-or-treating event at downtown businesses on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 7. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Daniel J. Peck