The Morning Report
Get the news and information you need to take on the day.
This week on the VOSD Podcast, host Scott Lewis is Andy-less. But this episode’s co-hosts — associate editor Jesse Marx and senior investigative reporter Lisa Halverstadt — have us covered with some hard-hitting cop talk.
Halverstadt had the story this week about slow San Diego Police response times. Robberies, active domestic violence incidents and assaults are among the calls that saw marked increases last year compared to 2018. But the police budget keeps going up. So what gives?
On the pod, Lewis, Marx and Halverstadt review the types of incidents in question, discuss lived experiences by San Diego residents distressed by slow law enforcement and review what police leadership say are hampering SDPD’s speed.
New Inspo from Inspiration Point
San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn represents downtown, Balboa Park and central city neighborhoods. He hears about the homelessness crisis a lot from constituents and, as Halverstadt learned, he may have found potential in Balboa Park’s Inspiration Point.
Whitburn is currently pitching plans to offer large tent shelter and camping options — and pave the way for stricter enforcement on city streets.
With Inspiration Point as a potential home base, Whitburn aims to drive folks there with a proposed ordinance to ban camping on public property. This would be an iteration on current ordinances police often use to curb street camping. Whitburn also says he’s looking at banning camping in certain areas, such as canyons. The proposal is not finalized but Halverstadt says it’s one to watch.
About those Hep A cases: County officials have tracked five new Hepatitis A cases while qualifying it a “small” uptick. One unhoused person has died. It’s unclear whether they’re concentrated in a specific area.
This is a big deal because Hep A devastated the unhoused community during a 2017 outbreak which sickened nearly 600 and left 20 dead.
Listen Now
Listen: Apple | Spotify | Google
You would be slow too, son if you had the weight of 500,000 criminal citizens on your back! Look at how you drive and maybe the bulls will arrest you next as a mad deranged motorist!