Committee sends citizen patrols ordinance to new business, asks for fiscal-impact study

The committee considered a proposed ordinance (item 6.36) to rename and expand Chapter 26 to establish citizen patrols and neighborhood blight patrols, including provisions on administration, forms of assistance, eligible expenditures and reporting.

Graham Anderson of the Law Department described the proposal as a community-led program that would not impose city supervision; he said $50,000 had been allocated in spring for this purpose. Committee members asked whether training, reimbursement for bicycle repairs or mileage, and fiscal impacts were addressed in the draft; Anderson said training and eligibility would come through the police department and that the office could amend the ordinance to include specific reimbursements, such as for bike repairs, if desired.

Given questions about fiscal exposure and program details, the committee voted for a motion to commission a fiscal-impact study on the citizens-patrol ordinance before moving it forward. The item was sent to new business for introduction and a public hearing with the expectation that the fiscal-impact analysis would accompany the ordinance package.

Why it matters: The ordinance creates a formal framework for volunteer neighborhood patrols and blight reporting, potentially expanding community involvement in public-safety efforts but raising questions about city costs, training requirements and program oversight.

What’s next: The law department and LPD were asked to work with the OCFO to develop and return a fiscal-impact study in advance of further consideration.