Santa Cruz County 2025-2026 - California Grand Jury Reports

June 30, 2025 — Human Trafficking in Santa Cruz County Voices Unheard, Signs Unseen

28 pages 13 findings 10 recommendations

Findings & Recommendations 13 findings

F1: There is currently no consolidated data being collected on Santa Cruz County human trafficking cases. This causes an understatement of the problem and makes it difficult for stakeholders to obtain additional funding.

Related Recommendations (1)

R1: The Department of Human Services should designate a qualified staff member to take the lead in forming a countywide human trafficking coalition, including the District Attorney and the Sheriff’s Office. Members should include stakeholders discussed in this report who are involved in the prevention and interdiction of human trafficking. The focus should include the consolidation of human trafficking data and the procurement of additional funds, potentially to fund law enforcement task forces. This should be completed by December 31, 2025. (F1,F2,F13)

F2: The potential passage of AB 379 may provide grants for the District Attorney’s Office for the prosecution of traffickers and grants for community-based organizations for direct services and victim outreach. This could provide the resources necessary to ultimately reduce human trafficking and reduce the likelihood of victims returning to trafficking.

Related Recommendations (1)

F3: The tri-county CSEC steering committee for the prevention of human trafficking has not met for a full year as of the publication of this report. Therefore, there is no active body that could potentially monitor trafficking cases across the tri-county area.

Related Recommendations (1)

R2: The Program Manager of Family & Child Services should coordinate with Monterey and San Benito County peers for the purpose of reconvening the tri-county Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children steering committee. This team would meet regularly to review and track intercounty human trafficking cases and activity in our region and participate in regional prevention activities. This should be completed by December 31, 2025. (F3)

F4: The County Family & Child Services CSEC-required monthly multidisciplinary team meetings have not been held since November 2023, despite biennial reporting otherwise to the State Department of Social Services. Therefore, known cases of human trafficking have not been properly overseen.

Related Recommendations (1)

R3: The Program Manager of County Family & Child Services should resume and maintain monthly multidisciplinary team meetings, required as a condition of receiving Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children funding, to review ongoing human trafficking cases and discuss other potential cases involving high-risk youth. This should commence by August 31, 2025. (F4)

F5: Staff and administration of the County Office of Education report they are not adequately trained and do not receive regular training regarding human trafficking as required by AB 1227. This is in spite of the fact that free training is available from local providers that could bring COE into compliance if enforced. This deficiency can lead to a failure in the staff’s ability to identify cases of trafficking.

Related Recommendations (1)

R5: The County Office of Education should come into compliance with AB 1227, providing human trafficking-related training, led by survivors, to students and staff as required. This should be completed by February 28, 2026. (F5)

F6: Very few businesses in Santa Cruz County are in compliance with SB 1193 signage requirements. This results in the reduction of community awareness of the problem and the likelihood that trafficking victims will be able to reach out for help.

Related Recommendations (1)

R6: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors should adopt an umbrella countywide ordinance requiring human trafficking signage currently mandated by the State to be part of all existing permitting and licensing procedures for affected businesses. This should be completed by June 30, 2026. (F6)

F7: Existing human trafficking signs at farm worker contractor sites are not readily accessible to farm workers and are in poor condition. This can result in farm workers being unaware of available resources and an inability to reach out for help.

Related Recommendations (1)

R8: The Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner should come into compliance with SB 1193 by ensuring that existing human trafficking signs are refreshed annually. In addition, it should require all farm labor contractors to include the SB 1193 sign in employee handbooks for easy accessibility. A review for compliance should be done on an annual basis. This should commence by September 30, 2025. (F7)

F8: The mix of County and local municipal ordinances regarding the licensing and inspection of massage businesses varies, possibly causing confusion and inconsistent enforcement of existing regulations.

Related Recommendations (1)

R9: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors should adopt a countywide ordinance regulating the licensing, employee certification, and inspection requirements for massage businesses consistent with California Massage Therapy Council certification and licensing requirements. This should be completed by June 30, 2026. (F8)

F9: Annual inspections are required of massage businesses in jurisdictions with massage business ordinances, but inspections are generally not being conducted. This can result in undetected human trafficking activity.

