SAN DIEGO- Costs for security
are excessive at the county's year-old Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego
and should be reviewed by an independent security expert, the county grand jury
reported Wednesday.
Security at the park outside
the County Administration Center cost $2.3 million in the year since it opened
in May 2014, the grand jury said. A team of a dozen sheriff's deputies is
needed to ensure that at least two uniformed officers are on patrol round-the-clock,
according to the panel.
The grand jury said more
security staff is brought on during operating hours. Additional security
personnel work inside the county building.
"In a review of the
incident logs and research of other parks, the grand jury found that incidents
at the park appeared to be no different from those recorded elsewhere in the
county and at parks in other parts of the country with less security," the
report said. "None of the parks investigated nor any of the other county
parks had sworn officers assigned full time."
The grand jury said that those
charged with managing the Waterfront Park were asked to create a security
program that would allow families to visit the park with assurances as to their
safety.
However, there was no evidence
that county officials investigated the level of security used at other cities
with similar public facilities when developing the security plan for the
Waterfront Park, the panel found.
The grand jury said it heard
from a senior county official who said the costs would be reviewed in time for
the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, but was told by a second
county official that such a review wouldn't take place until fall.
County officials did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Board of Supervisors has
until Aug. 11 to provide a response to the grand jury.
May
13, 2015
San
Diego Channel 6
By City News Service
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