Orange County Grand Jury Report: Oversight of Orange County Law Enforcement Agencies, Resolving a Dichotomy!*

1 Best practices goal: Current practices for improving county and city law enforcement agencies' (LEAs') policies and procedures may not ensure that these policies and procedures are evolving to a level of best practices. Response: Disagree with Finding 6.1. The Grand Jury refers to adopting policies and procedures that meet the best practices standard. Best practices are techniques or methodologies that, through experience and research, have proven to reliably lead to a desired result. A commitment to using the best practices in any field is a commitment to using all the knowledge and technology at one's disposal to ensure success. State laws and court decisions related to law enforcement policies and procedures, as well as the investigation of citizen complaints, are in a continual state of evolution. The current policies and procedures of this Department are the result of an evolving process of staying current with these laws and decisions. The implementation and application of these evolving changes are overseen by professional police managers and experts outside the Department (Attorneys, City Administrator, City Attorney, POST and Professional Consultants.) Accordingly, it is our belief that this ongoing process meets the best practices standard. Recycled Paper Nancy Wieben-Stock, Presiding Judge September 12, 2006

1 Best practices guidelines: The Orange County municipal police departments should consider adopting or developing best practices guidelines appropriate for inclusion in LEAs' goals/objectives. An example would be the publication of a best practice document as a self-assessment guide to handling residents' complaints. (See Findings 6.1 and 6.4.) Response: Partially disagree with Finding 7.1. As stated in response to Finding 6.1, this Department currently utilizes a best practices standard for the ongoing development of policies and procedures, as well as the handling of citizen complaints. The Department not only follows state law and court decisions but also utilizes the expertise of a number of other professional organizations for quidance on these matters. This can include the California Commission on Police Officer's Standards and Training, the City Attorney, private attorneys and consultants employed specifically for this purpose. I believe this constitutes an evolving best practice which, as appropriate, this agency incorporates into our goals and objectives. It is our belief that this ongoing process meets the best practice standard and that additional "Orange County" guidelines are not necessary, hence, we would not agree wholly with Recommendation 7.1.