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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Alameda County Grand Jury
• 2016-2017
Political Interference with the Probation Department's Procurement of Services
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 5 findings
17-17
Page 72
The supervisor exceeded the authority described in Government Code section 25005 and County Charter section 10. Both sections preclude individual board members from acting without concurrence from a majority of board members.
17-18
Page 72
The supervisor’s actions usurped the role of the chief probation officer by impeding procurement of community-based organization services through the competitive RFP process specified by the County of Alameda Uniform Procurement Manual, Chapter 6 - Department Procurement Policies and Procedures.
17-19
Page 73
By insisting on retention of a vendor that was unwilling to provide all the services the Alameda County Probation Department deemed essential, the supervisor impeded the level of religious services provided to juveniles in county custody.
17-20
Page 73
The County Charter requirement that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors hire all department heads creates ambiguity in how department heads are supervised and managed, in that they are responsible both to the county administrator and the members of the Board of Supervisors.
17-21
Page 73
No administrative appeal process exists for department heads to address political interference in the procurement process.
Recommendations 2
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17-12Page 73The Alameda County Board of Supervisors must adopt an anti-interference policy to ensure elected officials and their staffs do not interfere with county staff in fulfilling administrative responsibilities.
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17-13Page 73The Alameda County Board of Supervisors must take steps to have the county charter amended to make clear that, while the Board of Supervisors creates county policy, the County Administrator has sole responsibility for hiring and supervising non-elected department heads.