Related Recommendations (1)

R10: Local law enforcement agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office, Santa Cruz Police Department, Scotts Valley Police Department, Capitola Police Department, and Watsonville Police Department, should enforce massage business licensing, certification, and inspection requirements. This should include compliance with SB 1193 signage requirements. Enforcement of existing ordinances should commence by September 30, 2025. However, if/when the Board of Supervisors agrees to the Jury’s recommendation to adopt a countywide ordinance, law enforcement should come into compliance with this new ordinance within 30 days of adoption. (F9)

F10: Calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline on existing signs have unacceptably long wait times and can result in a lost opportunity to assist human trafficking victims.

Related Recommendations (1)

R7: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors should require that county-specific human trafficking awareness and support signs include at least one 24/7 local hotline number, and staff should collaborate with local non-profits providing support to human trafficking victims to develop an effective sign for countywide posting and distribution. This should be completed by June 30, 2026. (F10, F11)

F11: Local nonprofit organizations have 24/7 hotline numbers that are staffed, and calls can be answered immediately or within minutes, greatly increasing the likelihood of contacting victims and providing assistance in real time.

Related Recommendations (1)

F12: There has been a lack of human trafficking presentations to law enforcement. Local law enforcement jurisdictions could request the no-cost training that is available from local human trafficking service providers. This can lead to officers learning to identify human trafficking victims and reduce further victim trauma.

Related Recommendations (1)

R4: Each law enforcement agency in Santa Cruz County, including the Sheriff’s Office, Santa Cruz Police Department, Scotts Valley Police Department, Capitola Police Department, and Watsonville Police Department, should require law enforcement officers to receive an annual human trafficking awareness training, preferably led by human trafficking survivors. This should commence by December 31, 2025. (F12)

F13: Law enforcement task forces focused solely on human trafficking are very effective methods of detecting and preventing human trafficking activities. Such task forces could increase the rate of interdiction and the successful prosecution of human trafficking cases.

Related Recommendations (1)

June 26, 2025 — The Challenges Facing the Management of High-Cost Beneficiaries in the Health Services Agency

25 pages 7 findings 8 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 7 findings

F1: Data: The Health Services Agency has not developed and deployed analytic, data-driven reports to address the financial challenges in managing the Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder services, despite

Related Recommendations (1)

R1: Administrative Integration. The Board of Supervisors recently adopted Operational Plan #91 which calls for establishing a financial plan for the County behavioral Health system by December 31, 2025. Given the urgency of reduced funding, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency should provide a monthly progress report beginning August 1, 2025 to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Operational Plan #91.

F2: Administrative: The Jury finds that many programs, such as the Focus Intervention Team, Integrated Housing And Recovery Team, 24/7 Mobile Crisis Response Team, and Enhanced Care Management, provide critical services to High-Cost Beneficiaries. Although they have overlapping goals there is little to no coordination for tracking clients that receive services from one or more of these programs. The lack of coordination leads to higher costs in an era of shrinking resources.

Related Recommendations (1)

R2: Ongoing External Reporting. Given the urgency of diminishing funding, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency should publish a monthly report on its public website no later than October 1, 2025. The website should summarize patient volumes, cost benchmarks, quality benchmarks, provider productivity, number of patients being tracked for high utilization, and number of patients enrolled in Enhanced Care Management (through the Alliance). An appropriate subset of reports specific to Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder should be provided to the Mental Health Advisory Board beginning October 1, 2025.

F3: Clinical: Santa Cruz County does not have a Level of Care Tool to track and manage High-Cost Beneficiaries. The Central California Alliance for Health does have a Level of Care Tool to track and manage High-Cost Beneficiaries. The parties are partners in the delivery of services and their resources could be leveraged to create a unified Level of Care tool.

