Pasadena Public Safety Committee Meets Twice This Week: First, to Review Fatal Police Shooting Report, Then Budgets

The City’s Public Safety Committee meets twice this week, first on Monday in joint session with the Council to review the Office of Independent Review’s report on the fatal police shooting of Anthony McClain in 2020 and then on Wednesday to review budgets for the Fire and Public Health departments.

At the Monday joint session, the Committee will act in concert with the Council to evaluate the OIR report and the Police Dep[t.’s responses to determine what follow-up if any should be referred to the  Community Police Oversight Commission.

On Wednesday, the Public Safety Committee meets at 4:00 p.m. in the Pasadena City Hall Council Chamber to examine the proposed operating budgets for the Fire Department and the Public Health Department for fiscal year 2024.

An online Power Point presentation highlighting Pasadena Fire Dept. budget talking points was not available at the time of this writing on Sunday.

The Pasadena Public Health Department, however, has released and published a detailed overview of its proposed budget. 

This overview not only outlines the department’s financial plans looking ahead but can be seen, too, as a testament to the Department’s commitment to controlling and fighting the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the city as well its efforts to maintain public health standards under difficult pandemic conditions.

The department investigated over 7,600 confirmed and over 1,000 probable COVID-19 cases in Fiscal Year 2023, according to the presentation incorporated into Wednesday’s agenda.

This effort was further boosted by the administration of over 2,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses and distribution of over 6,800 COVID-19 antigen tests to long-term care facilities, schools, childcare centers, and community agencies, the PPHD reported.

In addition to COVID-19-specific actions, the department has led an intensive campaign to maintain overall public health, conducting 2,069 routine inspections of various establishments — including restaurants, markets, hotels, pools, tattoo facilities, schools, and massage establishments. 

These inspections aimed at compliance with food handling, vermin infestation, tobacco use, lead paint, and pool sanitation regulations.

The Pasadena Public Health Department reported it also issued over 50,000 food benefits to the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) families and to assisted homeless individuals with clinical appointments and housing linkages.

In partnership with the Fire Department, the Pasadena Outreach Response Team (PORT), which teams PPHD works with first responders, made a monthly average of 153 points of contact and outreach.

The department’s 2023 funding initiatives in Fiscal Yearss 2023 secured substantial funding for several important programs, including a $2.51 million California Violence Intervention and Prevention grant, a $1.19 million Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems Grant, and a $1.03 million California Department of Public Health grant, among others. 

Many of these programs are set to continue into Fiscal Year 2024, which will reinforce the department’s capacity to safeguard public health.

Fiscal Year 2023 also saw the notable creation of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division and the re-establishment of the Health Policy and Promotion Division within the Public Health Department. 

The upcoming budget cycle, however, reports that the end of certain grants will result in anticipated staffing reductions due to the end of certain grants.

City Manager Miguel Márquez therefore proposed new allocations to bolster the department’s operations. This includes $50,000 for the enforcement of the Pasadena Municipal Code by Environmental Health staff, $288,000 for the Pasadena Intervention and Prevention Project (previously budgeted in the City Manager’s Office), and $500,000 to address unfunded Internal Service charges.

Moving forward, the Public Health Department has charted out key strategies for Fiscal Year 2024, including:

• Continuing to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Maintaining overall public health standards
• Expanding access to healthcare services
• Promoting health equity
• Strengthening the department’s infrastructure

The Public Safety Committee meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. For more information, please visit the City of Pasadena website or contact the Public Safety Department at (626) 744-7311.