The Safest Big City in the US

We were honored to welcome SDPD’s Central Division Police Lieutenant to speak at our SOLD OUT June Luncheon at Seasons 52 in SeaPort Village.  Education, engagement and networking through monthly luncheons are the foundation for us to learn, build and grow our community.  We strive to bring speakers and content of value, as well as provide an atmosphere for our members to socialize.   FOD believes that members are the lifeblood of our organization and that together we can make an impact city.

This month, the San Diego Police Department sent one of their best.  Lt. Kevin Wadham’s has been serving for nearly 2 decades.  He has 8 sergeants, 70 officers and 6 patrol squads in teams of 8 reporting to him.   Our guest speaker gave us an update on the new legislation designed to keep our streets safer with the influx of scooters, as well as some new initiatives regarding caring for the homeless population in downtown San Diego and what residents can expect this year at Comic Con.

First and foremost, he confirmed a long-held belief that San Diego is the Safest Big City in the US compared to others in similar size!  He shared this information with us straight from his counterparts at the FBI!   His team works around the clock to keep us safe and he has deployed a specific enforcement team just for Gaslamp.  You may have seen them riding on their bikes over the weekends.  They are available and ready to help provide support for the special needs that the highly traffic pedestrian area needs.  

With Comic Con gearing up to celebrate it’s 50thAnniversary, our SDPD is working side by side with event planners to make this the best year yet.  Each year, thousands flock to the San Diego Convention Center, spilling out into the streets surrounding the main venue.  This year, to maintain safe crowd levels, only special pass holders will be allowed onto the main concourse.  Residents are still encouraged to come down to partake in the festivities, but be advised that ride share apps are encouraged as parking will be limited and many streets will be closed to vehicle traffic.  Harbor Drive will be closed much of the weekend.

Now, for the real reason it seems everyone came to the luncheon…to complain about SCOOTERS!  These little gizmos have taken on a life of their own and are encouraging creativity from lawmakers who want to encourage new markets, while also adhering to safety codes.  Our members concerns were around the way that scooters are littered about the streets of downtown. This has unintended consequences for members in the community who are vision impaired or who are in wheelchairs.  Additionally, many have voiced concerns for resident safety as the new scooter docking stations take the place of many no parking zones designed specifically for first responders.  We promise to keep our eyes on this very important issue and to keep our members well informed.