Related Recommendations (1)

R3: Ongoing External Reporting: In order to leverage their partnership with the Mental Health Advisory Board (MHAB) and raise public awareness around Behavioral Health in Santa Cruz County, the Health Services Agency and the Central California Alliance for Health should jointly report to the MHAB. Their reporting should occur at least bi-annually starting no later than June 30, 2026. Their report should discuss their collaborative efforts towards implementing a LoC tool, their progress towards developing value-based financing and should include Year-to-Date statistics on HCBs.

F4: Administrative: Santa Cruz County programs and resources for High-Cost Beneficiaries, and all Health Services Agency behavioral health and substance use disorder services, are siloed and fragmented across HSA departments and contract providers. For example, clinical, financial, and operational benchmarks are not being used to report the cost of services and track patient acuity. As new programs are being developed, the financial, operational, and administrative targets are not established in advance or integrated into operations. County and Alliance collaboration and coordination can pave the way to overcome fragmentation.

Related Recommendations (1)

R4: Ongoing External Reporting: At least bi-annually beginning no later than September 30, 2025, Health Services Agency (HSA) and the Central California Alliance for Health (Alliance) should meet jointly with Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO). The meeting agenda should include a review of the data HSA and the Alliance submit to SCHIO and the SCHIO data and reporting features that HSA and the Alliance use. The goal is to leverage their partnership and better integrate the dissemination of accurate information to health care professionals and law enforcement about the treatment and needs of their clients. The outcome of the meeting should be reported to the Mental Health Advisory Board.

F5: Data, Clinical & Administrative: The Central California Alliance for Health (Alliance) has substantial financial reserves, and Santa Cruz County has seats on the governing board of the Alliance. Clinical, financial and operational collaboration between these agencies, who are both insurers and providers, needs to be better coordinated and integrated at all levels to improve treatment and outcomes for all clients.

Related Recommendations (1)

R5: Clinical Integration. Annually, beginning January 1, 2026, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency and the Central California Alliance for Health should review, align, and jointly publish their aligned clinical and program delivery methods and goals for all levels of Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder patients.

F6: Administrative: The Jury finds that the Serving Communities Health Information Organization and the Mental Health Advisory Board partnerships with Santa Cruz County could be better leveraged to have greater impact on Behavioral Health. Failure to leverage these partnerships results in missed opportunities to coordinate programs and services.

Related Recommendations (1)

R6: Administrative, Financial & Clinical. By July 1, 2026, the Santa Cruz Health Services Agency and the Central California Alliance for Health should have a shared database and shared criteria for identifying potential High-Cost Beneficiaries. This Level of Care tool should track costs, services, and outcomes for not only Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder High-Cost Beneficiaries, but for all clients. The following California Health Care Foundation brief provides a starting point for building a more integrated system of care over the long term: Better Integrate Physical and Behavioral Health Care.

F7: Compassion: Throughout the Grand Jury investigation, the Jury found that the staff and leadership of the Health Services Agency, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, and the Central California Alliance for Health are compassionate in the treatment of people experiencing behavioral health or substance use disorder. Patients are treated with dignity and respect, despite sometimes difficult conditions.

Related Recommendations (1)

R7: Administrative Integration. The Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency and the Central California Alliance for Health should develop a seamless administrative process that uses standardized and shared data, reports and goals. No later than December 31, 2026, a report shall be submitted to the respective governing boards outlining the processes established to integrate network management, provider payment, and data collection and reporting.

Additional Recommendations 1

Not linked to specific findings.

R8: Financial Integration. On or before July 1, 2027, the County Health Services Agency and the Central California Alliance for Health should report to their respective governing boards the steps they have taken towards financial integration of all behavioral health services and substance use services using a value based financing process. Braiding Medicaid Funds described in the August 2024 Brief from the California Health Care Foundation provides a framework for achieving this necessary integration.

June 23, 2025 — Navigating the Building Permit Process Again “Site Plans, Septics, and Plan Checks, oh my!”

24 pages 10 findings 8 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 10 findings

F1: Excessive delays in the building permit process increase costs to applicants in cash, time, and frustration.

