San Diego Police Department Chief Shelley Zimmerman answers questions at San Diego Security Show 2017
What topics concern you these days?
“All issues of cyber security … Where are the boundaries now with cyber security when you talk about crime? So everyone has to not just physically secure your person, your residence, your business, but you also have to secure in the cyber world. … There are no boundaries.”
How do you keep large public events safe?
“It’s using technology to assist us, and then old-fashioned police work. You have to use every possible legal tool that you can.”
Does the SDPD use undercover cops at public events?
“As we like to say: we had additional resources that you would see and additional resources that you did not see, which would include cameras, it would include our undercover officers.”
Does the SDPD use drones?
“Some departments are looking at drones. We are not. We do not have any drones.”
What about the danger from drones?
“That’s something that’s definitely out there. … If people want to use that for nefarious entities, that’s something we do think about.”
What’s new and different in 2017?
“I wouldn’t say new and different. It’s continue to do what we continue to do. … Crime was down last year as compared to the year before. … The criminal element that is out there that wish to do people harm, their expense account is wide open. They don’t have a budget they have to deal with. So, we have to make sure we use the technology we have, our resources and, again, as a force multiplier, every single one of our public.”
Does the SDPD get much federal funding?
“We do get several grants that we receive from the federal government that assist us with our technology and other tools that help deter crime.”
Has anything changed now with Donald Trump in office?
“I’ll tell you right now, we are not a sanctuary city. So, if someone is arrested they are taken to a jail where their immigration status is checked. I think we should be a model here in San Diego for our cooperation, our collaboration with our state, local and federal law enforcements partners. It’s all of us working together sharing information to make sure we keep our entire region safe. … We are one of the safest big cities in the entire United States and that is not by luck.”
