West Sacramento Police Department

Additional Recommendations 28

These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.

• R1
  The present ECSD board, which includes and training program that will fast and Recommendation 00-22 two new members3 elected in November track the new staff to be fully func- 1999, has violated the Brown Act on at 1ECSD was previously investigated by the 1997-1998 tional of hire. least one specific occasion by discussing Yolo County Grand Jury for Brown Act violations. (See 1997-1998 Report with extensive Findings and Recom- and taking action on an item not appear- RESPONDENTS mendations.) ing on the posted agenda for the meeting 2Government Code Section 54950 et seq. All
• R00-02
  The Yolo County Grand Jury recom-
• R2
  There does not appear to be a consistent was improper under the Act, the monies to pay for this Esparto "illegally" granted time off was a misapproprintion of training policy or efforts to assure board ECSD funds. members receive Brown Act initial or *We remind the ECSD board of the Brown Act's legislative CommunityServices District refresher training. ment: "The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The Although the Grand Jury was unable to people, in delegating authority, do not give their public identify specific instances of violations servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The (ECSD) for illegal "meetings" between board mem- people insist on remaining informed so that they may bers, there appears to be a general recogni- retain control over the instruments they have created." "Particularly Findings: 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11. tion and admission by the members that Particularly Recommendations: 98-25 through 98-29,
• R00-03
  The Yolo County Grand Jury recom- Department has an exceptionally difficult mends that in order to achieve better appears to be fully aware and familiar time recruiting sworn officers for its force. racial harmony in the community and with the additional law-enforcement needs The Winters Police Department has not to deal with race related matters more and problems that would arise as a result yet switched to the new 900 MHz fre- effectively, the Davis Police Depart- of the baseball park that is currently quency as mandated by the Federal Com- ment provide formal and periodic train- under construction. munications Commission (although not ing to their sworn officers for racial
• R3
  The Deputy Director reported that case district. It provides policy oversight to the 00-22 Coordinate with other local agencies workers exceed the case load ratios on a unincorporated Esparto community for water, such as County Counsel, District At- regular basis due to an acute shortage of sewage treatment, and street lighting. The torney, or other local agencies that qualified and experienced case workers, ECSD consists of five elected members, who provide Brown Act training allowing but was unable to report that there is a serve four-year terms. ECSD members to participate in that plan in place in Yolo County to address The California Ralph M. Brown Act, training. The training should be fo- that shortage. enacted in 1953 (Act)2, requires that meetings cused on the Brown Act and not merely of local government agencies, such as the
• R00-04
  The Yolo County Grand Jury recom-
• R4
  The Deputy Director reported that it an aside, which typically is the case ECSD, be open to the public. Meetings, as takes almost a year for a new employee with larger conferences focusing on defined in the Act, albeit slippery, includes to become fully functional in the depart- more global statewide issues. [Find- "any congregation of a majority of the mem- ment, but was unable to produce a compre- ings 1, 2, & 3] bers of a legislative body ... to hear, discuss, hensive plan to shorten that orientation 00-23 Take personal responsibility to assure or deliberate upon any item that is within time. that the public’s business is conducted the subject matter jurisdiction of the legisla- RECOMMENDATIONS in public as required by law. The intent tive body" (54952.2.a). The Act prohibits any of the Brown Act is that actions taken "use of direct communication" or "techno- 00-18 The Director should verify that there by public bodies, such as the ECSD, logical devices" by a majority "to develop a are written protocols and objective be taken openly and their deliberations collective concurrence as to action to be assessment instruments in place to be conducted openly. [Findings 1, 2, taken on an item" by the legislative body guide the placement decisions of the & 31 (54952.2.b). (Emphasis added) The use of a caseworkers according to accepted 00-24 Review Findings and Recommenda- telephone, email, and facsimile devices used standards. to develop such a collective concurrence fall tions from the 1997-1998 Yolo County 00-19 The Director should review the written within the parameters of the Act. Finally, Grand Jury and institute that Report's protocols for the department periodi- "no legislative body shall take action by secret Recommendations immediately. cally to assure that the department is ballot, whether preliminary or final" (54953.c). 00-25 The 2000-2001 Grand Jury continues in compliance with accepted stan- Except for limited circumstances, e.g., to monitor the ECSD. dards. emergency, the Act prohibits "action or dis- 00-20 The Director should enlist the services RESPONDENTS cussion" at public board meetings on items of the Human Resources Department Esparto Community Services District: All unless those items appear on the posted and the County Administrator's Office
