220 South Lassen Street, Suite 2*

Morale- The Grand Jury recommends that all Supervisors and the CPO receive advanced training in supervision and the treatment of employees. There are many good people working within the Probation Department, however ineffective supervision and management needs to be addressed.

Phone Policy-The Probation Department should complete a review of all county cell phones in use for compliance with the Lassen County phone use policy with appropriate action taken if needed. It is also recommended that a review be done on the current cell phone plan utilized to determine if there are alternative plans available which would be a better value to the taxpayer.

Oversight and supervision of the CPO and the Probation Department- It is noted that the Presiding Superior Court Judge appoints the CPO, can terminate the CPO and completes the performance evaluations for the CPO. It is recommended that the Superior Court Presiding Judge, Lassen County Legal Counsel, County Administrative Officer, and the Lassen County Personnel Department convene on this issue to determine who should have responsible oversight of the Probation Department and the CPO; then implement a chain of command for the Probation Department into the county policy and procedures manual. Once it is determined who should have responsible oversight of the CPO and the Probation Department, it is recommended that a complete operational review be completed.

Employees Allowed to Perform Work While Medically Excused from Work- A review of the Department should be conducted in regard to County Policy in this matter to determine if it is wide spread, with appropriate action taken as needed. Policies and Procedures- For the protection of Lassen County In today's litigious

society and to give staff a place to review procedural issues, it is imperative to establish and distribute a working Policy/Procedures Manual. It is recommended that the Lexipol program be utilized to its full extent and make written policies readily available to all Probation Staff. To be in compliance with the Penal Code, a written policy/procedure must be established on Citizen Complaints. For the protection of staff, the public and Lassen County, a written "Use of Force" policy must be established.

Safety Equipment-An in depth review be conducted on the operational status of all safety equipment and any necessary action be taken. Documented safety equipment training needs to be completed by all staff. It is recommended that training records be initiated and maintained on all employees documenting all equipment and training received.

Firearm Policy- It is recommended that the Probation Department complete a review of their policy regarding arming Probation Officers. It is also recommended a review be completed regarding the possibility of entering into an agreement with other law enforcement agencies in Lassen County to provide training and certification of staff to carry firearms in accordance with the California Penal Code Section 830.5-Arming Deputy Probation Officers.

Use of Personal Vehicles for Work-It is recommended that documented training be given to all Probation employees on the County Policy for the use of personal vehicles in the work place. It is also recommended that a written departmental policy be developed for on-call employee vehicle use after normal duty hours.

Staff Meetings- It is recommended that regular staff meetings be hard scheduled to provide ongoing training and the dissemination of information.

CPO-An immediate inquiry into the performances of the CPO should be conducted through a cooperative effort between the Presiding Judge, County Counsel, and the County Administrative Officer regarding work performance, allegations of misconduct, potential abuse of county cell phones and other areas of concern to the county and court. Response Required: YES Responses are required from the following: