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Findings 19 findings
F1
In 2022, there were 662 sworn officers in Monterey County. Those without the 40- hour CIT training, offered twice a year for 35 first responders per session, are unlikely to be as effective at responding to people in crisis, leading to potentially dangerous outcomes for officers and community members.
F2
There has not been a comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform County residents of a specific crisis line number and the new 24/7 (as of January 1, 2024) capacity of the Mobile Crisis Team to respond to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis causing the public to remain unaware of the availability of this resource.
F3
The Mapping Project found no formal collaboration exists among the various entities that respond to people with mental health difficulties who are in crisis. A case-by- case response is not a consistent or effective strategy and does not serve the community well.
F4
SPD and MCSO have not prepared annual training needs assessments and plans as required by their internal policies. Consequently, their training plans are out of date leaving officers and deputies less equipped/prepared to respond to crisis calls for service and putting themselves and the public at risk.
F5
Current standards, policies, practices, operating procedures, and education and training materials are not conspicuously posted on either SPD or MCSO websites causing them to be out of compliance with California Senate Bill 978 and making it more difficult for the public to obtain such information.
F6
A community survey indicated that a high priority for cannabis tax revenues should be allocated toward drug education and prevention. However, only a small fraction of the cannabis tax revenues has been allocated toward such programs. The lack of funding for these programs is inconsistent with community priorities and increases the potential for drug abuse and death.
F7
Illicit activities are one of several major factors contributing to the reduction in funds available for community needs.
F8
Criminal/Civil penalties for most illicit business activities may be adjudicated as a misdemeanor by the District Attorney's office with less than a year probation and/or a fine of $1,000 or less, resulting in an ineffective deterrent system.
F9
The extent of the deterioration of the Station 13 training tower is a danger to the station, its firefighters, and the parking area immediately adjacent.
F10
Most MFD firefighter companies work and live in 70-year-old facilities that have not been thoroughly tested for hazardous building materials potentially endangering their health and safety.
F11
Responding from the new airport north-side station increases the response time to serve the Fisherman's Flats/Ryan Ranch/Hwy 68 neighborhoods putting public safety at risk.
F12
Firefighter companies at the airport south-side modular trailer do not have access to safe inside changing and storage areas for their turnout gear, violating NFPA standards and causing potential harm and distress for firefighters.
F13
Fire engines at the airport south-side modular trailer are exposed to the weather hastening deterioration and increased costs for repair or replacement.
F14
No potable water is available inside the south-side modular trailer, compromising the health and safety of the firefighters who work there during daytime hours. CAD/911 Dispatch Systems
F15
The MFD currently relies on an outdated two-tone paging system for alerts. Upgrading to a modern Fire Station Alerting system would enhance response times for multi-station emergency calls and bolster public safety.
F16
Unreliable CAD software and hardware in the fire apparatus and stations forces firefighters to rely on less comprehensive systems to respond to calls efficiently. Mental Health
F17
The MFD does not utilize facility dogs that have been successfully used to enhance wellbeing for first responders and build positive relationships in the community.
F18
Some MFD staff are unaware of the process to access a City-contracted Licensed Marriage Family Therapist or County Behavioral Health Department personnel which compromises their mental wellness.
F19
The MFD policies for After-Action Reviews and Critical Incident Stress Management are in draft form leading to confusion or misinterpretation by MFD personnel.
Recommendations 19
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R1Monterey County Department of Behavioral Health develop a POST-certified, abbreviated in-service training course on CIT by December 31, 2024, designed for law enforcement officers who have not taken the 40-hour course to be facilitated annually by Field Training Officers.
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R2Monterey County increase its public awareness campaign regarding the Mobile Crisis Team's 24/7 availability to include more social media posts, news articles, and advertising
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R3Monterey County appoint a liaison to establish regular meetings among entities such as MCBH, LEAs, 911 dispatchers, hospital ER staff, and relevant nonprofit service providers that respond to individuals with mental health difficulties
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R4The Salinas Police Chief and the Monterey County Sheriff prioritize the completion of an annual training needs assessment and plan by no later than July 31, 2024, and by the end of each fiscal year thereafter.