• R5
  The West Sacramento Police Department and the Winters City Manager's office proper fire-arms training needs and has done a very good job of public rela- should study the situation of its police facilities for its police force and make tions. force and find ways to increase the sure that the police force does not fall
• R00-09
  The Yolo County Grand Jury believes ing #6). that all of Yolo county will benefit
• R00-10
  The Yolo County Grand Jury recom- are being provided. RECOMMENDATIONS mends that in order to achieve a better A. Medical Needs racial harmony in the community and
• R00-11
  The Yolo County Grand Jury believes ation. (Finding number 2 & 5). B. Food Services that all of Yolo County will benefit
• R00-14
  Short Term corded to any employee. The current G. Volunteer Program contractual guidelines specify that The easiest and quickest solutions A volunteer program that allows employees will pay their own share involve the facility itself. All safety screened volunteers to interact with of their retirement to the California and security issues must be remedied the wards is in place and is con- Public Employee Retirement System at once. sidered quite beneficial. There is the (PERS) for the first five years of A. All monitors fixed and on line. possibility of expansion of this pro- employment. After that time, the gram if more qualified volunteers can B. All surveillance cameras working county will pay both the county's and be found. These people who willingly and pointed in relevant areas, new the employee's contribution to PERS. give of their time are to be com- cameras installed where needed. Many counties pay both contributions mended. C. All locks in working order with when an employee begins employment. The current facility is old, out-dated, and downtime held to a minimum. overcrowded Another feature of most law enforce- D. A metal detector installed at the ment and many probation depart- The original Juvenile Hall was built in main entrance. ments is "safety retirement" or a the 1960s and expanded in 1976-77 to what E. The Director of the Juvenile Fa- better retirement benefit package it is today. cility should be given authority (up that encourages careers in law en- Originally there were twelve bed spaces; to a pre-determined monetary limit) forcement. The Yolo County Proba- there are now thirty beds in the facility and to maintain the integrity of any tion Department employees do not twenty-two sleeping rooms. Additional beds physical security related items with- have this benefit. Many other pro- are set up in a "dorm" setting. The facility is out having to go through the normal bation departments within the state built in a linear fashion that makes manage- bureaucratic channels. share this benefit with their law ment of the facility difficult. There are many
• R00-15
  Intermediate Term enforcement and correctional coun- blind spots and corners. Those problems admitting an intermedi- terparts. It is to be noted that all At the time of our visit there were forty ate fix involve the hiring and training of Juvenile Hall Supervisors and Adult wards although the building was built to adequate staff. Probation Officers are classified as house only thirty. Males and females are kept A. Pay scales need to be investigated peace officers under Section 830.5 of separated with the exceptions of mealtime the California Penal Code. and adjusted to more accurately and during school. The overcrowding was reflect the going rate with com- E. Employee Turnover especially noticeable in the "dorm" area. parable positions in neighboring The average headcount continues to grow Better than seventy-five percent of counties. Comparisons could also year after year as the population increases. the staff at the Juvenile Facility are be made between positions of simi- Over the last few years the average has at entry level. Only two persons have lar responsibility in the juvenile grown from the low thirties to the high better than five years experience. One and the adult sections of the proba- thirties and beyond. Severe overcrowding person has three years with the re- tion department. could be handled by sending overflow wards mainder having less than two years
• R00-16
  Long Term what was proceeding. Meetings were held problems occurred, but were resolved quickly. A. A new juvenile hall must be given with other governmental bodies within the RECOMMENDATIONS serious consideration and study, counties to share ideas and compare notes. this process is already underway.
