(July 3, 2009) -- The City of Long Beach is refusing to release documents under CA's Public Records Act showing how many police officers LB City Hall actually provides for taxpayers -- a number which which may be lower than City Hall's publicly released budgeted officer level -- claiming that the information "presents serious homeland security considerations."
In a letter dated June 30, Deputy City Attorney Randall Fudge tells Belmont Shore Residents Association President Mike Ruehle:
"As staffing varies from day to day, it is impossible to give a single number in response to this request and would require the disclosure of the daily staffing and deployment of Long Beach Police Department ("LBPD") resources." Mr. Fudge's letter continues:
Information demonstrating the staffing and deployment of LBPD resources on any given day presents serious homeland security considertaions. Indeed, such information may be used to assess LBPD's "vulnerabilities to terrorist attack or other criminal acts to disrupt...[LBPD's] operations." See Cal. Gov. Code § 6254(aa). Accordingly, the actual day-to-day staffing records are exempt from public disclosure pursuant to Cal. Gov. Code § 6255 (disclosure exempt where "the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest by disclosure of the record.")
BSRA President Ruehle's request came in the wake of conduct (from public urination to altercations, some documented on YouTube.com) impacting neighborhoods adjoining 2nd St. in Belmont Shore...with some residents citing a lack of police officers as part of the problem.
On May 19, Mr. Ruehle told the City Council that unless the current situation was changed, he [paraphrase] feared worse things might happen. On May 28, an officer-involved shooting occurred shortly after midnight when an individual on 2nd St. allegedly grabbed an officer's baton and refused directions to desist.
Mr. Ruehle's May 19 Public Records Act request sought 2005-2008 statistics showing actual (not budgeted) citywide LBPD staffing, sworn officers, civilian staff and patrol officers assigned to LB's north, south, east and west divisions. Mr. Ruehle also requested citywide dispatched calls for service in the north, south, east and west divisions.
The City Attorney office's stance could presumably be modified if a majority of the City Council votes to release the police officer staffing information.
Developing.