Related Recommendations (2)

R1: The BoS should have staff review best practices from other jurisdictions and then select strategies that will reduce costs and delays in our county’s Permitting Services by January 1, 2026. (F1, F2, F7, F8)

R8: Santa Cruz County BoS should direct the Building Department and any other relevant departments to review the State code parameters that allow county adjustments for building permit fees and find the least-cost, least-delay alternative. Anything that can be free should be free. This recommendation should be accomplished by Jan 1, 2026. (F1, F2, F3)

F2: The permitting process has become so detailed and intricate that it often requires applicant homeowners to hire professionals to make submissions, thus increasing cost and time.

Related Recommendations (4)

R2: The BoS should direct staff to adopt software that removes barriers to applicants and is comprehensive to all departments. The software should flag any permits that have been unaddressed for longer than two weeks to avoid application delays. This recommendation should be accomplished by January 1, 2026. (F7,

R5: Santa Cruz County should develop a plan to educate the population about different permit types to reduce illegal builds through staff participation in community events, newspaper articles and/or other Unified Permit Center media involvements by Jan 1, 2026. (F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F10)

F3: Homeowners are often unaware that ordinary household maintenance requires a permit, leading them to unknowingly have the work performed illegally.

Related Recommendations (3)

R6: Santa Cruz County should establish a walk-up front desk service four hours per workday to assist home-owners, non-building professionals and small contractors navigate the permit process. This service should be posted on the website, implemented by Jan 1, 2026. (F3, F4, F5, F10)

F4: Some people willfully ignore obtaining a building permit because they think it's too costly, it takes too long, or they think they can’t get the improvement they want by obeying the law.

Related Recommendations (2)

F5: Ignoring obtaining building permits causes a loss of revenue for the County, both in one-time fees from permits and, more importantly, in ongoing tax revenue from improved property.

Related Recommendations (2)

F6: Professionals in the county can be difficult to find for a project because the permitting process is so difficult.

Related Recommendations (1)

F7: Applicants have a hard time tracking their project’s progress because applications are not tracked end-to-end by permitting software.

Related Recommendations (3)

R3: The County of Santa Cruz should separate the Ombudsman duties from Manager of Unified Permit Center resulting in two separate positions: a full-time, dedicated Ombudsman and a full-time Manager. The resulting new staff position should be filled by June 1, 2026. (F7, F8)

R4: The Ombudsman function should be clearly identified and publicized to make the public aware of the additional customer services that position provides. This recommendation should be accomplished by June 1, 2026. (F7, F8)

F8: The services of an Ombudsman could be utilized by tradespeople and homeowners to make the permitting process smoother and less costly.

Related Recommendations (3)

F9: The BFCA Board was disbanded, and the Appeals process, as currently constructed, is little known, not staffed by trade professionals, and therefore an ineffective means for resolving disputed decisions.

Related Recommendations (1)

R7: Santa Cruz County BoS should reconvene the Building and Fire Code Appeals Board, populated by seasoned building professionals, to adjudicate permit disputes quickly, publicly, and professionally, and with less cost. This recommendation should be accomplished by Jan 1, 2026. (F9)

F10: The DIYer and the small contractors need the support and/or instant answers they get from a knowledgeable staff person at the counter. However that service no longer exists.

Related Recommendations (2)

June 18, 2025 — Handcuffing and Transport Can Watsonville Police Reduce Trauma?

17 pages 10 findings 6 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 10 findings

F1: While handcuffing is discretionary, Watsonville Department police officers tend to overuse handcuffing, even when a person is released at the scene.

Related Recommendations (1)

R3: The Watsonville Police Department should update training materials and provide training around handcuffing discretion so that more individuals are released on the scene without being handcuffed. This should be completed by December 31, 2025. (F1)

F2: The WPD handcuffs and transports a much higher percentage of misdemeanor violators to department headquarters than other law enforcement agencies within the County.

