2018-2019 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Final Report

The DCFS surveys from Lancaster and Palmdale gave extensive paperwork as a factor which made their job more difficult.

The lack of coordination between multiple county agencies to work across platforms inhibits data sharing of cases which prevents services from being delivered in a timely manner.

BOS, CEO and OCP are working together to ensure that children and families are given every opportunity to succeed at having a loving, healthy environment to thrive and be safe.

The CGJ found that DCFS staff are hampered by the lengthy distances travelled daily between home, work and the various client locations. This creates an added stressor to all staff.

The CGJ found that staff were required to travel out of state due to the ICPC regulations which ensures the safety and stability of placements of children across State lines.

The CGJ found that all levels of staff from CSW trainee to SCSW were understaffed. This adds to job uncertainty and the inability to complete case paperwork required by judicial statutes in a time laden system. ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 15 7. The CGJ found that the Lancaster and Palmdale offices do not have enough staff with seniority to adequately support the new hires and maintain a competent working organization 8. The CGJ found the BOS, CEO and OCP are studying the implementation of extraordinary measures (initial assignment bonuses, transportation allowances, location based pay differentials, etc.) to hire and retain staff at the Antelope Valley offices.

Detention officers are civilian personnel and job openings are advertised in civilian workforce job listings. Recruitment and hiring of detention officers are handled by L.A. City Personnel Department. LAPD recruitment programs on the other hand focus solely on the recruitment of sworn officers. The LAPD does not promote or actively recruit detention officers. Opportunities for detention officers are not promoted on the LAPD website. (See Appendix).

LAPD officers indicated that long waiting times causes them to become frustrated since they are not performing their regular duties, having a negative effect on officer morale.

The CGJ found staff at both area offices of the AV felt unsafe going to home sites and required visits alone.

The CGJ found that DCFS staff is stymied by the lack of community based resources within the Antelope Valley area for their caseloads.

The CGJ found that current DCFS staff members feel they need relevant job training and asked for laptops to enter data at the site of home visits to avoid case errors.

The CGJ found staff should receive a variety of mandatory training in and around the county.

The CGJ found that the coverage of the vast area of Antelope Valley made hardship demands on staff and their personal vehicles.

The CGJ found staff uses their personal vehicles for job tasks and requested Department issued gas cards to allow them to travel to required job sites.

The CGJ found that DCFS staff are paid $.06 per mile for all out-of-state gas expenses when using rental cars.

Employee job satisfaction is hindered by office prohibitions to transfer out of Antelope Valley.

The CGJ found that delays in Law Enforcement showing up at abuse scenes left CSWs lacking in knowledge and skills to preserve evidence at the scene.

The Committee found that the E-SCARS reporting between LASD and DCFS was not coordinated to prevent cross-over underreporting.

The CGJ found that area police and sheriff personnel were not available at times of critical need for Emergency Response to E-SCARS Child Abuse incidents.