• R00-17
  The Grand Jury would like to com- The problem of the Y2K issue was divided The present hall is woefully inade- mend all the people involved in re- into three areas: applications maintained by quate both from the standpoint of solving the Y2K issue. Our special Central Information Technology, those main- size and supervision. We want to commendation goes to the Information tained by vendors, and those maintained by point out that the safety, security Technology Division for providing lead- departments along with the commercial type and morale issues at the present ership and direction to the depart- applications. Desktop computer hardware facility must take priority over the ments. It was a job well done by many had to be looked at along with network consideration for a new facility. people, and should provide compliance devices and operating systems. Embedded for many years to come. chips and the global Y2K issues also had to RESPONDENTS be resolved. On a monthly basis, progress RESPONDENTS Yolo County Board of Supervisors on these areas was noted by each department Yolo County Board of Supervisors Yolo County Probation Department and was shown on a graph, for a comparison with the other departments. Each depart- ment was to resolve a Business Continuity Yolo County Y2K & Contingency Plan that would allow the department to operate if the computer world Strategy Plan shut down. Complaints Yolo County government consists of 23 departments, along with 11 sub-units, mak- BACKGROUND ing a total of 34 different units. The reports The Yolo County Grand Jury decided to Child Protective that kept us informed showed great improve- monitor the activities of the various Yolo ment from month to month. By October 15th, County Departments to assure that there Services a report was given as to the status of the would be few problems with the highly touted efforts. All application systems were either Y2K issues. The Grand Jury began to monitor Y2K compliant, or there was a way to work the Y2K issues in the summer of 1999 and BACKGROUND around the application, or the application continued through the last critical time A citizen's complaint was received regard- was not supporting a critical function. All period of February 29, 2000. ing the way the Department of Child and PC desktops and software supporting critical Protective Services places children in foster functions were Y2K compliant, and all com- FINDINGS homes and monitors their care while in foster munication devices supporting critical func- The Year 2000 issue began as a problem care. tions were now Y2K compliant. All of the that would possibly occur on or before Janu- departments with Mission Critical functions ary 1, 2000, because most computers and FINDINGS or Department Critical Business support programs would not recognize the "00" date. Members of the Grand Jury interviewed functions had their Business Continuity & A lot of early forecasts called for widespread the Deputy Director of the department Contingency Plans for those critical functions. power outages, and other problems including to obtain an overview of the department Refinements and testing of all the areas a paralyzing shutdown of the computer world. and its protocols. Following that inter- would continue. Forecasters were predicting the most serious view, a review was conducted of the Foster The Grand Jury also looked into the of all situations and a total downfall of the Family Homes Policy and Procedure Man- preparedness of the 911 emergency system. economy, both private and governmental. As ual (Title 22, Division 6, Chapter 7.5) The whole system could go mobile, with the year 2000 continued to come closer, the along with the report of the Little Hoover generators, and still carry on all functions hype of the situation grew. Commission, Now in Our Hands: Caring as normal. The 911 system, along with the The officials of Yolo County looked at the for California's Abused and neglected various police agencies, had emergency con- problem and had to decide the best solution Children, released August 1999. Follow- tingency plans that would function during to make sure the County, and all its depart- ing that review, a list of questions was any event. Meetings and drills took place to ments, would be Y2K compliant when the submitted to the Deputy Director for re- assure the full preparedness of these agen- clock turned on January 1, 2000. The County sponse followed by another in-person inter- cies. Administrative Office directed that a strategy view with members of the Grand Jury. As January 1, 2000 approached, the be planned with the Information Technology 1. The Grand Jury was unable to document Grand Jury felt assured that all would pass Division (ITD) leading the way for the rest that the department is consistently fol- with a minimum of problems. A private firm of the departments. The solutions came to lowing the guidelines as outlined in the was hired by the County to give a second dividing the problem into manageable parts reviewed documents. opinion on the validity of the preparedness and assigning responsibility to the depart- of the departments. A green light was given 2. The Deputy Director was unable to pro- ments to have a Y2K plan, and the ITD would
• R00-18
  The Director should verify that there by public bodies, such as the ECSD, logical devices" by a majority "to develop a are written protocols and objective be taken openly and their deliberations collective concurrence as to action to be assessment instruments in place to be conducted openly. [Findings 1, 2, taken on an item" by the legislative body guide the placement decisions of the & 31 (54952.2.b). (Emphasis added) The use of a caseworkers according to accepted
• R00-19
  The Director should review the written within the parameters of the Act. Finally, Grand Jury and institute that Report's protocols for the department periodi- "no legislative body shall take action by secret Recommendations immediately. cally to assure that the department is ballot, whether preliminary or final" (54953.c).
