TORRANCE TRIBUNE October 13, 2016 Page 7 TerriAnn in Torrance The Newly Formed Torrance Police Foundation Story and Photo by TerriAnn Ferren On Tuesday, Sept. 27, Mayor Patrick Furey and the Torrance City Council, composed of Council Member Tim Goodrich, Council Member School Board from front page alternative rate scenarios (Scenario 1 and Scenario 2) and the restructuring of the current wastewater rate structure to conform to cost service requirements required by Proposition 218,” states the staff report. Through the series of rate increases it is expected that the operating deficit will be eliminated while giving the city the ability to fund capital improvement necessities and provide the appropriate levels of financial reserves. “Even with the proposed rate adjustments, Torrance Municipal Wastewater rates would remain the lowest or among the lowest compared to neighboring agencies. The first step in this process is to provide public notification and set a Public Hearing on the rate matter, in accordance to Proposition 218 requirements,” concludes the staff report. • Mike Griffiths, Council Member Milton Herring, Council Member Geoff Rizzo, and Council Member Kurt Weideman, (Council Member Heidi Ann Ashcraft was absent) approved and accepted the Inaugural Torrance Police Foundation’s first Grant Award to appropriate allocated grant monies ($26,390.74) for 18 Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to the police department. Keeping in mind that we have an aging community, and the police department is always on patrol throughout the city, the Torrance Police Foundation Board committed to purchasing the AED’s for the 18 newly acquired police vehicles this year. Next year, there will be another batch of 14 new vehicles purchased by the city, and the board will fund those AED’s as well. So our complete fleet will all carry AED’s. Amazing! If you are wondering how the Torrance Police Foundation was formed and came to be, you are not the only one. Upon hearing about the newly formed foundation, I decided to speak with the Torrance Chief of Police, Mark Matsuda. Chief Matsuda graciously took time from his busy Monday afternoon schedule and explained what the foundation is, how it was formed, and why. He continued, “This idea came from former council member Jack Messerlian. He approached me on this - I had been thinking about it, but it was very early in my tenure as police chief and he brought it up to me and I was for it. I knew the city of Gardena had a police foundation that had been successful for six, maybe seven years… so I knew it was possible.” Chief Matsuda then told me he reached out to Florence Chung, as she was largely responsible for establishing the Gardena Police Foundation about eight years ago, and has recently formed the Hetty Group, which has been instrumental in setting up other police foundations locally, and has been involved with crime stoppers with LAPD. Florence has worked in New York and has a good grasp of what a police foundation should be, and how it should work. Her help and guidance has proved invaluable organizing the Torrance Police Foundation. Why do we need a Torrance Police Foundation in the City of Torrance? Chief Matsuda said, “That is a good question because our police department is generally very well funded, and most people see that. [93 percent toward salaries, only 7 percent for training, etc.] Public safety is a costly item, but most of that goes toward salaries – that is just a reality…so you have equipment, training, materials and supplies, and other needs that during times of a budget crunch, like we just went through [aren’t purchased] and now we are coming out of it and the city is able to fund things much more. But if we go back – we were in a cut mode and we couldn’t purchase large ticket items...” The chief went on to say that he hopes, “To help this department become not just sustainable during normal times - and as the funds of the foundation grow, so in the event of slim budgets in the future, it will balance out. What we are finding out also it is a great way to integrate with the business community.” Remember, the foundation is completely separate from the City of Torrance per se. It is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, which means it is not for profit and all the funds will be used for ‘extras’ for lack of a better word. I also asked how many people will be employed to run the foundation and found out there is only one part-time individual, an ‘Executive Director’ – completely paid for by the volunteer board. Right now, that person is Florence Chung who is in charge of updating the website, keeping the citizens of Torrance informed, spearheading fundraisers, running board meetings, facilitating grant submissions, and setting up the meetings of the volunteer Board of Directors which include; Former Mayor Frank Scotto, former Council Member Jack Messerlian, Jack Whitcombe, Esq., Greenberg, Whitcombe, Takeuchi, Gibson & Grayver, LLP, Stephan Morikawa, VP, Corporate Relations & Social Responsibility, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Thomas Buescher, VP Bank of the West, David Buxton, Tormed Medical Buildings, Jeff Kuida, VP, L.A. Prep, Inc., Tammie Kanda, Corporate Contributions & Community Relations, Toyota Motor Sales, Inc., Rita Neimeyer, General Manager, Audi Pacific, Greg Nakahira, Picerne Group, Ralph Moore, VP, Hunt Enterprises, Robert Van