The CGJ found that the Medical Hub at the High Desert office is in need of supervisory medical staff to ensure that Emergency Response (ER) and Dependency Investigation (DI) cases are seen locally instead of traveling to the Los Angeles Medical Hub at USC. ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 16 RECOMMENDATIONS 1.1 The CGJ recommends that the Board of Supervisors provide incentives such as initial assignment bonuses, long-term retention bonuses, transportation allowances, location-based pay differentials, and enhanced specialized training and support to recruit and retain highly qualified staff in the Antelope Valley. 1.2 The CGJ recommends that the Board of Supervisors and DCFS allocate more staff at both the Lancaster and Palmdale offices to ensure optimum efficiency. 1.3 The Board of Supervisors should increase the budget allotment to DCFS to provide county vehicles which can be used by staff to conduct home visits and mandated court appearances. 1.4 The CGJ recommends that the Board of Supervisors should provide gas cards to caseworkers to travel the vast areas that the geographical of Lancaster and Palmdale encompass. 1.5 DCFS should establish training on the completion of judicial forms used for required statutes and WIC codes and how to complete all such forms. 1.6 DCFS should secure law enforcement level training for SCSWs and CSWs regarding evidence collection, photographing evidence of abuse and preservation of the scene of a child’s death. 1.7 DCFS and LASD should coordinate efforts to eliminate system delays in emergency calls for assistance from DCFS. 1.8 The CEO and Board of Supervisors should raise the out of state mileage rate from $.06 a mile to that of the standard used by Los Angeles County Department MOUs- $.55 per mile. 1.9 DCFS should establish a safety procedure which mandates a two-person response team to all home and other client related visits for the personal safety of the caseworkers. 1.10 The High Desert Medical Hub should be fully staffed and open daily. 1.11 The Department of Public Health, DCFS, LASD, and LAPD should conduct abuse education classes within the hot spot zip codes. 1.12 DCFS should conduct parenting skill classes that address the mother/live-in-boyfriend “red-flag” dynamic. 1.13 DCFS, DHS, DMH, Probation, DPH, DPSS, LASD, and The Los Angeles District Attorney should develop a child protection data base system which includes adequate resources, training, cross- training, performance evaluation, follow-up, and oversight to lessen the occurrence of undetected child abuse. ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 17 REQUIRED RESPONSES California Penal Code Sections 933(c) and 933.05 require a written response to all recommendations contained in this report. Responses shall be made no later than ninety (90) days after the Civil Grand Jury publishes its report and files it with the Clerk of the Court. Responses shall be made in accord with Penal Code Sections 933.05 (a) and (b). All responses to the recommendations of the 2018-2019 Civil Grand Jury must be submitted on or before September 30, 2019, to: Presiding Judge Los Angeles County Superior Court Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center 210 West Temple Street, Eleventh Floor-Room 11-506 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Responses to the recommendations above are required from the following: RESPONDING AGENCY RECOMMENDATIONS Department of Children and Family Services 1.1,1.2,1.3,1.5,1.6,1.9,1.12,1.13 Department of Mental Health 1.1,1.13 Department of Public Health 1.1,1.11,1.13 Department of Public Social Services 1.13 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4,1.8,1.9,1.13 Los Angeles County CEO 1.1,1.2,1.3,1.4,1.8,1.9,1.13 Los Angeles County District Attorney 1.13 Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department 1.6,1.11,1.13 Los Angeles Police Department 1.6,1.11,1.13 Office of Child Protection 1.1,1.13 VIP Los Angeles County Medical Hub 1.10 ACRONYMS AV Antelope Valley BOS Board of Supervisors BRCCP Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Protection CEO Chief Executive Officer CGJ Civil Grand Jury CIO Chief Information Officer CPH Child Protection Hotline CS Countywide Continuing Services CSW Children’s Social Worker CWMDM Countywide Master Data Management DA District Attorney DCFS Department of Children and Family Services DI Dependency Investigation ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 18 DHR Department of Human Resources DHS Department of Health Services DMH Department of Mental Health DPH Department of Public Health DPSS Department of Public Social Services ER Emergency Response E-SCARS Electronic Suspected Child Abuse Report System ICPC Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children LAPD Los Angeles Police Department LASD Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department OCP Office of Child Protection Probation Department of Probation SCAR Suspected Child Abuse Report SCSW Supervising Children’s Social Workers SPA Service Provider Areas SDM Structured Decision making WIC Welfare and Institutions Code COMMITTEE MEMBERS Valencia R. Shelton, Chair Judith E. Halloran Patricia G. Patrick ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Civil Grand Jury would like to acknowledge all the DCFS staff at both the Lancaster and Palmdale offices for their prompt response to the request for data to complete this report. The Committee thanks you for your honest appraisals of a complex, paper-driven job of which you are an integral part. The Civil Grand Jury would like to acknowledge the staff of the Office of Child Protection for sharing their time and knowledge about keeping the children of Los Angeles County safe. The CGJ also acknowledges the staff at the Medical Hub Center at USC for the sharing of data on the Hub services provided to the child welfare system. ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 19 APPENDIX Civil Grand Jury Survey Form 2018-2019 Los Angeles Civil Grand Jury Department of Children & Family Services Survey – Lancaster and Palmdale Job Title: ___________________________________________ Date: ______________________ What is your case load? ___________________________________________________________________________________ What do you feel the ideal caseload would be? ___________________________________________________________________________________ List the type of services you provide as a Children’s Social Worker or Supervising Children’s Social Worker? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ What is your service provider area (what is the geographical area your cases fall in, list the cities or unincorporated areas)? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ List three things that you feel makes your job more difficult (i.e. Number of cases, travel distance, number of forms to fill out, etc.). ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ List three things that would make your job easier: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ What is the approximate number of cases in your caseload in which children are removed from the home due to abuse? ___________________________________________________________________________________ Do you feel safe doing your job __________________________________________________________________________________? How often do you use law enforcement when going on home visits? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 20 How often do you prepare cases for a judicial hearing? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ How long does it take? ___________________________________________________________________________________ Does it require specialized knowledge? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ What is your mode of transportation when making home visits (personal vehicle, company car, etc.)? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Do you have any other concerns? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Do you have any suggestions that you feel would help you to serve the children and families of the Lancaster region better? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ALLEGATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE: WHAT IS HAPPENING AT DCFS? 1 - 21 ARREST & TRANSFER LAPD: IS “PROTECT & SERVE” BEING COMPROMISED? Ronald A. Evans, Co-Chair George A. Ellis, Co-Chair Marguerite C. Downing Carl Moore ARREST & TRANSFER LAPD: IS PROTECT & SERVE BEING COMPROMISED? An Inquiry into the History and Status of Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Shuttered Community Station Jails and its Impact on Response Time For Service and Safety SUMMARY In 2011 the LAPD was forced to close a number of its community station jails due to budgetary constraints1. One of the mandates of the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury (CGJ) is to inspect every jail within Los Angeles County. During these inspections, members of the 2018-2019 CGJ discovered that the LAPD had “temporarily closed”2 jails in five of its community stations, namely: Devonshire, Foothill, Harbor, Southwest, and Wilshire. Further inquiries by the CGJ determined that closing these community jails required officers to transport arrestees to regional jails (77th Street, Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), and Van Nuys) for booking. This is a practice that the CGJ came to refer to as “Arrest and Transfer.” Interviews with a number of community stations identified that when transporting arrestees to the regional jails for booking, patrol units were having to drive longer distances and increased travel times, and also endure longer wait times than they had prior to the closing of the community station jails. During interviews with the community stations, the CGJ learned that transporting arrestees to the regional jails often took patrol units far outside of their patrol areas for extended periods— often two or more hours at a time. We also learned: • When patrol units are outside of their community station area and unavailable to respond to calls of any level this, at times, contributes to an increase in response times to citizens’ calls for service. • In addition to public safety being a concern, officer safety can also be jeopardized due to there being a reduced number of patrol units available to respond in the community station patrol area. • Transporting arrestees who are in need of medical care to a regional jail also results in additional wait times. If the arrestee is in need of medical care, this is likely to cause unscheduled overtime, especially when a second patrol unit has to be dispatched to relieve the first patrol unit. 1 https://www.scpr.org/news/2010/06/14/16178/la-city-officials-consider-jail-closures-staff-rea/ 2 as reported on the www.LAPDonline.org website ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 1 BACKGROUND In 2011 the LAPD announced its plan to close a number of community Police station jails (referred to as area jails). There were two reasons for these closures: First was that the planned commissioning of the MDC (a new jail facility built specifically to replace the Parker Center jail in downtown Los Angeles) required considerably more jail staff due to its “pod” design. Second, due to budget cuts, a city-wide hiring freeze was enacted, which affected the recruitment of detention officers who are civilian employees. The solution was to re-assign detention officers from five of the eight area jails (Devonshire, Foothill, Harbor, Southwest, and Wilshire), resulting in the closing (shuttering) of these jails. From past media reports and from information gained during interviews with multiple departments of the LAPD, the City of Los Angeles and other agencies we interviewed, the following timeline of events was compiled: 2008: The City’s financial constraints resulted in a citywide hiring freeze on civilian employees. This hiring freeze affected the recruitment of detention officers and continued through 2013. 2009: The new jail at Harbor Community Station was opened for service. 2011: The jail at Harbor Community was shuttered.3 2013-16: Due to a shortage of detention officers, sworn officers were assigned to detention officer duties at the regional jails.4 2015: There were 90 sworn officers assigned to MDC to perform detention duties. 2017: Recruitment of detention officers was resumed and the Detention Officer Academy was re-opened. 2018: In February the first new class of detention officers graduated from the academy. METHODOLOGY The CGJ was mandated to conduct inspections of detention facilities, which included shuttered LAPD Community Police Station jails. Due to the factors listed below, the CGJ formed an investigative committee to determine whether shuttering of the jails negatively impacted any of the following areas of concerns: • Community safety • Officer safety • Call response time • Officer morale • Increase in unplanned overtime. 3 http://www.sanpedrobeacon.com/2014/07/17/no-plans-in-sight-to-open-empty-harbor-division-jail/ 4 https://www.lapd.com/article/nearly-90-lapd-officers-be-reassigned-street-patrol-jail-duty ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 2 The CGJ interviewed members of the following agencies: • L.A. City Chief Administrative Officer • L.A. City Council (a member) • The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) • LAPD (Command Staff throughout the organization) • L.A. City Personnel • Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department In many interviews both rank and file officers and command staff expressed their desire to have the shuttered jails reopened. The one notable exception to this was the interview with the team at the Wilshire Community station who felt they had not been significantly impacted by the closure of their station jail. The CGJ reviewed available statistics online and requested statistics from the LAPD to determine how the jail closures impacted officer and community safety. INVESTIGATION The investigation into the Arrest & Transfer practices of the LAPD confirmed many of the concerns regarding community and officer safety. From multiple interviews with LAPD Community Station staff we learned that oftentimes there are insufficient numbers of patrol units immediately available to respond to calls. How units are assigned and dispatched was explained to us and described in detail more than once, including that the Computer Aided Dispatch System receives, dispatches and tracks all calls and when required can assign patrol units from adjacent areas to respond. The extra travel time to reach the call location was viewed as a concern regarding impact on community safety and heightening risk to officer safety. The CGJ learned from interviews with LAPD Custody Services Division and LAPD Community Station staff that arrestees who have non-emergency, non-urgent medical or mental health issues are transported to a regional jail. Pre-booking delays are encountered while waiting for medical assessments at the dispensary, and, while each of the three regional jails have multiple booking windows, there is accommodation for only one arrestee at a time to receive a medical assessment at the dispensary causing long lines and lengthy processing times. Interviews with community station officers made us aware that during an arrest, arrestees often state that they have a medical condition. LAPD officers follow specific procedures which include asking the question, “Are you sick, ill or injured?”, and an affirmative response results in the need for medical assessment by the dispensary at the regional jail. Regarding the percentage of arrestees require medical assessment we learned that approximately 50% of all arrestees require processing through the dispensary or a contract hospital; and approximately 40% of those require transport to a medical facility on an urgent-care basis following their medical assessment. This process adds to the officer’s wait time as indicated in the following chart. ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 3 The following chart was compiled in an effort to summarize and articulate our understanding of best case and typical wait times at a Regional jail when transporting arrestees. The times shown do not include transportation travel time. Arrestee Status / Action Matrix Arrestee Medical / Mental Patrol Unit Action Typical Wait Time Health Condition None Transport by Patrol Unit to Regional Jail 10-20 mins.* Yes, Non-urgent Medical Transport by Patrol Unit to Regional Jail 20-75 mins.* Yes, Urgent Medical Decision: Transport by Patrol Unit to 30-120 mins. Urgent Care or 9-1-1 Yes, Emergency Medical 9-1-1 30-75 mins Mental Health – Non severe Transport to Regional Jail 30-90 mins Mental Health – Severe Transport to Twin Towers 90-120 mins *Times for Regional Jails for reported “Drop and Go” assisted transfers of custody are 5-10 mins and 10-20 minute ranges respectively. During interviews, the CGJ was informed of a pilot program called “Drop and Go” which is referenced in the above chart. This program transfers custody responsibilities to designated Dispensary Support Officers (DSOs), who will be utilized for arrestees who do not require a medical assessment. Drop and Go has been effective in reducing delays; this is supported by data provided to the CGJ. This program has been demonstrated at all three regional jails (77th St., MDC, and Van Nuys). As indicated in the above chart, the typical wait time was shown to be reduced significantly for an estimated “one-third or more” of arrestees during the reported “Drop and Go” assisted transfers. The justification for closing these jails was primarily a financial decision made in 2010-2011 during a period when, as confirmed in a CGJ meeting with the City of Los Angeles, the City’s finances were very constrained. In interviews with several LAPD community stations, the CGJ learned that when transporting arrestees to the regional jails, booking delays were believed to be contributing to the additional cost of unplanned overtime, a cost increase that should be taken into account. However, the LAPD informed the CGJ that there was no mechanism in place to track overtime hours associated specifically with Arrest & Transfer. The CGJ requested call response time statistics for each of LAPD’s 21 Community Police Stations for the years 2010-2018 is detailed in the table that follows. The data were broken down in three main categories: • Urgent/Life Threatened - Code 3, • Urgent/Life Not Threatened - Code 2, and • Non-coded. ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 4 The three following tables provide data that was extracted for the Community Stations that were reported as being most impacted by closure of Community Station jails. The data shows that for Code 3 calls, the average response time was maintained from year-to- year, with the 2018 figure being only a small variance from 2010. There was no major variance in other years. For Code 2 calls, however, the 2018 figure is 20% higher than that reported for 2010. The average response time for Non-coded calls reported for 2018 is 60% higher than that reported for 2010. ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 5 Averages are, of course, averages. Regarding best and worst case response times, the jury did not have sufficient time to do a detailed historical analysis for each of the 21 LAPD areas. The department has standards of seven minutes for Code 3 calls but none for the other calls for service. Our analysis of the data for Code 3 calls for each of the LAPD areas did not highlight any alarming increases. However, there was a significant increase in the average response time for Non-coded calls. Due to the long wait times, the officers become frustrated since they are not performing their regular duties. This has a negative effect on officers’ morale and this was confirmed as a concern in interviews with rank and file and command staff of several LAPD community stations. Adding dispensary staff and detention officers at all three regional jails may reduce the added wait times incurred at booking. However, travel time is still an issue of the Arrest & Transfer process. The mileage and travel times shown in the table below were compiled by utilizing Google Maps. The lower travel time shown is the estimated travel time with no traffic hold-ups and the higher travel time shown is the estimated travel time during typical heavy traffic. ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 6 Distances and Travel Times from LAPD Stations to Regional Jails The CGJ acknowledges that the growing number of arrestees with mental health issues is a problem that presents an ongoing challenge to the LAPD. In several interviews, it was disclosed that there exists a team within the LAPD called the Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) which includes the System-wide Mental Assessment Response Team (SMART). “This team works with people suspected of having mental illness. The MEU’s mission is to reduce the potential for violence during police contacts involving people experiencing mental illness while simultaneously assessing the mental health services available to assist them.”5 The MEU is located in the Downtown Los Angeles area and is not readily available citywide. Recruitment of additional detention officers will allow the department to reopen the shuttered jails. Recruitment of additional dispensary staff will reduce wait time for medical evaluation. Improvements in response time to citizens’ calls will contribute to positive public relations (PR) in addition to improving community safety and maintaining officer safety. 5 http://www.lapdonline.org/detective_bureau/content_basic_view/51704 . Los_Angeles_Police_Department_Mental_Evaluation_Unit (Accessed January 17, 2019) ARREST AND TRANSFER 2 - 7 The CGJ understands that while all Community Station Jails could be immediately reopened on an emergency basis, none could be reopened on a business-as-usual basis due to the need for retrofitting and upgrades. The CGJ acknowledges that any upgrade to shuttered jails involves capital expenditure to meet mandatory inspection requirements which, we were advised in an interview with LAPD Custody Services Division, is difficult to justify given current financial constraints. Currently detention officers are hired, trained, and assigned separately from LAPD officers. The recruitment and hiring of detention officers and sworn LAPD should be integrated for efficiency since they sometimes work together. The CGJ learned from an interview with the L.A. County Sheriff’s department in which the Sheriff’s Academy programs for Deputies and for Jail Staff were discussed that they have strong recruiting and training relationships. The City of Los Angeles Personnel Department on the other hand recruits and hires non-civilian staff, which includes LAPD’s detention staff while LAPD’s personnel department hires Sworn officer staff. Open detention officer positions within the LAPD can be found on the LAPD website (www.LAPDonline.org), and are located by clicking on “Opportunities/Civilian Employment.” However, it is difficult to locate the list of civilian positions associated with detention and staffing of jails on the website. (See exhibit included in the Appendix) FINDINGS 1. The data provided to the CGJ, as summarized in the “LAPD Response Times” chart, showed there have been increases in the response times for Code 2 and Non-code calls from the baseline year of 2010 by 20% and 60% respectively by 2018.