• R00-20
  The Director should enlist the services RESPONDENTS cussion" at public board meetings on items of the Human Resources Department Esparto Community Services District: All unless those items appear on the posted and the County Administrator's Office Findings and Recommendations agenda for the meeting. (54954.2.a). to develop a comprehensive recruit- Yolo County Counsel: Recommendation FINDINGS ment and retention plan. This should 00-22 include a formal employee orientation Yolo County District Attorney: Finding 1 1. The present ECSD board, which includes and training program that will fast and Recommendation 00-22 two new members3 elected in November track the new staff to be fully func- 1999, has violated the Brown Act on at 1ECSD was previously investigated by the 1997-1998 tional of hire. least one specific occasion by discussing Yolo County Grand Jury for Brown Act violations. (See 1997-1998 Report with extensive Findings and Recom- and taking action on an item not appear- RESPONDENTS mendations.) ing on the posted agenda for the meeting 2Government Code Section 54950 et seq. All
• R00-21
  The ECSD institute a formal policy of workers utilize to decide upon the level written summaries and audio tape record- initial and annual refresher training of placement that a child needs and the ings), agendas, correspondence, and the on the requirements of the Brown Act options for placement that might include ECSD by-laws. for its board members. [Findings 1, 2, kin-care. The ECSD is an independent special & 31 3. The Deputy Director reported that case district. It provides policy oversight to the
• R00-22
  Coordinate with other local agencies workers exceed the case load ratios on a unincorporated Esparto community for water, such as County Counsel, District At- regular basis due to an acute shortage of sewage treatment, and street lighting. The torney, or other local agencies that qualified and experienced case workers, ECSD consists of five elected members, who provide Brown Act training allowing but was unable to report that there is a serve four-year terms. ECSD members to participate in that plan in place in Yolo County to address The California Ralph M. Brown Act, training. The training should be fo- that shortage. enacted in 1953 (Act)2, requires that meetings cused on the Brown Act and not merely of local government agencies, such as the 4. The Deputy Director reported that it an aside, which typically is the case ECSD, be open to the public. Meetings, as takes almost a year for a new employee with larger conferences focusing on defined in the Act, albeit slippery, includes to become fully functional in the depart- more global statewide issues. [Find- "any congregation of a majority of the mem- ment, but was unable to produce a compre- ings 1, 2, & 3] bers of a legislative body ... to hear, discuss, hensive plan to shorten that orientation
• R00-23
  Take personal responsibility to assure or deliberate upon any item that is within time. that the public’s business is conducted the subject matter jurisdiction of the legisla- RECOMMENDATIONS in public as required by law. The intent tive body" (54952.2.a). The Act prohibits any of the Brown Act is that actions taken "use of direct communication" or "techno-
• R00-24
  Review Findings and Recommenda- telephone, email, and facsimile devices used standards. to develop such a collective concurrence fall tions from the 1997-1998 Yolo County
• R00-25
  The 2000-2001 Grand Jury continues in compliance with accepted stan- Except for limited circumstances, e.g., to monitor the ECSD. dards. emergency, the Act prohibits "action or dis-
• R00-26
  The EUSD institute a formal policy of simile devices used to develop such a collec- meeting. She did not call 'B'. At the reorganization initial and annual refresher training on tive concurrence fall within the parameters of meeting, 'A' followed through and nominated 'C' and 'B' the requirements of the Brown Act for the Act. Contrary to members' testimonial to their respective officer positions. Predictably, 'C' and 'B' were elected by a majority of the four members its board members. [Findings 1, 2, & 3] assertions, the use of the telephone does not present at the meeting. What seems to be lost to the have to be by way of simultaneous communi-
• R00-27
  Coordinate with other local agencies members is that prior to getting to the official meeting three members of the board had already "met" and cation, such as by conference call, to fall within such as County Counsel, District Attor- formed a majority in their "collective concurrence" on the Act's prohibitions. Finally, "no legislative ney, or other local agencies that provide the election of officers by 'A's telephone calls to 'B; and body shall take action by secret ballot, whether Brown Act training allowing EUSD 'C'. The "action" at the official board meeting was a mere formality, the real "action" had already been taken preliminary or final" (54952.2.c). members to participate in that training. when the telephone calls were made by 'A' Much significance was voiced by three of The training should be focused on the "We remind the EUSD board of the Brown Act's legislative the EUSD members that the allegations filed intent: "The people of this State do not yield their Brown Act and not merely an aside, sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The with the Grand Jury were groundless because which typically is the case with larger people, in delegating authority, do not give their public they were as a result of retaliation by an ex- conferences focusing on more global servants the right to decide what is good for the people member of the EUSD2 or as a result of a "sour to know and what is not good for them to know. The statewide issues. [Findings 1, 2, & 3] people insist on remaining informed so that they may grapes" motivation (as one local newspaper
• R00-28
  Take personal responsibility to assure retain control over the instruments they have created." editorialized3). However, regardless of the For example, this member, with the concurrence of other that the public's business is conducted members, agreed that he should not be considered for motivation for filing the complaint, if a violation in public as required by law. The intent president because of his absences.
