Council members directed city staff in July to explore several ideas they proposed including the use of drones that could be employed to assist authorities in
a promised crackdown in 2019.
The renewed effort follows an avalanche of complaints from the community directed at city officials and voiced on social media and mirrored in a city report that the use of illegal fireworks was getting worse in La Mirada.
A city staff report detailing fireworks enforcement dated July 10, 2018, showed the number of complaints deputies responded to from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. had nearly doubled from 23 in 2016, to 43 in 2018.
A proposal to use drones to aid in identification and apprehension of violators has gained the most attention and proved controversial based on the concerns voiced on social media sites.
A city staff report back to council on the proposal noted that due to privacy concerns the Sheriff's Department does not use drones in local law enforcement efforts.
After considering the expense as well as FAA hurdles the city would incur by starting its own program the report recommends that council members consider contracting with a private company at an estimated cost of $175 per hour.
The response from the public on social media has ranged from support to those expressing privacy concerns and the growing footprint of 'big brother' in their daily lives.
The city council is also expected to approve a proposal that allows citations to be issued to property owners of places that are identified as locations where violations have taken place.
Violators to the current law and proposed expansion are subject to a $1,000 fine.
In other city business, the council also discussed a proposal to increase security at two city parks by using surveillance cameras.
The proposals for Neff and Frontier Parks were requested earlier in the year by several council members in response to several complaints of suspicious activity by park patrons.
The proposed system would cover select areas of each park would be capable of only recording for later retrieval and not monitored real-time and carries a price tag from $18,000 to $93,000.
There would also be an annual cost of up to $10,000 to maintain and service the system.
The city staff report does not mention any past incidents the proposed cameras would have been useful either deterring or apprehending the suspect in a past crime.
City Hall notes:
City Hall which closes each year for part of the Holiday season began its extended closure on Monday, December 24th, and will not reopen until Wednesday, January 2nd.
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