SANTA CLARITA COURTHOUSE We found that the corridor For the safety of everyone 23747 W. VALENCIA BLVD. connected to the judges’ using the corridor, the Sheriff’s VALENCIA, CA 91355 chambers and the jury room is Department should review the the same corridor used to adequacy of the current bring detainees into the procedures to move detainees holding facility. We in, out, and around the understand that some of the courtrooms. At the very least detainees are charged with cameras should be installed felonies. near the building entrance to confirm that it is safe for the deputies, judges, and jurors to enter and exit from the courthouse. 22.1 TORRANCE COURTHOUSE The facility is understaffed and Instruct deputies on how to 825 MAPLE AVENUE disorganized. The staff had properly organize required jail TORRANCE, CA 90503 difficulty locating manuals and manuals, medical kits, etc. safety kits. 22.2 TORRANCE COURTHOUSE Male arrestees complained of Correct the air circulation 825 MAPLE AVENUE excessive heat in the cells. problem in the men’s jail. TORRANCE, CA 90503 Deputies explained that poor air circulation contributed to the heat problem. DETENTION - 20 NO. STATION/FACILITY FINDINGS RECOMMENDATIONS 22.3 TORRANCE COURTHOUSE The jail was poorly lit and Upgrade the inadequate 825 MAPLE AVENUE heavily defaced with graffiti. lighting and paint the cells to TORRANCE, CA 90503 eliminate the graffiti.

