San Francisco County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Report Title Finding Respondent Assigned by

Published: April 01, 2019 5 pages

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Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F3, F5, F16

Findings and Recommendations 16 findings

ACC has not received any complaints from SFPD

Related Recommendations (1)

Recommends the Executive Director of the San Using the formula recommended by the Disagree, partially Inimal Care and Control Animal Care and Control Will not be Dogs and Public SFACC ACOs during the hours between 1:00 AM Response due: August 24, and no examples have been provided to [F1, F2] Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) study [Response due: August 24, National Animal Care and Control Association mplemented Safety in San and 6:00 AM can increase the risk to SFPD 20181 substantiate this finding. Initial indications are ACC would need an additional three officers to methods to provide 24-hour ACO coverage. 20181 hecause it is not Francisco officers and the public from difficult and that ACC receives most of its calls when the either by full staffing or by on-call staffing, and warranted or be on duty [Published: June 25] dangerous dogs. public is out and about in the city report on this matter to the City Administrator reasonable an additional six hours a day, seven days a 2018] week. Using that same model, ACC is already. by April 1, 2019. wo officers below recommended levels for Our Lovable Pets

Lack of support for SFPD officers by trained Animal Care and Control Disagree, wholly ACC is not aware of SFPD officers remaining

Related Recommendations (1)

Dogs and Public (e.g. previous dog behavior, owner location) by [Response due: August 24, than a year ago. SFPD reports that its firewall provide the SFPD VDD Unit with RDP (remote than a year ago. SFPD reports that its firewall [F3] Response due: August 24, implemented the SFPD Vicious and Dangerous Dog unit officer 2018] Safety in San prevents access to Chameleon and that the desktop protocol) or VPN (virtual private 20181 prevents access to Chameleon and that the rancisco causes delays in dog attack and dog bite condition is unlikely to be remedied. As a network) access to Chameleon, one seat license condition is unlikely to be remedied. As a [Published: June 25] result. SEPD will continue to call in for result. SEPD will continue to call in for investigations, compromising public safety and a login to Chameleon, by January 1, 2019. 2018] against dog attacks. information or may come to the ACC squad information or may come to the ACC squad Our Lovable Pets: Access to statistics about whether a dog was Will not be ACC records this data from the bite reports, if it

Public access to statistics about the Animal Care and Control Disagree, wholly Recommends the Executive Director of SFACC Animal Care and Control

Related Recommendations (1)

Dogs and Public and/or photos of dogs officially designated [Response due: August 24, and dangerous are already required to wear [F5] publish on their website up-to-date information [Response due: August 24, implemented However, we believe that public notice has Safety in San Vicious and Dangerous would improve the safety 20181 special tags, and their houses are required to for all dogs that have been deemed Vicious and 20181 because it is not already been served by the existing Francisco have warning signs posted. None of the of the public against future dog attacks and Dangerous by an authorized Hearing Officer and warranted or requirements of a special dog tag and the Published: June 25 bites. Such access is available in many other jurisdictions listed are in California. for which that status is still in effect. This reasonable signage on the house. Posting this information 20181 information to include the residential address of on ACC's website seems to be an unwarranted urisdictions the dog and/or its location on a man, the name nvasion of privacy, disproportionate to the of the dog, the breed of the dog, either a potential harm. If a resident has concerns about description or a photo of the dog, and the date a particular dog, ACC is available to provide that of the most recent enforcement field visit by an nformation ACO. This to be implemented no later than January 1, 2020. Recommends the Executive Director of SFACC Our Lovable Pets

The SFACC practice of favoring dog owner Animal Care and Control Disagree, wholly There is no data to support this finding. ACC has

Related Recommendations (1)

Recommends the City Administrator instruct the City Administrator Has been The Office of the City Attorney already provides

Dogs and Public to a case, or someone involved with a party, Response due: August 24, finding [F7] VDD Hearing Officers that Ex Parte Response due: August 24, this instruction in its annual training for hearing implemented Safety in San talks, writes or otherwise communicates with 20181 communications involving any issue in any case 20181 officers. The hearing officer who violated this the Hearing Officer about issues in a case or are not allowable outside the Hearing unless all Francisco procedure is no longer actively hearing cases. Published: June 25, Decision, without the other parties' knowledge parties to the Hearing are present. These 20181 or consent. Consequently, such communications instructions to be given as soon as practicable, violate due process of law and deprive the and no later than January 1, 2019. parties of a fair Hearing, and are therefore mpermissible. Our Lovable Pets: Where inaccurate data exists in Chameleon Recommends the Executive Director of SFACC Animal Care and Control Will be implemented There is a manual for Chameleon, but the

Related Recommendations (1)

