Score: +1 (1/1/0)

Humboldt County Grand Jury • 2013-2014

Getting County Code Complaints on Track

Published: July 31, 2014 4 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 6 findings

While some county departments do a reasonably efficient job of following up on complaints that involve them directly, they do not have a consistent process of referring complaints to other county departments, nor of following up on referrals to those departments.

Related Recommendations (1)

The County Board of Supervisors should establish a policy mandating that the department receiving a citizen complaint immediately assumes ownership of the complaint on behalf of the County, regardless of department responsibility, and does not cede control of the complaint until a positive, verifiable hand-off to the appropriate department is achieved. (F1)

County departments could be more transparent and fair, save staff time and have better relations with the public if there were a more efficient and uniform way of handling complaints.

Related Recommendations (2)

The County Board of Supervisors should strongly encourage each of the departments currently using OnTrack to expand this system’s capabilities to handle citizen complaints to those departments and also encourage those departments to reallocate resources to accomplish this. (F2, F3, F4)

The County Board of Supervisors should also approve funding or reallocate resources to expand OnTrack to departments which do not currently use OnTrack to allow them to implement this system’s capabilities. By moving to a more automated system of information sharing, cost savings could potentially be realized through savings of staff time. (F2, F3, F4)

An automated system to pass information among departments already exists, called OnTrack. This system could be expanded by the County to provide a comprehensive, interdepartmental system of handling citizen code compliance complaints throughout multiple departments.

Related Recommendations (3)

The County’s existing OnTrack system should be expanded to create a complaint resolution system capability. Because OnTrack is currently shared by multiple departments, the current capabilities should be expanded and the interdepartmental sharing of current data leveraged to enable sharing of citizen complaint information. (F3, F4)

All county departments that deal with the public could link on to the OnTrack system, enabling interdepartmental communication, and giving the public access to information regarding the status of their complaints.

Related Recommendations (4)

OnTrack currently has a citizen portal and an internal County portal. This inherent capability can be expanded to allow citizens to check the status of their complaint. (F4, F5)

OnTrack currently has a citizen portal and an internal County portal.

Related Recommendations (1)

OnTrack currently has a citizen portal and an internal County portal. This inherent capability can be expanded to allow citizens to check the status of their complaint. (F4, F5)

Although the Planning and Building Department has made significant strides to improve their customer service throughout our investigation process, the department remains understaffed in its efforts to improve customer service to County citizens.

Related Recommendations (1)

One staff member should be added to the Planning Department to assist in the handling of citizen complaints. Although the department has made significant strides to improve their customer service throughout the investigation process, the department remains understaffed in its efforts to improve customer service to County citizens. (F6)

Agency Responses 1

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Code Complaints - Response - HCSO

September 12, 2014 • 6 pages • 5 responses • Score: +1 (+1, 1, 0) View Details ▾

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5 responses to findings and recommendations

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors should designate in the Housing Element of the General Plan Update that certain areas be identified where sanctuaries and or campgrounds can be established. (F1).

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R1, I see no viable application of On Track in the Sheriff's Office complaint system. As related in my previous response the Sheriff's Office has a viable departmental policy, which is in compliance with 832.5 of the California Penal code regarding dealing with such complaints. This policy ensures that each deputy or officers rights are protected as outlined in the Peace Officers Bill of Rights. The grand jury report addresses important concerns. On Track may be a viable system for other county agencies but does not provide the security and confidentiality for the officers and the Sheriff's Of...

The Board of Supervisors should encourage Department of Health and Human Services to obtain funding, jointly with other community agencies, through HUD and other sources to build "micro housing villages" and sanctuaries for homeless veterans.

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

R2 The curriculum of Crisis Intervention Training should include responses to children younger than 16 in a life-threatening situation. The recommendation requires further analysis, prior to any implementation. Crisis Intervention Training is conducted through the County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and any changes to class structure of the syllabus would be implemented by DHHS. The recommendation is valid and warrants further discussion of structure and implementation. Recommendation No.

The Board of Supervisors should encourage the Humboldt County Health and Human Services Department to expand alcohol and substance abuse treatment to include more local detoxification services.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R3 Professionals of Child Welfare Services (CWS) should be called as a first responder in addition to police when children are in crisis, whether or not such children are already CWS clients. The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but may be implemented in the future based upon each agencies desire to participate and availability. The recommendation is desirable but may be difficult to utilize in every instances dealing with juveniles. Many calls for service are originated during non-traditional work hours and may require the type of response, which does not allow for the delay in a ...

Participants in permanent housing programs tend to be more successful in being mainstreamed back into the community than those in temporary or transitional housing.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

F4) SHERIFF'S RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATION NO.

The Board of Supervisors should explore ways to reduce barriers to accessing services.

Response: Will Implement

Score: +1

R4 The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future, with a timeframe for implementation. The Director for the Office of Emergency Services is the elected Sheriff of the county, I believe the person the report refers to is the Emergency Services Manager. The Sheriff's Office is actively engaged in identifying the next Office of Emergency Manager in order to insure the continuity of the position, which is vital to the mission of the office. GRAND JURY REPORT 2013-2014 LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING RELEASE Recommendation No.

No Responses Found 3

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

County of Humboldt Agency

Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Elected County Office

Humboldt County Sheriff Elected County Office