Animal control officers are apparently taking an average of 22 minutes to respond to Priority One calls in Seal Beach. However, the data might be skewed by a computer error.
“It is important to note that we impose a goal of 20 minutes or less for our Priority One Calls (including categories 1, 2 and 3,),” according to John Keisler, business manager for Long Beach Animal Care Services.
Keisler provided the Sun with the response time information based on responses to 347 calls for service between Oct. 2, 1010 and Jan. 21, 2011.
“However, there are a few calls particularly in Category 3 that have been opened for over 10 years that we need to identify and clean-up … probably the result of the transfer of data from our old mainframe system last year,” Keisler said.
The Long Beach agency has had a contract to provide animal control services to Seal Beach since 2004. The contract was renewed last year.
Defining terms
The term “Priority One” covers three categories of calls: a situation where the health or safety of a human being is at risk; a situation where the health or safety of an animal is at risk or a call that has been bumped up to Priority One status by an ACS supervisor.
“These calls usually have police, fire or other safety personnel already on scene due to those agencies having been dispatched first (through 911) and having more resources in the field,” Keisler said in an e-mail to the Sun.
A category one call would include assisting police or fire personnel or dealing with a coyote stalking call. A category two call might involve a suspected coyote attack, a coyote attack on a pet,a follow up on an animal cruelty call or an animal cruelty investigation.
“Of particular importance are protecting people and animals. Overall, the good news is that for these two categories, the average response time is 22 minutes (just off our goal); but we are still unhappy until we can arrive within our goal 100 percent of the time,” Keisler said.
According to Keisler, Long Beach animal control officers responded within 20 minutes to a category one call 57.14 percent of the time during the October to January period. Animal control officers responded within 20 minutes to 46.88 percent of the time.
“Additionally, there are some calls for service (such as patrols or investigations) that may take a long time depending on complexity (see category 5, where the average response time is 13 days),” Keisler said.
He said some calls may involve on-going property checks, barking patrols of parks, etc.
He said any one of the 347 calls in the survey could be bumped up or down in terms of priority depending on how long the calls have been in the system or new information that emerges.
“Having said that, sometimes a call for services originally entered in as a Priority One because of the information provided over the phone can also be downgraded once we arrive on scene and we find that it wasn’t exactly as described,” Keisler said.
Improving service
In a previous interview, Keisler said that, to improve service to residents of Long Beach and other contract cities such as Seal Beach, Animal Care Services has introduced a new information management system called “Chameleon” that tracks calls and response times by service and geographic area.
He said animal control vehicles have been equipped with wireless “Toughbook” laptops to improve data collection.
He said ACS had added license inspectors and “non-career” officers had been added to investigations, allowing animal control officers to focus on priority calls.
About coyotes
With coyotes in the news and on the prowl in the Sun Region, this raises a question: Would a coyote sighting be a Priority One call? Would a coyote in the back yard be a Priority One call?
“Coyote activity at night in this area is very normal,” Keisler said. “The Department of Fish & Game becomes more concerned when they see coyotes come out during the daytime, approach people, or show no fear of human interaction.”
“If we can make contact with the animal or even capture it, we will try to remove it from the street as a matter of pubic safety,” he said.
However, he said it is common for coyotes to hunt small animals at night. He reminded residents to remove food, water and potential shelter.
The Seal Beach Police Department received three reports of coyote activity between Jan. 10 and Jan. 16. All three calls were referred to Long Beach ACS.
A look at OC animal control
According to Orange County Animal Care Chief Kris Watson, the county responded to Priority One calls within 26 minutes, 34 seconds as of November 2010.
OC Animal Care serves 18 cities and all unincorporated county “islands,” including Rossmoor.
Watson said the Orange County agency defines a Priority One call as a human or an animal in danger.
She said the county agency does not break down the calls into subcategories as Long Beach does.
Watson said Orange County animal control officers go out on patrol.
In November, Keisler told the Sun that Long Beach Animal Care Services isn’t funded to have officers go out on patrol the way police officers perform patrols.
Instead, there are four trucks that wait to respond to calls for service in Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Cerritos, Long Beach and Signal Hill.
To make a comment on this story at the Sun Newspapers’ Web site, go to Sunnews.org.
Crime Log Assembled by Charles M. Kelly
The crimes listed in the Sun Newspapers were reported to Seal Beach Police Department, Los Alamitos Police Department and Orange County Sheriff Department between Jan. 10, and Jan. 22, 2011.
Only street names are used; times given are reported times, not incident times.
Crime Log entries are based on preliminary information. Space limitations make it impossible to publish every incident. Until proven guilty in a court of law, all suspects are considered innocent.
IN SEAL BEACH
Monday, January 10
Burglary Report—5:04 p.m.—Mayfield Road—Loss: medication and a phone. The crime apparently occurred while the resident was home over the weekend. Report taken.
Tuesday, January 11
Coyotes—9:38 a.m.—College Park Drive—The animal was seen just south of the dirt mounds in the area. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Services.
Wednesday, January 12
Grand Theft Report—1:41 p.m.—Electric Avenue—Two bikes valued at $600 were taken from in front of the complex.