• R00-29
  Board members evaluate their own Jury attached no significance to the motivation commitment of time to productively behind the allegation and investigated the serve their community and the EUSD BACKGROUND allegation on its own merit by investigating board by actively participating by their the factual content of the events in question. In response to a citizen complaint, the presence on the board. Absences from Grand Jury investigated allegations of viola- the community and/or the board meet- FINDINGS tions of the Brown Act open meetings require- ings may detract from a member's effec-
• R00-30
  That the shelter work out an under- standing with the UC Davis Depart- The Yolo County Grand Jury toured the ment of Animal Science and the Col- county's Animal Shelter on November 2, lege of Veterinary Medicine to create 1999. The shelter has the capacity to hold internships with the shelter. 100 dogs and 75 cats. Reptiles and barnyard animals are kept in outside pens. The Animal RESPONDENTS Shelter employs one manager, one supervisor. Yolo County Sheriff and/or Animal Shelter nine Animal Control Officers and one Kennel Administrator Technician. Inmates of the Walter L. Lein- Addendum berger Center help to clean and maintain the cages and assist in the construction of Yolo County others. The shelter is a section within the Admin- The Grand Jury wishes it to be noted Coroner's Óffice istrative and Special Services Division of the that during the course of year various admin- Sheriff's Department. Duties of Animal Con- istrators from each of the county's depart- and Morgue trol Officers include assisting other law ments were invited to address the Grand Jury enforcement agencies where animals may be concerning the nature and functions of their On November 2, 1999, the Grand Jury involved; enforcement of pertinent code sec- respective departments. We appreciate those visited the two-year-old Yolo County Coroners tions; assisting Fish and Wildlife Officers; administrators taking their valuable time to Office and Morgue. The purpose of this office assisting postal employees who have been open the communication channels which are is to investigate the "cause and manner of threatened by loose dogs; and filling requests so vital as our county progresses into the death". Deaths investigated can include; from citizens who complain of stray animals new millenium. sudden, violent, unusual, on the job, acci- or animal abuse. Members of the Grand Jury also toured dental and those deaths that occur while a Much of the operating costs for the shelter Folsom Prison on April 17, 2000. We would person is in protective custody. The office are met by contracts with cities within the like to express our appreciation and gratitude handles about 600 cases per year, of these county, license fees, humane fees and dona- to the administration and correctional officers perhaps 100 are violent deaths, 15-20 homi- tions, including pet food given by various of this facility for the service they provide to cides, 200-300 natural deaths, 75 motor stores in the county. the people of our country. vehicle accidents and a disproportionate Upon entering the shelter, animals are number of suicides relative to other counties. vaccinated and observed to ensure that the To do this job, there are three full-time public has a healthy group from which to staff members, one part-time staff member adopt. Nearly half of all the animals entering and up to three interns who work two eight- the shelter are adopted. The shelter and the hour days per week. A case may take only a SPCA have entered into a reciprocating minimum of four hours time to investigate. agreement to foster additional adoptions in For a more serious crime the cause of death approved homes. Unwanted animals, which may take weeks to investigate. It is the job are disease-free, are euthanized and frozen of the Sheriff Coroner's Office to positively for study by University of California at Davis identify the body, and mostly this is done Veterinary students. through fingerprints. County residents whose pets are missing We found that the staff seems enthu- and feared stolen or dead should report the siastic and dedicated to their job. In a time facts to the Animal Shelter. If the pet is not of tightening budgets, the staff is increasingly found at the shelter, it may have been given handling more of their tasks in-house rather to the S.P.C.A. than contracting them out. All staff personnel Recently the Food and Agriculture De- are trained in positive fingerprinting. In- partment passed State Codes and imposed house whole body and teeth x-rays are being four new mandates that follow. performed and a photo lab is being set up 1. A 72-hour holding period for feral cats for developing the x-rays. Blood is first tested and dogs. .