Score: +3 (4/3/1)

Solano County Grand Jury • 2023-2024 • Agency Response

Response to: Dixon Police Department

Dixon Police Department August 8, 2021 The Honorable John B. Ellis, Presiding Judge Solano County Superior Court*

Published: August 08, 2021 4 pages

View Original PDF

⚠️ 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.

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F5

Findings and Recommendations 5 findings

F1 Page 1

– The Solano County Civil Grand Jury found that local law enforcement agencies comply with the statutory requirements when providing training. However, bias training is only required and conducted every five years. Local law enforcement administrations agreed there is too much time between training sessions. Response: The City agrees employees and believes the organization benefits from frequent and consistent training, including implicit bias and diversity.

No recommendations for this finding

F2 Page 1

- Most law enforcement administrations identified lack of adequate funding as an impairment to providing additional and/or more frequent training. Response: The City agrees with the finding training is critical to addressing bias and diversity challenges in law enforcement.

Related Recommendations (2)

R2a

Page 2

Law enforcement administrations seek increased funding for diversity and bias training.

R2b

Page 2

Collaborate with other local law enforcement agencies in providing diversity and bias training. September 20, 2021 Response: The City does not believe funding is an issue in providing this training and regularly provides it in excess of the statutory requirements; the City is always expanding collaborative training opportunities with allied agencies.

F3 Page 1

- More under-represented people need to be represented in decision-making roles. West A Street, Dixon, California 95620 September 20, 2021 Response: The City agrees with the notion inclusion and representation are critical to the health and evolution of the organization.

Related Recommendations (1)

Page 3

More under-presented people need to be represented in decision making roles. Response: To the extent possible, the City has created pathways for employees to develop themselves for advancement. Our vision is to provide meaningful opportunities for promotion to staff by offering formal internal development programs and access to external training and mentors, among others.

F4 Page 2

– California Penal Code section 13651(a) states: "Every police department, sheriff's office, or other entity that employs peace officers shall review the job description that is used in the recruitment and hiring of those peace officers and shall make changes that emphasize community-based policing, familiarization between law enforcement and community residents, and collaborative problem solving, while de-emphasizing the paramilitary aspects of the job." All administrators mentioned the general population's lack of trust of law enforcement officers. Response: The City agrees with the challenging national climate referenced in the finding. FINDING 5 – For some law enforcement agencies employee turnover is an issue. Response: The City agrees with the finding generally; however, the Dixon Police Department has achieved a period of relative stability over the last several years.

Related Recommendations (2)

R4a

Page 3

Ensure that training de-emphasizes a paramilitary approach to policing.

R4b

Page 3

Use a collaborative approach with community organizations to problem solve. Response: The City has consistently adopted progressive policies and strategies which emphasize building trust with the community to address crime and quality of life issues. These included changes to the uniform policy to remove military-looking items and expanded outreach programs with dedicated staff assigned to community engagement.

F6 Page 2

- There are reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that extremist groups are infiltrating law enforcement agencies. While local law enforcement agencies investigate applicants as part of the vetting process, they rely on employee and citizen complaints to identify current staff social media postings for extremist ideology. Response: The City agrees with the underlying challenge in identifying and removing extremist ideology from law enforcement ranks.

No recommendations for this finding

Agency Responses 2

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Dixon PD

July 12, 2018 • 3 pages • 5 responses • Score: -1 (+0, 3, -1) View Details ▾

PDF

5 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

The City partially disagrees with the finding. It is true that Animal Care/Animal Control services in Solano County may not be consistent between agencies. However, the City has no influence as to how other cities handle such services. As with other services, it is a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction decision on how to handle Animal Care/Animal Control services. The City can only speak to and City of Dixon đ Police Department 201 West A Street • Dixon, California • 95620 (707) 678-7070 • FAX (707) 678-0954 July 23, 2018 Page 2 of 3 influence the delivery of services within our jurisdiction....

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Response: Will Not Implement

Score: -1

The City will not implement the recommendation because it is not reasonable. Although it is true that Animal Care/Animal Control services are not consistent throughout Solano County cities, the City has no control or input as to how other cities or the County handle such services. For other services, there is not a current communication system that connects all responding agencies and allows citizens to access needed assistance with a single call. It would not be reasonable to do so for Animal Care/Animal Control services.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

SACA is in the process of implementing the recommendation. SACA requested proposals for contracted animal control service. Two providers submitted proposals. Those were from the Solano County Sheriff's Office and Humane Animal Services. A determination has not been made at this time. The timeframe for the final decision is expected to be less than six months.

Dixon Police Department

August 08, 2021 • 4 pages • 10 responses • Score: +4 (+4, 0, 0) View Details ▾

PDF

10 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Agree Score: +1

The City agrees employees and believes the organization benefits from frequent and consistent training, including implicit bias and diversity.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The City agrees with the finding training is critical to addressing bias and diversity challenges in law enforcement.

R2a

Law enforcement administrations seek increased funding for diversity and bias training.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The City does not believe funding is an issue in providing this training and regularly provides it in excess of the statutory requirements; the City is always expanding collaborative training opportunities with allied agencies.

R2b

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Response: Agree Score: +1

The City agrees with the notion inclusion and representation are critical to the health and evolution of the organization.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

To the extent possible, the City has created pathways for employees to develop themselves for advancement. Our vision is to provide meaningful opportunities for promotion to staff by offering formal internal development programs and access to external training and mentors, among others.

R4a

Ensure that training de-emphasizes a paramilitary approach to policing.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The City has consistently adopted progressive policies and strategies which emphasize building trust with the community to address crime and quality of life issues. These included changes to the uniform policy to remove military-looking items and expanded outreach programs with dedicated staff assigned to community engagement.

R4b

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

R5b

Law enforcement agencies fund ways to achieve pay equity in the county to limit turnover in smaller communities. Response: Through aggressive contracts with enhancement to pay and benefits, the City has reduced turnover dramatically and is near full-staffing. Pay is one (albeit an important one) element to reducing turnover. Access to different assignments, feeling valued and respected are other significant factors in retaining employees.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Through aggressive contracts with enhancement to pay and benefits, the City has reduced turnover dramatically and is near full-staffing. Pay is one (albeit an important one) element to reducing turnover. Access to different assignments, feeling valued and respected are other significant factors in retaining employees.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The City agrees with the underlying challenge in identifying and removing extremist ideology from law enforcement ranks. RECOMMENDATIONS:

* 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.