Does and Public there will be inaccurate statistical reporting and [Response due: August 24, [F8, F9] establish a data entry manual that includes Response due: August 24, department, would benefit from improved indine Safety in San other undesirable results. For example, 2018] standard procedures written for all Chameleon 2018] documentation. ACC is in the midst of making Francisco duplicate or obviously invalid dog owner revisions to Chameleon and will update data entry, no later than July 1, 2019. Published: June 25. addresses make it more difficult to contact dog naterials afterwards. 2018] owners with dog license reminders. Our Lovable Pets: Dogs and Public Safety in San Francisco 2017-2018 CIVIL GRAND JURY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND RESPONSES TO FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Report Title

Animal Care and Control Agree with the

Related Recommendations (1)

Animal Care and Control Animal Care and Control Has been Dogs and Public there will be inaccurate statistical reporting and [Response due: August 24, [F8, F9] establish data entry training and supervision Response due: August 24, and manuals will be updated. ACC audits and

Data entry into Chameleon is not well regulated Animal Care and Control Disagree, wholly ACC audits and corrects shelter data monthly. Animal Care and Control Has been Staff are trained and supervised on data entry, [F8, F9] establish data entry training and supervision and manuals will be undated. ACC audits and Dogs and Public by current training, supervision or by the current (Response due: August 24) Response due: August 24. implemented 2018] Safety in San oftware implementation. over data entry procedures in Chameleon, to 20181 corrects shelter data monthly Francisco ensure accurate and uniform data entry, no late [Published: June 25, than July 1, 2019. 2018]

Related Recommendations (1)

Dogs and Public [F8, F10] authorize and work with the Information there will be inaccurate statistical reporting and [Response due: August 24.

F10

Implementing the software changes Animal Care and Control Agree with the Dogs and Public recommended by the consultant — hired to Response due: August 24, indine [F8, F10] authorize and work with the Information [Response due: August 24, Delaney's recommendations. She made 29 20181 20181

Related Recommendations (1)

R10

Dogs and Public ervices area of Chameleon and implementation services area of Chameleon. For example, the request Friends of SFACC to fund a study by a Response due: August 24 [F11] Response due: August 24, mplemented Civil Grand Jury asked ACC to run a report on qualified expert of Chameleon data entry for the 2018] Safety in San of valid recommendations would improve the 20181 because it is not Francisco integrity of the data in this area and improve the how many notices of violation were issued for a Field activity division, and to authorize and work warranted or Published: June 25. accuracy of reports about dog attacks and bites. particular infraction. ACC ran the report and with the Information Technology Director of San reasonable 20181 supported the results with physical copies of Francisco Department of Administrative Services the notices. to implement those changes in Chameleon that will improve data entry accuracy and integrity. This work to be concluded no later than January 1. 2021. Our Lovable Pets

F11

Animal Care and Control Disagree, wholly

Related Recommendations (1)

R11

ACC has been actively exploring alternatives to Inimal Care and Control Animal Care and Control Will not be Dogs and Public icense and license renewal letters reduces the Response due: August 24, icensing compliance. This is a nationwide [F12, F13, study methods to increase compliance with dog [Response due: August 24, mplemented the current on-line system. When current Safety in San rate of compliance for dog licensing in San 20181

F12

Disagree, partially ACC has been exploring ways to improve

Related Recommendations (1)

R12

Recommends the San Francisco Chief of Police Will be implemented The General Order is being revised to meet Police Department Police Department Dogs and Public issued 7/27/94) are out of date and contradict Response due: August 24, [F16] modify General Order 6.07 to bring it into [Response due: August 24, today's and future standards for the members

F13

The technologically out-of-date and clumsy Animal Care and Control Disagree, partially ACC has no data on how many users abandon

Related Recommendations (1)

R13

the tasks identified by the CGJ in F17. However. Dogs and Public assumed many of the clerical and ministerial Response due: August 24, [F17] the San Francisco Chief of Police agree on a [Response due: August 24, mplemented Department, and Department of Public Health Safety in San SFPD is in discussions with the Office of the City Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) functions of the Vicious and Dangerous Dog 2018] 20181 because it is not will establish policies, procedures, and Hearing process. The GSA sets the framework of Administrator to identify the proper city specifying that San Francisco Police Department Francisco warranted or agreements as needed to enumerate each Published: June 25, Hearings schedules (days, times, locations, agencies and staff to facilitate due process for will continue to be in charge of the enumerated department's responsibilities related to vicious reasonable 2018] assigned Hearing Officers), while the VDD Unit the parties involved with Vicious and Dangerous clerical and ministerial function for the Hearing and dangerous dogs. officer does the following: coordinates specific Dog Hearings. Officers of the Vicious and Dangerous Dogs cases and the parties thereof to specific Hearing Hearings. This MoU to be completed by July 1, 2019. dates; notifies parties and witnesses to each case when their case will be heard; receives Decisions from Hearing Officers, keeps a file of the originals, and sends copies to the parties of each case and to SFACC: and maintains the Hearing audio recording archive. Only custom obliges SFPD to continue performing these functions. This situation is inherently unstable. and if both parties wish the arrangement to continue, it needs to be regularized.

