Los Angeles County Grand Jury • 2021-2022 • Agency Response

2021-2022 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Final Report

Published: June 30, 2022 291 pages Consolidated Report
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Findings 23 findings

F1
DRP has financial challenges in regard to the UAS/drone program. Sources of funding are not adequate to meet the operational needs of this program.
F2
DRP currently charges a nominal fee to other agencies or departments in LA County for use of drones; there is no allocation in DRP’s line item budget specifically for drones/UAS for equipment and or additional drones.
F3
When drones are being utilized in areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, no written notification of drone activity is being posted.
F4
DRP utilizes the Dodger Stadium parking lot for their drone training, except when there is a game or an event. Area used for training is a very small area of the parking lot and is inadequate and inconvenient for training purposes.
F5
Future expansion includes the purchase of at least 4 additional drones by DRP.
F6
Planners currently do not receive additional compensation for completing drone training.
F7
If the site is zoned for animals, the planner will telephone the owner to find out what type of animals are contained on the property, but there is no written formal policy or check list for the staff.
F8
There is no current BOS county-wide policy on drones.
F9
New trainees for drones are taken to Dodger Stadium and complete at least two drone flights.
F10
Currently only pictures are shown at a Commission’s meeting. Pictures are dated and DRP hopes in the future to show real time feeds for the Commission.
F11
DRP wants to keep their drone program central to the County, since they created the program and have the expertise and equipment. Monies can be charged to the department to pay for the equipment they have purchased.
F12
There is no written test for new drone trainees. Just a test to fly the drone completed two times. 39
F8.1
The LACFD does not have enough money in their budget to adequately fund a fire camp training program that will actually help in fighting wildfires in LA County. Because of the expansion of the fire season, costs for the program have increased because of the manpower needed to fight fires year round.
F8.2
The LACFD does not have enough manpower to adequately serve their LA County constituents in the event of a tragic wildfire.
F8.3
The personnel needs of the LACFD changes from year to year depending on the wildfire season and needs to be adjusted accordingly on a case by case basis so the current personnel needs of the Department are met. California Prohibit Slavery and Involuntary Servitude Initiative (2022) - Ballotpedia 36 https://endslaveryincalifornia.org/faqs/ 37 Ibid 38Ibid 39 https://witnessla.com/motion-seeks-to-boost-job-opportunities-for-la-countys-inmate-fire-camp-workers/ 142
F8.4
The fire camp program benefits both the LACFD and the prisoners. The LACFD gains trained prisoner firefighters who help the LACFD with manpower. The prisoner population gains life skills training.
F8.5
The inability of the County to hire former inmates to seek employment as FSAs may contribute to the lack of manpower within LACFD.
F10.2
BACKGROUND ON CLIMATE FOR CONSERVATORSHIP REFORM Finding: There are conservatorship reforms afoot in the County and California. The County needs to continue working on these reforms through the OPG and other County and City social service organizations such as WDACS, APS, PALA, as well as the DOA.
F10.3
DATABASE: REPORTING CONSERVATORSHIP ABUSE PROBLEMS Finding: The Committee could find no comprehensive database in Los Angeles County that can be used to track conservatorships abuses and complaints across all senior services departments.
F10.4
SENIOR SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS: Finding: There are not enough conservatorship advocacy and educational programs for the general public on how to spot conservatorship abuse from the OPG and other County and City social service organizations such as APS, WDACS, PALA, and DOA, to track conservatorship complaints and abuses.
F10.5
LOS ANGELES COUNTY ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES (APS): ELDER ABUSE AND CONSERVATORSHIPS Finding: APS should initiate an outreach campaign to educate the public about conservatorship abuse. In addition, APS should also offer advocacy services to those who are conservatees and friends and family members of conservatees.
F10.6
LOS ANGELES CITY DEPARTMENT OF AGING (DOA) Finding: DOA should initiate an outreach campaign to educate the public about conservatorship abuse. DOA should also offer advocacy services to those who are conservatees and friends and family members of conservatees. F 10.7 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND AGING COMMUNITY SERVICES (WDACS): Finding: With the newly created Aging and Community Services (ACS) under WDACS, the new executive director and the County have a perfect opportunity to help the community with education and advocacy for those who may be victims of conservatorship abuse. 168
F10.8
BUDGET: FUNDING OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN (OPG): Finding: Currently, the OPG’s budget needs additional funding by the County to continue to provide services. RECOMMMENDATIONS

Recommendations 3