San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department

The County’s R-1: The Grand Jury San made up of county the San Bernardino County ability to respond recommends that the Bernardino dept. leaders, County Emergency Board of quickly and County create and County hinders effective Operations Plan. June 30, 2025 Supervisors provide relief to maintain a plan for Board of emergency the citizens securing the use of the Supervisors June 30, 2025 planning, training, trapped by the type of equipment and heavy snowfall required to clear communications. was hampered by a accumulations of snow lack of proper greater than 8 feet from

The Mountain R-2: That the County San roads weren’t cleared, and Cal Trans’ actions created the false impression that the residents were not develop a plan to take a Bernardino roads were passable. Almost immediately vehicles became stuck, and residents well informed of leading role in County were stranded. Later Cal Trans reversed the decision, and it was the County’s first the situation that disseminating accurate Board of they faced, and the and timely information April 30, 2025 Supervisors responders tasked with rescuing residents and clearing vehicles. While the County efforts being taken to residents facing did not make the decision, county residents suffered and blamed the County for to provide the disasters over a broad necessary spectrum of platforms being out of touch with the situation. assistance. including social media. The County responders made good decisions during ‘Snowmageddon 2023’. They

Since the R-3: The Office of San saved lives and prevented more property loss. However, poor communication with agencies were not Emergency Services Bernardino trained to should develop a plan County the public, insufficient management training, and the County’s first ever blizzard left understand the and accompanying Board of county residents with the impression that more could have been done. County Emergency training for all county Supervisors Operations plan, departments, including June 30, 2025 they were poorly the Board of coordinated Supervisors, to causing the function according to community to the San Bernardino FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: suffer delays in County Emergency needed services. Operations Plan. Implementation Required Findings Recommendations Date Response F-4: The Lack of a R-4: Establish a San Disaster Council Disaster Council per Bernardino

Many R-4: The Civil Grand April 1, 2025 San Bernardino mistaken SBCSD Jury recommends County identification. Sheriff’s incident report enhancing the Department jackets omitted procedure for the These recommendations represent a multi-pronged approach that addresses the issue the time the deputy in charge that arrestee was verifies the from various sides: released from completeness of the custody, paperwork in every • Confirmation of Identity before booking is a crucial action but this step making it jacket including: alone can be prone to errors. difficult to - Booking application • Biometric Fingerprint Technology offers a more reliable identification know how long with all required a person had method but is not foolproof and may not be available in all situations. information, and the been in custody. Release Receipt that • Better Record Keeping allows for access to complete paperwork in a timely lists the time of his or manner. This level of organization promotes better tracking and analyzing of her release from the frequency and circumstances of mistaken identity warrant arrests and custody. helps more easily reveal patterns and areas for improvement.

The San R-5a: Update the equipment to vital mountain roads. Bernardino County County Emergency San remove the amount Emergency Operations Plan to Bernardino 46 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Cal Trans, a state agency, opened the state highways into the mountain communities of snow encountered. on March 2nd, without the agreement of the EOC. In this circumstance, the county

After the R-6a: OES and the June 30, 2025 San CEO – Chief Executive Officer: leads the County Administration Office and the County’s County’s CEO Bernardino Emergency negotiate County Executive Team, who work with the Board of Supervisors and other stakeholders to Proclamation, the Memorandums of Board of serve the county residents and investors. formation of the Understanding (MoUs) Supervisors EOC, and the for resources likely to DPW – Department of Public Works: Provides services in the following areas: state’s Emergency be included in future Transportation, Flood Control, Solid Waste, Surveyor, Special Districts, permits, Declaration, OES emergencies. and some agencies inspections, planning, maps, roads, paving, traffic, snow removal, water and were hesitant to sanitation, zoo, parks, landfills, organic waste recycling, environmental planning and fully function in R-6b: Department June 30, 2025 San unified Heads of County Bernardino maintenance, stormwater, contracts, project proposals, and public notices. command. agencies be formally County trained on their Board of EOC – Emergency Operations Center: is a central command and control responsibilities during Supervisors "coordination structure" responsible for managing emergency response, emergency an emergency, both preparedness, emergency management, and disaster management functions at a before and after a county Emergency strategic level during an emergency. Proclamation. IMT – Incident Management Team: An incident management team is a group of

The EOC did R-7: Department heads June 30, 2025 San trained personnel that responds to emergencies and complex incidents. They provide not have a be trained in EOC Bernardino functioning unified responsibilities and County command and control infrastructure to manage various aspects of incidents, command, held accountable for Board of including operational, logistical, informational, planning, fiscal, community, resulting in County their agency’s Supervisors 48 San Bernardino County Grand Jury Final Report Operations Plan include a plan to deal June 30, 2025 County resources not participation in the has not been with a unique winter Board of being used EOC. updated since 2019 snowstorm and other Supervisors effectively. and the plan does unusual events. not cover a snow event like the county had in R-5b: Require all September 30, San GLOSSARY: 2023. County departments 2025 Bernardino perform and record an County BOS – Board of Supervisors (San Bernardino County): The Board of Supervisors is annual review of the Board of like a city council in that its members are elected by residents to represent their County Emergency Supervisors Operations Plan. interests and make policy decisions on government services, policies and finances.