Extra Patrol Checks Requested—1:42 p.m.—Landing Avenue and 12th Street—The caller said that during the morning hours a vehicle was traveling at high speed on 12th Street and ran several stop signs while children were present for preschool. The caller requested extra patrol checks in the area during the morning hours.
Injured Animal—10:45 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street—The caller reported a bird in the street on Pacific Coast Highway. The bird appeared to be injured. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Service.
Thursday, January 13
Welfare Check—5:33 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said a 4-year-old child was alone in a vehicle with the windows rolled up. Police unit 116 determined that the parents were present and no further police services were necessary.
Friday, January 14
Suspicious Occupied Vehicle—5:53 a.m.—College Park Drive—The caller said an occupied vehicle was parked in the bushes by the old basketball court on the southeast side of College Park Drive.
Police unit 116 found a construction worker at the location and determined no further police service was necessary.
Petty Theft Report—8:49 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—Someone drilled a hole into a water machine and stole $380. The crime may have occurred overnight.
Vehicle Burglary—8:53 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller reported that someone had broken into a customer’s vehicle. Point of entry: smashed driver’s side window.
Loss: boxes with tools. Report taken.
Saturday, January 15
Coyotes—10:40 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—An unspecified number of coyotes were seen in a business parking lot. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Services.
Sunday, January 16
Coyote—5:50 a.m.—Ocean Avenue—A coyote reportedly walked through the parking lot, then headed westbound along the homes off the beach. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Services.
Vandalism Report—7:40 a.m.—Daisy Street—The caller’s residence was egged overnight.
IN LEISURE WORLD
Monday, January 10
Burglary Report—5:25 p.m.—Oakmont Road, Mutual Unknown—Leisure World Security called on behalf of the victim. Loss: Vicodin and blood pressure medications. Report taken.
Thursday, January 13
Keep the Peace—11:22 a.m.—St. Andrews Drive, Mutual Unknown—Police were out with Leisure World Security on a Keep the Peace call. Security wanted a man to leave. The man was reportedly a parolee. He had been advised about trespassing when he was last contacted.
Police were unable to locate him.
Burglary Report—2:10 p.m.—Fairfield Lane, Mutual Unknown—Papers were taken from a bedroom in the residence. It was not known when the crime occurred. The log did not say if the crime occurred on North Fairfield Lane or South Fairfield Lane. Report taken.
Friday, January 14
Burglary—7:33 p.m.—Golden Rain Road, Mutual Unknown—Leisure World Security advised police that someone had attempted to burglarize a residence. The individual reportedly banged at the front door and tried to get in. At 8:30 p.m., Leisure World Security reported that 45 minutes earlier an individual had been seen peeking into windows. Report taken.
Saturday, January 15
Follow Up Investigation—7:22 p.m.—Homewood Road, Mutual 5—Police followed up on an unauthorized entry that occurred around Christmas and went unreported.
There was no loss. Police obtained information about a suspect.
IN LOS ALAMITOS
Friday, January 14
Burglary—8:37 p.m.—Katella Avenue—Loss: a Dell Latitude laptop computer, valued at $3,300.
Saturday, January 15
Found Property—9:52 A.m.—Corporate Center Drive—A purse was found discarded on the grass in the east parking lot of the location with checkbooks and debit card inside.
Sunday, January 16
Vehicle Burglary—9:55 a.m.—Farquhar Avenue—A passenger window was smashed. Loss: a laptop and CDs.
Monday, January 17
Family Disturbance—12:27 p.m.—Howard Avenue—A man and a woman were in a verbal argument. They were counseled.
IN ROSSMOOR
Monday, January 17
Disturbance, Music or Party—12:40 a.m.—Montecito Road—A party was reported in the complex. A deputy made contact and advised the celebrants to keep it down.
Disturbance, Music or Party—2:20 a.m.—Montecito Road—Second response to the same party. The party was shut down.
Identity Theft—9:21 a.m.—Weatherby Road—Report taken.
Petty Theft Report—3:43 p.m.—Gertrude Drive—No report desired.
Wednesday, January 19
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—8:36 a.m.—Copa D’ Oro Drive—Two individuals wwere detained. The deputy determined they were pool cleaners.
Keep the Peace—12:14 p.m.—Shakespeare Drive—This turned out to be a child custody dispute at the school. It was a civil matter and no report was needed.
Thursday, January 20
Disturbance, Mechanical—6 p.m.—Foster Road and Silverwood Drive—A teen was reportedly riding a dirt bike on school property.
Friday, January 21
Grand Theft Report—12:52 p.m.—St. Albans Drive—Report taken for a burglary. No further informaiton was available.
Saturday, January 22
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—9:12 a.m.—Bradbury Road and Old Mill Road—The Vehicle was not occupied when the deputy arrived. The vehicle was towed and stored for a violation of the California Vehicle Code.
IN SUNSET BEACH
Tuesday, January 18
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—6:01 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and 5th Street.
Wednesday, January 19
Citizen Assist—9:13 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway.
Friday, January 21
Assist Outside Agency—9:49 a.m.—S. Pacific Avenue and 26th Street.
Saturday, January 22
Disturbance, Music or Party—1:56 a.m.—14th Street.
Shelley Henderson of the News-Enterprise contributed to this article.
