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<br />7C <br /> <br />cameras tied to police dispatch would act as a deterrent to crime and assist in the Page 2 <br />apprehension of law violators and is recommended. <br /> <br />Past experience suggests we can also expect an increase in crime related activity <br />associated with the theater opening. The Century Park 12 Theater complex on East <br />Bayshore was an attractive target for thefts and burglaries from vehicles. Foot patrols <br />and random undercover operations will be needed to prevent similar experiences <br />downtown. The Union City Police Department had to address a significant gang <br />problem at their theater resulting in a considerable drain on department resources. <br />They currently staff their project with three full time and one part-time police officers <br />typically working Thursday through Sunday. Closer to Redwood City, the theater <br />complex in San Mateo has thus far not experienced any significant gang activity, <br />although San Mateo Police have implemented plans to increase police presence in the <br />area. Daly City also has a 20 screen theater complex and has had a number of crimes <br />committed in and around the complex. They deploy four police officers at their theater <br />area every Friday and Saturday evening. <br /> <br />Predicting gang activity around the theater is difficult and the high visibility of uniformed <br />patrol presence supplemented with undercover officers should mitigate criminal acts <br />and disruptive behavior. Currently, the downtown area is staffed by a single beat officer <br />who is charged with essentially all law enforcement east of EI Camino Real between <br />Woodside Road and Brewster Avenue. The officer handles all calls for service in the <br />area as well as responds to assist officers in adjacent beats. <br /> <br />Based on the experience of other local cities with similar developments, it is <br />recommended that a significant police department presence be deployed in the <br />downtown to create an atmosphere of safety for patrons and visitors. The police <br />department is not able to provide that level of police service with the current staffing <br />levels. <br /> <br />Traffic Control <br />Vehicle traffic is projected to increase dramatically upon the opening of the theater <br />complex. Despite the fact that theater operators have plans to coordinate and stagger <br />start and end times of their features, the movement of 500 patrons in and out of the <br />three main designated parking lots, will impact traffic flow and perhaps accident rates in <br />the downtown areas surrounding the theater. Traffic complaints will likely spike at least <br />temporarily and the Police Department anticipates the need to facilitate traffic flow until <br />visitors to our downtown become accustomed to the new level of traffic. <br /> <br />ParkinQ Enforcement <br />In addition to the impact the downtown theater project will have on sworn staffing levels, <br />three part-time Parking Enforcement Officer positions should be added to the <br />department. These are non-benefited hourly positions limited to one thousand hours <br />employment annually. Parking Enforcement Officers currently work four hours per day, <br />five days per week. The two morning officers work a staggered shift from 9:00 a.m. to <br />1:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., while the evening officers work from 2:00 p.m. to <br />6:00 p.m. Their work schedule has been established in this manner to allow <br />enforcement of city parking meters, which can only be conducted during the hours of <br />0900 - 1800. The Parking Enforcement Officers focus their activities primarily on meter <br />enforcement in the Central Business District. The boundary of this area is roughly <br />Brewster Ave to the north, Chestnut Street to the south, Veterans Blvd to the east, and <br />