Mariposa County Grand Jury • 2024-2025 • Agency Response
Response to: 24/25 Final Grand Jury Report

Received July 16, 2025 Aug 0 5 2025 The Honorable Anita Starchman-Bryant Presiding Judge Superior Court of California,*

Published: July 16, 2025 2 pages
Ver PDF original

Findings and Recommendations 2 findings

F1 Page 1
The detention center HVAC repair project has not been completed, which continues to pose a challenge to detention center management, contributing to uncomfortable environmental exposure for inmates, staff and visitors. Response: Accepted. The Sheriff's Office agrees with this finding. The July 2023 HVAC system failure placed considerable strain on daily operations, compromising the climate environment for incarcerated persons, staff, and visitors. Since the Grand Jury's visit, substantial progress has been made. On July 1, 2025, the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors approved a treasury note, awarded the construction contract to Bobo Construction, and authorized a construction group and supervision team (KPA Group) to provide construction oversight of the project. Construction is expected to begin this calendar year.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Page 2
</b> Complete the HVAC system repair project in all areas that are necessary as soon as possible. Response: Will Be Implemented. The Sheriff's Office fully supports the timely completion of the HVAC project. Although construction oversight rests with Mariposa County Public Works, our office is actively coordinating with County departments to facilitate progress. The Board of Supervisors' July 1, 2025 action approving project financing and contracting with Bobo Construction is a major milestone. We anticipate that construction will commence later this year and address the full scope of environmental control needs within the detention facility. <b>
F2 Page 1
There is a high amount of overtime working hours within the detention facility staffing, which is caused by increased job duties, increasing demands of the incarcerated population and regulatory compliance. Response: Accepted. The Sheriff's Office acknowledges this finding. Overtime levels are elevated due to complex transport demands, increased regulatory mandates, and the long-term housing of inmates with serious mental health needs. These pressures have caused fatigue and burnout, negatively impacting staff well-being and operational efficiency. FAX (209) 742-5090 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 (209) 966-3615 P.O. BOX 276 Mariposa, CA 95338
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Page 2
</b> Increase the detention facility's custodial staff by hiring additional personnel, in order to reduce the high amount of overtime hours within the department, and to minimize burnout and stress within the department. Response: Will Be Implemented. The Sheriff's Office supports this recommendation. We continue to advocate for additional custodial staffing in budget proceedings and are committed to sustaining recruitment and retention efforts. Additional positions are necessary to provide consistent coverage, reduce the need for excessive overtime, and ensure compliance with Title 15 standards while maintaining a safe and secure facility. We thank the Civil Grand Jury for its diligence, observations, and commendations. The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office remains committed to operating a professional, safe, and regulation- compliant detention facility for the benefit of our community. Respectfully submitted, Jeremy Briese Sheriff-Coroner Mariposa County Sheriff's Office Reviewed Honorable Michael A. Fagalde, Per PC933 P.O. BOX 276 (209) 966-3615 FAX (209) 742-5090 Mariposa, CA 95338

* 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.