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Council approves ordinance to let civilian public service aides issue nonmoving citations
Summary
First reading and final approval of O17 will allow Public Service Aides to issue citations for parking, registration and vehicle-for-sale/advertising violations under written police directives; staff said PSAs handled 153 calls in the first half of 2024 and the program grew from one to six PSAs since 2018.
The governing body approved O17, an ordinance amending Chapter 70 of the city code to authorize the city manager and chief of police to permit non-sworn public service aides (PSAs) to enforce specified nonmoving sections of the uniform traffic code through written directive. Captain Cacciati, who presented the item, described the proposal as a way to increase quality-of-life enforcement for parking and registration issues without assigning sworn officers to every call. "The intent of this ordinance amendment is to allow for public service aids the ability to issue citations for quality life issues, such as parking and registration," Captain Cacciati said.
Captain Cacciati said the PSA program began in 2018 with one PSA and has grown to six. He reported program activity for the first six months of 2024, saying PSAs had responded to calls for service (staff provided an initial figure of 153 calls and listed categories including disabled/unattended vehicles and public-nuisance calls). Councilors questioned the scope of citations PSAs may issue and training; Cacciati said the draft proposal covers specific parking and registration ordinances and that policy guidance and a traffic-division training program would limit PSAs' role in crash-related incidents (officers would issue crash-related citations). After questions about safety and training, the council voted to approve O17.