Lingen, Van Lingen Towing, Patrick Santy, SVP, Group Account Director, George P. Johnson, and Chief Mark Matsuda, Chief of Police, Torrance Police Department, Ex-Officio Board Member (non-voting member). I believe the Torrance Chamber of Commerce, under their president and CEO, Donna Duperron, is the best chamber in the South Bay, if not the state, or the entire country and has been fully supportive of the newly formed foundation. And although the foundation has business supporters, large and small, it also has individuals and groups who have already come forward offering donations toward their goals. But Torrance has a history of community support. “Our K-9’s have been funded through fundraising by Maureen and Judy Gibson for 18 years. So whenever we needed a new canine - there is the cost for the purchase of the dog, which is about $10 thousand - then there is the cost for training - which is about $15 thousand - so it is about $25 thousand for a new dog…Maureen and Judy would raise funds to help us and we greatly appreciate their efforts,” said Chief Matsuda. Wow, I never knew that. There are a number of issues our police department are responsible for today that weren’t large issues a decade ago, such as; homelessness, mental health issues, and coyotes. The responsibilities of a police officer have grown and along with these challenges come the need for additional training, which costs money. Our police officers are well trained and educated in dealing with these issues. The foundation set up 5 target areas where they will focus; Advanced Equipment and Technology, Training and Education, Youth Programs, Community Relations and Outreach, and Crime Prevention. In addition to equipping the police vehicles with AED’s, the foundation’s next project reaches out to grade school students in a program being launched in 2 elementary campuses in November called, Team Kids. “A lot of the programs hit kids at the high school level. We also have a program for kids in the 8th grade, but this one will bring it down to the 4th and 5th grade level…PD goes in and forms a leadership team during school hours. It’s basically during lunch hour, or assembly time - they select a leadership team, and they meet each week along with police. The goal is to select a group to fundraise for. They pick their charity and at the end of the year have a festival – all kid run. Teachers don’t get involved. They have a formula for getting that done and then all the funds go to that charity. It is a way to engage the students,” explained Chief Matsuda. Torrance Police Chief, Mark Matsuda. “One of my initial goals was to help prepare the next guy to become police chief because of the sudden way I was thrust into the position. It was at the forefront of my mind to set somebody up, but in reality you don’t know when that date is…it made me realize I can’t let this department down. My goal is not to train one guy, but to expose a number of my top staff to training that exposes them to different types of policing, etc. Let me tell you the West Coast is out by far ahead of how we do things. But there are good ideas coming from other places as well, and I like to expose my people to that,” said Chief Matsuda. The chief went on to explain that training costs money, and this is another area the foundation will assist. The foundation’s first fundraiser, ‘Honda Evening at the Napa Rose’ takes place Saturday, Oct.15, at 6 p.m. at Disney’s Napa Rose, inside Disney’s Californian® Hotel and Spa. Check out the details on the website www. torrancepolicefoundation.org. So the newly formed Torrance Police Foundation invites you to participate in our community by donating to the foundation – which is completely tax deductible, as it is a 501(c) 3 non profit. Debbie Hays and Janet Payne, representing the Old Torrance Neighborhood Association donated $250, and challenged all homeowner’s groups to donate as well. All donations are accepted via the website www. torrancepolicefoundation.org. Frankly, I was skeptical about a foundation for a police department, but after spending time with Chief Mark Matsuda, I am convinced we are again blessed in the City of Torrance. There are many businesses and citizens committed to keeping the Torrance Police Department the very best force anywhere. Not only will they be the best equipped, and best trained, but also our officers will be the most engaged officers anywhere. • “There are a number of issues our police department are responsible for today that weren’t large issues a decade ago, such as; homelessness, mental health issues, and coyotes.” 218 Public Hearing Public Notice.” The staff report signed and presented by Public Works Director Robert J. Beste highlights that the city provides wastewater collection and distribution [sewage] service for an estimated 35,000 customer accounts, covering 287 miles of pipeline, along with nine sewer pump lift stations. Torrance set its wastewater rates in 1991, and there has not been an increase to those rates since 2012. However, without an adjustment to the wastewater rates, the operating deficit will rise to $1.5 million by the end of the 2016-2017 fiscal year. “A comprehensive Wastewater Rate Study was completed for the City by Raftelis Financial Consultants (RFC), which recommended a series of annual rate adjustments over the five year period of 2017 through 2021, two
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