Redding Police Chief Rob Paoletti uses news reports to point out the NPU’s success. Photo by Jon Lewis.
Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti presented a nifty slide show Tuesday night that showed how effective his department’s new Neighborhood Police Unit has been since its inception in January.
He could have saved himself the trouble and just taken the Redding City Council over to the Redding Inn and let its members watch as NPU officers wrapped up a drug bust that featured 13 arrests and the confiscation of “a bunch” of heroin and needles.
Tuesday’s sweep at the crime-infested hotel on Pine Street brought the NPU’s arrest total up to 249 since the proactive six-officer team was formed at the start of the year. In that 31/2-month period, NPU officers have issued 139 citations and seized 154 grams of methamphetamine, 19.9 pounds of marijuana, 7.6 grams of heroin, four grams of cocaine and 12 ounces of steroids.
Not counting the latest Redding Inn busts, the NPU arrested 94 people on felony charges and 142 on misdemeanors. Some 44 of those arrested had drugs in their possession; 11 had illegal weapons; and two had guns. Those figures are independent of what the rest of the police force accomplished during that stretch, the chief said.
The NPU, which focuses on the downtown area and the hotels and other businesses on Hilltop
Drive that have been plagued by drug-related crime, is an effort by Redding police to use its existing resources to target some of the city’s most pressing high-crime areas.
Redding City Council members and city staff listen to Paoletti’s report. Photo by Jon Lewis.
Councilman Gary Cadd asked Paoletti to thank the NPU officers on behalf of the council and the community. “This is a good start,” Cadd said. Councilman Brent Weaver praised the NPU for achieving short-term solutions despite limited resources.
In a related move Tuesday, the council voted 5-0 to grant a pair of 3-percent raises to the 77 full-time sworn officers in the Redding Peace Officers Association. The first raise is effective in June and the second one kicks in on Jan. 1, 2017. Terms of the two-year contract require officers to contribute more to their retirement accounts.
In other action Tuesday, the council:
Kent Manuel returns
–Voted 5-0 to rehire Kent Manuel, who retired last week as Redding’s planning manager. Manuel will work a maximum of 960 hours through the end of the 2016-17 fiscal year, specifically to work on the potential expansion and relocation of Costco and updating the Parks, Trails and Open Space Master Plan.
Personnel Director Sheri Demaagd said Manuel began his career with the Planning Department 31 years ago, and she urged the council to OK his rehiring so the city could benefit from his experience and expertise on the Costco and master plan projects.
Kids Kingdom project
–Heard a report from Kim Niemer, Redding’s community services director, about a new project to rebuild the well-used, 22-year-old Kids Kingdom playground in Enterprise Community Park. The new playground, dubbed Kids Kingdom 2, will be an inclusive play area accessible to children of all ages and abilities.
A new perimeter fence will enclose a train, zip lines and all new playground equipment. The $310,000 project will be community funded. For more information and to donate, visit www.reddingrecreation.org.
Americana Lodge
–Heard a report from City Attorney Barry DeWalt on the city’s ongoing efforts to force the owner of the Americana Lodge to clear up a multitude of health and safety violations. In the latest development, DeWalt said a court-appointed receiver has taken control of the Americana and has started the long and arduous process of restoring it to livable standards.
DeWalt termed the city’s legal effort a success since the receiver has the authority to obtain the funds necessary to provide the property’s dwindling number of residential tenants safe living conditions.
DeWalt displayed some pictures from a 2015 inspection that showed grotesque levels of mold, structural damage and bedbug infestations. “I have strong feelings of disgust when I think of this landlord,” Councilman Weaver said.