VAN NUYS COURTHOUSE WEST Inmate elevator to courtrooms Increase visibility in the 14400 ERWIN STREET MALL on upper floors is dangerous elevators as the doors open by VAN NUYS, CA 91401 due to a very small waiting installing convex mirrors at area on each floor. ceiling height in the waiting area in front of the elevators on each floor. For added safety measures, construction should be shatterproof plastic or other material.

This includes funding their own (armed) security officers. In a Memorandum of Agreement referred to in an NBC report, the LAPL paid LAPD $5,420,337 for security in 2017, which provided the Library 10 police officers, 41 city security officers, and 26 contract security aides.31 The County of Los Angeles Public Library system (COLAPL) is one of the largest public library system in the United States. It serves an area that measures 3,024 square miles, which covers residents from 49 out of 88 incorporated cities in Los Angeles County as well as its unincorporated areas. The 87 public libraries within its jurisdiction serve 3.4 million residents.32 Los Angeles Sheriff Department (LASD) is tasked with providing security and general law enforcement services for the 87 county libraries. A memorandum33 obtained by the CGJ describes the relationship between these entities. Currently, the COLAPL contracts with the County Services Bureau of LASD for 4 deputies and 25% of a sergeant’s time to provide oversight. They provide security and law enforcement services on a “roving basis” for all its 87 library sites at a cost of $1,469,016.34 Logistically, the County libraries were divided into 4 zones: North, East, Southeast, and Southwest. Each deputy would patrol the libraries located within their respective zones. Each is assigned a LASD radio car and County Library phone. All the County Library Managers (CLM) were given direct access to the four deputies and may call them for police intervention. Private guard services were contracted for after-hours patrol to deter trespassing and vandalism. But then hard data, such as the following 7-year Incident Report, prompted the people in charge to realize that the current level of security services is not adequate to keep up with the inherited problems caused by the increased homeless population. 30 https://librarytechnology.org/library1005 (accessed 4-29-19) 31 https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Sex-Drugs-Illegal-Activity-Los-Angeles-Library-System-I-Team-457247783.html. (accessed 3-29-19) 32 https://lacountylibrary.org/aboutus-info/ (accessed 4-29-19) 33 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, “Executive Summary of Library Security / Safety Assessment,” August 24, 2018. Ibid THE IMPACT OF THE HOMELESS ON PUBIC LIBRARIES 10 - 19 LA County Library Security Incidents (SIRs) (2011-2017) Years # Year-to-Year Change % of Change 2011-2012 806 - 776 -3.7 2012-2013 776 - 760 -2.1 2013-2014 760 - 677 -10.9 2014-2015 677 - 849 +26.9 2015-2016 849 - 641 -24.5 2016-2017 641 - 2255 +252.0* *Note: 2011-2016 captures SIR’s that met specific criteria categorized by the County of Los Angeles. In 2016, the Los Angeles Sheriff Security Operation reassessed and condensed the SIRs and Incident Logs. The incident Logs capture incidents outside the workplace. In 2019, the County Library Director issued a Security Incident Analysis 2015- 2018.36 All categories of high concern, like robbery, sexual assault, physical battery, disturbances, threat, or suspicious activity or unusual behavior showed upward trending and were expected to continue in the near future. The analysis attributed the spike to the challenges of dealing with homeless people, many of whom had mental instability or substance abuse issues and as well additional hours of operation reinstituted for all 87 branches. In the previously mentioned report NBC37 conducted a series of “undercover news stings” at Los Angeles City libraries describing drug transactions, lewd sexual acts in front of children, and confrontations with mentally-ill patrons. This documentary prompted Los Angeles County Services Bureau leaders and Los Angeles County Public Library administrators to reconvene and readdress the security, staffing and documented incidents affecting the County libraries. Shortly thereafter, the LASD’s County Services Bureau (CSB) conducted patrol checks, safety inspections, and security assessments at all 87 county libraries.38 Many criminal and nuisance activities were documented. A comprehensive report detailing safety concerns at each library was drawn up.