Calaveras County Grand Jury
2025-2026
From the annual report
The consolidated year-end volume. The individual investigations it contains are listed separately below.
📑 Year-End Report
The full consolidated volume; individual reports are listed below.
Individual reports (4)
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Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District lacks or is deficient in the following Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-required programs and/or required documentation thereof: Respiratory Protection Program, Exposure Control Plan, Heat Illness Protection Program, and Injury and Illness Prevention Program. This has resulted in significant health and safety risks for its firefighters, and poses a potential legal and financial liability to the District.
F2:
Staff grievances presented to Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District management and Board of Directors resulted in instances of retaliation and a general fear of retaliation among the staff.
F3:
Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District’s current Standard Operating Policies are incomplete and outdated, resulting in inconsistency, lack of clarity, and non-compliance in following fire industry standards.
F4:
Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District’s policies regarding the use of alcohol or drugs while on duty, on agency property, or conducting agency business are not consistently enforced, resulting in potential risk to firefighters and the community, as well as potential legal and financial liability to the Fire District. 11
F5:
Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors bylaws do not provide for the rotation of Board officer positions nor set limits for how many consecutive years Board members may hold officer positions, allowing for individuals to hold the same position indefinitely, which impedes the sharing of responsibility, knowledge, and accountability among all Board members.
Additional Recommendations
7
Not linked to specific findings.
R1a:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District review all OSHA-required programs for fire districts, comply with those requirements, including required documentation, and verify compliance beginning no later than November 1, 2026, and annually thereafter. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Fire Chief
R1b:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District designate by September 1, 2026, a Health and Safety Officer, who is not the Fire Chief or a Board member, to make sure proper training is completed and documented, and that health and safety protocols are being followed. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Fire Chief
R2a:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends all Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection 10 District Board members and staff attend biennial ethics and harassment prevention training beginning no later than September 30, 2026, in order to recognize protected activities such as reporting misconduct, fostering a “speak-up” culture, and protecting whistleblowers from adverse actions. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Fire Chief
R2b:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District appropriately document when biennial ethics and harassment prevention training are completed beginning no later than September 30, 2026. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Fire Chief
R3:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District implement a new Standard Operating Procedures manual that conforms to fire industry standards and a new Policies and Procedures Manual by December 1, 2026. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Fire Chief
R4:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends that all Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District firefighters, including all leadership, paid and volunteer personnel, acknowledge and document their agreement to the Fire District’s drug and alcohol zero tolerance and Stand Down policies, annually, beginning December 1, 2026. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Fire Chief
R5:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board, in the interest of fairness and transparency of leadership, update their bylaws to include the rotation of Board officer positions by September 30, 2026. Required Response Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District Board of Directors
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Findings & Recommendations
7 findings
F1:
Calaveras County Animal Services lacks any centralized, organized, and up-to-date policies and procedures to guide Animal Services Officers and shelter staff in the performance of their jobs, negatively affecting accountability among staff and leadership.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1a:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services update and organize their policies and procedures for Animal Services Officers and shelter staff to current standards and in accordance with State law by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency 7
R1b:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services distribute its updated policies and procedures to all paid Animal Services staff and obtain signed acknowledgement of receipt by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
F2:
Calaveras County Animal Services job descriptions, with the exception of Animal Care Specialist, have not been updated in the last eight years, listing duties that are no longer relevant to the job or legally allowed, resulting in inconsistent and delayed resolution to problems as they occur.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services update the job descriptions for Animal Services Manager, Animal Services Officers I and II, and Office Technician II by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
F3:
Calaveras County Animal Services management is not conducting annual performance reviews of its staff, denying staff members a crucial opportunity to receive and provide feedback on their job performance, as well as opportunities for advancement, and negatively affecting team cohesion and morale.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services management conduct performance reviews of hired staff, beginning no later than December 31, 2026, and annually thereafter. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency 8
F4:
Calaveras County Animal Services Officers are ill-equipped to fulfill their duties in the field, due to a lack of deescalation training, adequate protective gear and safety equipment, a Use of Force policy, and vehicles that are safe for Officers and the animals in their care.
Related Recommendations (3)
R4a:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services provide current Officers with deescalation and crisis training as part of their standard Officer training regimen by December 31, 2026, and as new Officers are onboarded. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
R4b:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services adopt a Use of Force policy and provide Animal Services Officers with the appropriate protective gear and safety equipment by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
R4c:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services repair the equipment on their Animal Services Officer vehicles and create a routine maintenance schedule to make sure safe, fully functioning equipment is always available, each by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
F5:
Currently Calaveras County Animal Services spends a large portion of its budget on veterinary services and transportation to animal hospitals, and the time spent in transportation greatly decreases the amount of time Animal Services Officers have to address a growing backlog of complaints from the public. 9
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether taxpayer money and Animal Services Officer time could be saved by hiring or contracting for in-house veterinary services, by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
F6:
Calaveras County Animal Services has not obtained grants for spay and neuter programs since 2022, despite such programs having proven to reduce the number of stray dogs and feral cats in the community as well as shelter intake.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services apply for new spay and neuter grants to offset the cost of these crucial services to the County by December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency
F7:
The Calaveras County Animal Services shelter remains overcapacity for dogs despite staff and volunteers’ dedicated struggle to increase adoption rates through community education and outreach to rescue organizations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Calaveras County Animal Services adopt a policy to identify and list eligible rescue organizations in order to reduce the shelter population, beginning no later than December 31, 2026. Required Response Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Invited Response Director of Calaveras County Environmental Management Agency 10
Findings & Recommendations
2 findings
F1:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury found the Calaveras County Adult Detention Facility to be well run, clean, and properly maintained, and was impressed by the dedication of its officers and staff. Inmates are treated in a safe and respectful manner with a goal of improving their life skills. Required Response None
F2:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury found Vallecito Conservation Camp #1 to be well run, clean, and properly maintained, and was impressed by the dedication of its officers and staff. The variety of programs open to inmates in addition to firefighting demonstrates a commitment to improving opportunities for employment and improved quality of life upon inmates’ release. Required Response None DISCLAIMER Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify the individuals interviewed. Penal Code §929 requires that reports of the Civil Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Civil Grand Jury. REFERENCED SOURCES California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. “About CDCR.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/about-cdcr/. 4
Findings & Recommendations
3 findings
F1:
Altaville-Melones Fire Protection District has not had an independent audit performed since fiscal year 2020-2021, resulting in a lack of accountability and transparency to the public it serves. 8
Related Recommendations (3)
R1:
9 Benson, Danny. “Proponents look to resurrect Measure A.” Calaveras Enterprise. March 9,
R1a:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Altaville-Melones Fire Protection District conduct an independent audit for fiscal year 2024-2025 by December 31, 2026. Required Response Altaville-Melones Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Calaveras County Auditor-Controller
R1b:
Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury recommends Altaville-Melones Fire Protection District conduct independent audits for three missing fiscal years, 2021-2022 through 2023-2024, by December 31, 2026. Required Response Altaville-Melones Fire Protection District Board of Directors Invited Response Calaveras County Auditor-Controller
F2:
Calaveras County’s ten fire agencies fulfilled their Measure A requirement to submit management reports, including the previous year’s expenditures and current year’s budget, to Calaveras County Fire Services Joint Powers Authority. Required Response None
F3:
Calaveras County Fire Services Joint Powers Authority fulfilled its Measure A requirement to submit an annual summary report to Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury, and local media outlets. Required Response None DISCLAIMER Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify the individuals interviewed. Penal Code §929 requires that reports of the Civil Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Civil Grand Jury. REFERENCE SOURCES Baptista, Nick, ed. “New Tax adds more firefighters.” Valley Springs News, November 28, 2025, 1. Benson, Danny. “Proponents look to resurrect Measure A.” Calaveras Enterprise. March 9, 2023. https://www.calaverasenterprise.com/articles/featured-stories/proponents-look-to- resurrect-measure-a/ Calaveras County. “Calaveras Local Fire Protection Transactions and Use Tax.” Accessed March 26, 2026. https://elections.calaverasgov.us/Portals/Elections/Documents/Measures/2024/1%20Percent%20 Sales%20Tax%20to%20Benefit%20Local%20Fire%20Agencies%20Full%20Text.pdf Hansen, B.J. “Valley Springs Fire Station Temporary Closures Could Be New Trend.” myMotherLode.com. August 3, 2023. https://mymotherlode.com/news/local/3201018/valley- springs-fire-station-temporary-closures-could-be-new-trend.html 10