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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.

Humboldt County Grand Jury • 2002-2003

03-jl-04 Sheriff’s Agricultural Farm

2 pages

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⚠️ 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 2 findings

F1 Page 19

An arrestee, who had been involved in a domestic fight, was booked into County Jail and subsequently died. The Arcata Police Department officer who had been informed that the arrestee had been kicked in the head did not include that information in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility Booking Report. According to the coroner's report, the arrestee died due to being Astruck in the head.

The Arcata Police Department shall respond to R1. GRAND JURY REPORT 03-JL-04 SHERIFF’S AGRICULTURAL FARM Jail Committee INTRODUCTION: Members of the Humboldt County Grand Jury inspected the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Agricultural Farm (Farm) located next to the Rohnerville Airport in the Fortuna area. Members of the grand jury met with two deputies from the Sheriff’s Department and were given a tour of the Farm along with an explanation of its operation. The Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program (SWAP) inmates maintain the Farm. The SWAP inmates are required to work a minimum of one day a week which permits them to maintain regular outside employment. Each SWAP inmate is charged $60 for administration cost to enter the program plus $18 per day for each day worked. The fees pay for the cost of the program and their worker’s compensation insurance, and the balance is deposited into the county General Fund. A day is deducted from their jail sentence for each day worked at the Farm. The vegetables grown (lettuce, squash, beans, Swiss chard and garlic) are used at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (County Jail) and Juvenile Hall with the excess given to a mission. There are no public sales of vegetables. The Farm can use the County Jail budget to purchase the vegetable seeds. The Farm raises pigs and cattle for meat which is used at the County Jail. The Farm sells some pigs to the public and the funds received are deposited into the county’s General Fund. This is the first year the Farm has raised cattle and eight calves were purchased at auction for a total of $1,000. In 2002, 83 pigs and 2,000 pounds of produce went to the County Jail for inmate consumption. The pigs are fed a variety of surplus food from various sources. The pig pens are washed out every day, and straw is used for bedding. There was no odor, but flies were a problem. The tractor at the Farm was obtained through a government surplus program at no cost to the county. It has a flail mower and a box blade, but does not have a bucket. The Sheriff’s deputies stated that a bucket would be very helpful with moving bales of straw and to carry materials around the Farm. The grand jury was informed that the Farm is totally self-supporting. FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS F1: The tractor at the Farm has no bucket. R1. Recommendation pertinent to F1: The grand jury recommends that the Sheriff’s Department obtain a bucket for the Farm tractor. RESPONSE: THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE TO REPORT 03-JL-04 IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO PENAL CODE 933 AND THE STANDARD FORMAT FOR RESPONSES.

Recommendations 1

R1
Page 19

Recommendation pertinent to F1: The grand jury recommends that the Arcata Police Department establish a policy requiring a report to the County Jail if the arrestee has been in an accident or fight even if there are no visible injuries or complaints of injury by the arrestee. RESPONSES: THE FOLLOWING RESPONSES TO REPORT 03-JL-03 ARE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO PENAL CODE 933 AND THE STANDARD FORMAT FOR RESPONSES. 1. The Arcata City Council shall respond to R1. 2. The Arcata Police Department shall respond to R1. GRAND JURY REPORT 03-JL-04 SHERIFF’S AGRICULTURAL FARM Jail Committee INTRODUCTION: Members of the Humboldt County Grand Jury inspected the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Agricultural Farm (Farm) located next to the Rohnerville Airport in the Fortuna area. Members of the grand jury met with two deputies from the Sheriff’s Department and were given a tour of the Farm along with an explanation of its operation. The Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program (SWAP) inmates maintain the Farm. The SWAP inmates are required to work a minimum of one day a week which permits them to maintain regular outside employment. Each SWAP inmate is charged $60 for administration cost to enter the program plus $18 per day for each day worked. The fees pay for the cost of the program and their worker’s compensation insurance, and the balance is deposited into the county General Fund. A day is deducted from their jail sentence for each day worked at the Farm. The vegetables grown (lettuce, squash, beans, Swiss chard and garlic) are used at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility (County Jail) and Juvenile Hall with the excess given to a mission. There are no public sales of vegetables. The Farm can use the County Jail budget to purchase the vegetable seeds. The Farm raises pigs and cattle for meat which is used at the County Jail. The Farm sells some pigs to the public and the funds received are deposited into the county’s General Fund. This is the first year the Farm has raised cattle and eight calves were purchased at auction for a total of $1,000. In 2002, 83 pigs and 2,000 pounds of produce went to the County Jail for inmate consumption. The pigs are fed a variety of surplus food from various sources. The pig pens are washed out every day, and straw is used for bedding. There was no odor, but flies were a problem. The tractor at the Farm was obtained through a government surplus program at no cost to the county. It has a flail mower and a box blade, but does not have a bucket. The Sheriff’s deputies stated that a bucket would be very helpful with moving bales of straw and to carry materials around the Farm. The grand jury was informed that the Farm is totally self-supporting.