Task Force Proposed to Study 311 Plan

A proposal to create a nonemergency police phone number to complement 911 took a small step forward Monday as the City Council’s Public Safety Committee advocated the formation of a task force to study the idea.

Funding for the task force has not been set, however, and it will not meet until reports on the 311 plan from participating city departments have been received by the committee. The panel’s chairwoman, City Councilwoman Laura Chick, who represents the West Valley, ordered that to happen by May 12, when the next committee meeting is held.

The proposal for the 311 number, first suggested by the LAPD, has been championed by Councilman Mike Feuer. The councilman, who represents the southeast Valley, cites a trial 311 program in Baltimore that resulted in a 20% overall decline in calls, both emergency and nonemergency.

On Monday, committee members discussed the formation of a task force with LAPD Cmdr. Carlo Cudio, who oversees the 911 system. The task force would be made up of city officials who would examine issues including staffing, budget and how to educate the public about the new number.

Mayor Richard Riordan’s proposed budget, announced Friday, includes $217,000 in funding for the first year of the program. Feuer, in consultation with the LAPD, estimated the first-year start-up cost at $294,000.

Riordan spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez acknowledged the budgetary mismatch but said the mayor is optimistic it won’t prove a stumbling block. Cudio said the discrepancy would be discussed by the task force. He called the committee’s action Monday “another step in the bureaucratic process.”

As the 311 proposal goes through city channels, Chick urged police to make it a priority to inform the public about the importance of not burdening 911 lines with nonemergency calls. The city system handles more than 5 million calls a year, close to 85% of which are not emergencies.

“It grieves me to think that we’re waiting when we have a problem now,” Chick said.