Grand Canyon Times

Updates were proposed to the City of Scottsdale's Public Safety Plan (PSP) during a Sept. 20 City Council Meeting, but they were pulled off of the agenda at the “request of staff.”

The City of Scottsdale first implemented a PSP in 2013 following a a brutal attack and murder of a security officer at Martini Ranch. The original PSP was adopted with extensive input from Arizona State Restaurant Association, the Arizona Licensed Beverage Association and the Downtown Entertainment District Association. The overall purpose of the Public Safety Plan ordinance was to improve safety standards for patrons and businesses engaged in the restaurant and hospitality industry operating in Scottsdale entertainment district. According to the City Council report on the proposed amendments, the original PSP has “generally been effective” but several “potential improvements” have been identified.

One key change in the proposed public safety plan was a broadening of the definition of “control” to include smaller stake owners in a business subject to the PSP. Additionally, the definition of “significant bodily injury” was expanded to include “temporary substantial loss or impairment” of any body part.

The proposed amendments were placed on the Sept. 20 Scottsdale City Council agenda, but according to minutes from the meeting, the item was removed at the “request of staff.”

According to hyper-local statistics website Neighborhood Scout, prevalence of violent crime in Scottsdale is less than half that of the state of Arizona as a whole and well below the national median.

Grand Canyon Times reached out to Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega's office and Chief of Police Jim Walther for information regarding these proposed updates to the PSP, but did not receive a response.