Category: Public Safety

  • San Diego to Loosen Tobacco Restrictions, Add E-Cigarette Rules

    By Megan Burks The city of San Diego’s Public Safety Committee is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a new tobacco ordinance. It would lift a 1,000-foot buffer zone around schools, playgrounds and other youth-oriented facilities that prohibits retailers from selling tobacco products. It would also strike advertising regulations within the buffer zone and a requirement…

  • School Discipline Changes Yield Big Drop in Expulsions

    By Megan Burks Expulsions at San Diego Unified schools are down nearly 60 percent. This time last year, school administrators had heard nearly 400 expulsion cases and handed down 134 of them. Students are recommended for expulsions and get a hearing before it’s made final. As of May 29, administrators had considered 178 expulsions and…

  • Residents Want Teralta Park Maintenance, Community Relations Officers in Budget

    By Tarryn Mento Dozens of San Diegans called on the City Council to increase funding for parks and recreation, public safety and the arts in Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s proposed $3.2 billion spending plan. For nearly 2½ hours Monday evening, community members shared their thoughts on Faulconer’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The council members…

  • A Few Bad Apples or A Prejudiced System?

    By Brian Myers Last weekend in City Heights marked two radically different responses to law enforcement in diverse and lower income communities. San Diego Police Department Community Liaison Officer David Felkins greeted residents and community groups Saturday morning outside the City Heights Community Development Corporation office on El Cajon Boulevard. They participated in an hour…

  • Emerald Orders Independent Review of SDPD Racial Profiling Data

    By Megan Burks San Diego Councilwoman Marti Emerald has ordered an independent review of police data on racial profiling. Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman presented to the City Council’s public safety committee Wednesday an update on racial data from traffic stops. Like the last round of numbers, it was inconclusive on whether there’s a practice in…