HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - September 7, 1994 (42)lr
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CITY OF LODI
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
AGENDA TITLE: Request by the East Side Improvement Committee to initiate a Carrier Alert
Program in Conjunction with the Post Office
MEETING DATE: September 7. 1994
PREPARED BY: City Clerk
ACTION: Discussion and appropriate action.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
FUNDING:
JMP
Attachment
None required.
The City Clerk's office received a request from the East Side
Improvement Committee to be placed on the agenda of
September 7, 1994 to ask for Council concurrence in initiating a
Carrier Alert Program in conjunction with the Post Office. Please
see letter from East Side Improvement Committee attached.
Virginia Snyder will be present to present the matter on behalf of
the committee.
�ifer M. errin
City Clerk
APPSOVED -
THOMAS A PETERSON •ervr•ec rar.,
City Mnnnger
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EASTSIDE IMPROVEt r j4�%bWITTEE
P.O. Box 2444
Lodi. Ca. 95241
(209) 368-88/8
September 7, 1994
TO: Lodi City Council
FROM: Virginia Snyder
RE: Carrier Alert Program
The Eastside Improvement Committee respectfully requests council consent for our group
to explore the possibilities for implementing a Carrier Alert Program in Lodi.
Many of our neighborhoods are sometimes deserted during the day when residents are
away at work. Since these postal employees often know our streets better than those who
live there, they are in a good position to spot unusual activity_
If council consents, this program provides cellular telephones to be carried by mail carriers
as they walk through our neighborhoods delivering mail. Without exposing themselves to
risk, carriers can unobtrusively call the police if they spot suspicious activity.
Postmaster Boyd Lambertsen has discussed the idea with postal employees, and he
suggests a pilot program beginning with three mail carriers who are enthusiastic about the
idea.
Police Chief Larry Hansen would like a six-month trial period to see how this would work-
out.
orkout. Captain Jerry Adams would set tip a program to train postal employees on how to
spot possible criminal activities and note information that would be helpful to the police.
The cost is an important factor For this trial period, we would solicit donations of
cellular phones from citizens and service clubs, and would also solicit funds to cover the
monthly charges by the telephone company
After the six-month trial period, we would evaluate the program If the postmaster, police
chief, and city council deem it one more useful tool in the fight against crime, we wi ld
explore the possibility of obtaining grants for the expansion of the program We do need
a track record, though, before applying for both private and federal grants
Since there are probably more postal mail carriers than there are police officers, putting all
those extra eyes and ears on our streets could be a real benefit If the program is
successful, ue will forward the idea on to the state attorney general and the federal
attorney general for possible broader use We respectfully request your consent for us to
explore the possibilities for implementing this trial plan