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R5The Salinas Police Department and Monterey County Sheriff's Office conspicuously post all current standards, policies, practices, operating procedures, and education and training materials to their websites
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R6The Treasurer-Tax Collector Office develop a timely action plan for those growers in arrears and recommend to the BOS to consider phasing out further tax payment extensions
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R7The Director of Public Health identify projects to assist with youth drug awareness/education/prevention and request funding from BOS as a priority allocation from the CTF
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R8MCSO increase enforcement of the regulations regarding illicit activity by licensed and unlicensed growers
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R9The District Attorney's office in cooperation with the Cannabis Program and Sheriff/Coroner's office increase prosecutorial efforts of unlicensed and underreporting cannabis growers to the maximum extent of the law; by using existing resources, potential grant funding, and assistance from the Cannabis Administrative Prosecutor Program (CAPP)
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R10The City of Monterey performs a comprehensive assessment to identify potentially hazardous building materials in all MFD fire stations
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R11The City of Monterey creates a plan for a permanent fire facility to provide faster, 24-hour emergency response coverage for the communities near the Highway 68 corridor
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R12The City of Monterey, MFD and MPAD Administration collaborate to provide safe and private decontamination changing and storage areas for turnout gear at the airport modular trailer to comply with NFPA standards
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R13Until a permanent facility is constructed, the City of Monterey collaborate with MPAD to provide a protective structure for the fire apparatus at the south-side modular trailer
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R14The City of Monterey provides a potable water source for the south-side modular trailer by November 30, 2024. CAD/911 Dispatch Systems
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R15The City of Monterey and MFD Administration collaborate with the County of Monterey to implement a plan and timeline for upgrading to a modern Fire Station Alert system
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R16The City of Monterey ensures all CAD software/hardware is consistently operational in all fire apparatus and stations by November 30, 2024. Mental Health
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R17The MFD Administration conducts a study to gauge the interest and feasibility of MFD personnel obtaining one or more facility dogs
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R18The City of Monterey posts at each fire station information regarding the availability of the contracted Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
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R19The MFD Administration finalizes and distributes the AAR and CISM policies ensuring that every critical incident is reported, and after-action mental support services are made available
Conclusions 6
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CL1The CGJ appreciates that the Board of Supervisors, the various department heads, and the MST CEO submitted supplemental responses providing additional organizational accountability and transparency. Governmental entities or elected officials that do not submit required responses undermine the mission and the work of the Civil Grand Jury. It is a disservice to the residents of Monterey County and a missed opportunity to demonstrate accountability and transparency. By publishing this report, the CGJ is holding the entities and elected officials accountable as required by law. BIBLIOGRAPHY Civil Grand Jury Reports | Monterey County, CA https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/participate-get-involved/civil-grand- jury/reports Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=933.&l awCode=PEN MONTEREY COUNTY'S RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS crisisintervention SUMMARY Throughout Monterey County, law enforcement officers respond to multiple incidents during a typical day. A significant portion of these calls involve individuals experiencing some form of crisis or distress. Studies suggest that 15% to 37% or more of police calls involve a mental health crisis, substance abuse issues or other situations where immediate intervention is required. Sometimes these calls result in the hospitalization or incarceration of the individual, or in tragedy, either for the individual or the responding officer. The public is often left asking what happened and how it could have been prevented. Training in Comprehensive Crisis Intervention helps officers respond more effectively and safely to situations involving people experiencing behavioral instability. It reduces escalation, and the possible use of force, and in some cases costly litigation. In addition, Monterey County and many municipalities have Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRTs) comprised of trained mental health professionals. Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) can utilize these teams to assist them when responding to people in crisis. Despite ongoing staff shortages and mandatory overtime hours, County staff and law enforcement representatives do their best to provide emergency assistance to people in crisis. Several areas warrant improvement. These include:
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CL2Providing short, in-service crisis intervention training sessions for first responders
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CL3throughout the year in addition to the more formal, 40-hour training that is only offered once or twice a year to a limited number of participants
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CL4Conducting annual law enforcement training needs assessments
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CL5Devising plans to ensure that training courses remain relevant and comply with changes in legislation Formalizing regular collaborative meetings among entities providing emergency crisis response Strengthening and expanding the public awareness campaign regarding the newly available 24/7 mobile crisis team service effective January 1, 2024 Making law enforcement education and training materials more accessible on LEA websites
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CL6Since voter approval of legalized sales, the cannabis industry in Monterey County and across the state has experienced start-up regulatory and operational hurdles. Local officials have approved numerous changes to create sustainability within the cannabis industry, including an additional tax rate reduction over one year ago. Maintenance of a lower tax rate, as well as reductions in Cannabis Program staff, are expected to provide a stabilizing effect on the CTF and cannabis operators. In the event the BOS approves the regulated licensing of cannabis lounges in Monterey County, revenues could potentially increase.
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.