F14

A current dog license provides no additional Animal Care and Control Agree with the

Related Recommendations (1)

R14

Decision options available to hearing officers Disagree, wholly City Administrator City Administrator Will not be Dogs and Public Vicious and Dangerous, but holding the Decision [Response due: August 24, implement and the department can seek [F18, F19] Administrator instruct Hearing Officers for the [Response due: August 24, implemented vere reviewed and approved by the Office of clarificiation if needed. Safety in San in abeyance, or placing a dog on probation, 2018] Vicious and Dangerous Dogs Hearings that it is 2018] because it is not the City Attorney. ACC will consult with the City Francisco without further explanation in the Decision, their responsibility, pursuant to SF Health Code warranted or Attorney's office to determine if revisions [Published: June 25, does not make clear to any of the parties sections 42.3(C)(i) and (ii), to find a dog either reasonable should be made. 2018] whether the provisions of SF Health Code Vicious or Dangerous or not Vicious and section 42.2, et seq., apply (e.g. registration of Dangerous, and that holding such Decisions "in the dog, payment of a $250 fine, permanently abeyance" is no longer an option. This affixed identification, prominent display of instruction to be given no later than March 31, signage, etc.). 2019. Our Lovable Pets:

F15

A higher compliance rate for dog licensing would Animal Care and Control Agree with the

No recommendations for this finding

F17

Current practice is that SFPD VDD Unit has Police Department Disagree, partially SFPD does not conduct or carry out several of Recommends the City Administrator's Office and Police Department Will not be The City Administrator's Office, Police

No recommendations for this finding

F18

Generally the decision specifies what ACC should

No recommendations for this finding

F19

A Decision by a Hearing Officer that a dog is This option effectively holds that the dog is not

No recommendations for this finding

Additional Recommendations 2

These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.

R3

Dogs and Public circumstances of dog bites would improve public [Response due: August 24 eashed or a bite was provoked will not imp [F4] publish on their website, for each of the most Response due: August 24. is available, but we do not believe it to be usefu mnlemented Safety in San policy decisions that affect the safety of the 20181 public policy decisions. Dogs are already current five years, statistics about dog bites 2018] because it is not for formulating policy. For example, dogs who Francisco public against dog bites. These statistics would required to be on leash and are not considered against humans in San Francisco, divided into warranted or bite people when they are on their guardian's Published: June 25. nclude the circumstance of whether the dog vicious and dangerous if they bite when categories based on whether the bites were reasonable property are often off-leash, but this is what 2018] hite was provoked or upprovoked, and whether provoked. A hite report usually does not provoked, and whether the hiting dog was on a would be expected. The hite report was include enough information to determine if the leash at the time of the bite. This to be developed to obtain data for rabies prevention, the biting dog was on or off a leash. not for behavior analysis. dog was provoked. implemented no later than July 1, 2019. Our Lovable Pets: Public access to the locations and descriptions Animal Care and Control Dogs who are officially designated as vicious Recommends the Executive Director of SFACC Animal Care and Control Will not be ACC could post this information on its website.
R5

Animal Care and Control Will not be ACC currently issues off leash citations if a dog is Dogs and Public change the current practice of only teaching dog [Response due: August 24, education on the benefits of dog leashes in lieu [Response due: August 24. no information on the percentage of dogs who [F6] implemented actively causing a problem or if the dog is so far Safety in San of issuing off-leash citations has not increased owners about the benefits of keeping their away from the guardian that the officer has 2018] are leashed; nor does it have any trend data. 2018] ecause it is not the percentage of leashed dogs in San Francisco dog(s) on a leash, to include issuing a citation to difficulty matching the dog with the guardian. Francisco warranted or Published: June 25, mproving leash compliance will improve dog those dog owners whose dogs are in violation of reasonable Successfully implementing a more stringent 2018] welfare and increase public safety regarding the city leash law, as provided in Health Code level of enforcement would require public Sections 41.12(a) and 41.13. This to be unleashed dog attacks. comment and support. mplemented no later than January 1, 2019. Our Lovable Pets "Ex Parte" communications occur when a party City Administrator Agree with the

No Responses Found 1

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