Related Recommendations (1)

R1: The Watsonville Police Department should update training materials and provide additional training about cite and release, so that more individuals are released in the field, and thereby reducing the number of people transported to Watsonville Police Headquarters. This should be completed by June 30, 2026. (F2, F3)

F3: All local law enforcement agencies handcuff individuals transported to police departments, hospitals, sobering centers, or the County jail.

Related Recommendations (1)

F4: In Watsonville, second or third breath testing is done at the Police Department, requiring handcuffing for transport. If more breath testing were done in the field, fewer people would be transported to the WPD.

Related Recommendations (1)

R4: The Watsonville Police Department should install in every patrol car a certified breath testing apparatus so that multiple breath tests are completed in the field and fewer DUI misdemeanors are transported to WPD. This should be completed by December 31, 2025. (F4)

F5: De-escalation training reduces the use of force, including handcuffing.

Related Recommendations (1)

R2: While the WPD does include de-escalation training in some courses, the Watsonville Police Department should require all officers to take the Police Officer Standards and Training De-escalation Training by June 30, 2026. (F5, F9)

F6: Instead of “Protect and Serve”, Watsonville Police say their motto is now "Protect the Vulnerable From Harm." The WPD also says “everybody is treated with dignity and respect,” and they treat everyone “like they're your own family member.”

F7: The WPD has a lower retention rate of officers with more than five years of experience.

Related Recommendations (1)

R5: The Watsonville City Council should add incentives and raise officer total compensation for those with experience of zero to 15 years by 10% to 30% to reduce attrition, especially in regards to those officers with more than five years of experience. This should be completed by June 30, 2027. (F7, F8, F9)

F8: The WPD salaries are at least 17% lower than the San Jose Police Department salaries.

Related Recommendations (1)

F9: Officers with more years of service in the department have better relationships with the community and more experience in de-escalation, leading to fewer negative interactions.

Related Recommendations (3)

R6: The Watsonville Police Department should institute quarterly meetings with community groups to strengthen relationships with the community. These meetings should begin by October 1, 2025. (F9)

F50: POST. January 1, 2020. “DE-ESCALATION Strategies & Techniques FOR CALIFORNIA LAW ENFORCEMENT.” POST. Accessed February 5, 2025. https://post.ca.gov/Portals/0/post_docs/publications/DeEscalation.pdf 51. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 52. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 53. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 54. California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. December 31, 2020. “Deescalation Strategies and Techniques for California Law Enforcement.” POST Website. Accessed March 7, 2025. https://post.ca.gov/Portals/0/post_docs/publications/DeEscalation.pdf 55. CalPERS. August 12, 2024. “Pension Reform Impacts.” CalPERS. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://www.calpers.ca.gov/employers/policies-and-procedures/pension-reform-i mpacts#:~:text=The%20California%20Public%20Employees'%20Pension,'%20R etirement%20Law%20(PERL). 56. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 57. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 58. National Testing Network. July 16, 2024. “Watsonville Police Department Job Information.” National Testing Network Website. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/fullJobDetails.cfm?agencyjobi d=1192&jobid=1&agentid=745 59. County of Santa Cruz Personnel Department. February 26, 2025. “Santa Cruz County Government - Job Salary Schedule.” County of Santa Cruz Personnel Department. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://www2.santacruzcountyca.gov/personnel/salsched/OccCdDisp.asp?OccDe sc=LAW%20ENFORCEMENT%20*%20RELATED%20%20%20%20%20%20%2 0%20%20%20%20%20 60. San Jose Police Department Recruitment. January 1, 2025. “Salaries, Benefits, Pension.” San Jose Police Department Website. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://www.sjpdyou.com/for-applicants/additional-information/salary-benefits-pen sion#:~:text=Salary%20*%20Paid%20Academy%20training%20for%20Police,Pl us%202nd%20and%203rd%20watch%20shift%20differential. 61. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 62. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 63. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 64. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 65. Atlas of Surveillance. March 28, 2019. “Watsonville Police Department: Body-worn Cameras.” Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. Accessed March 7, 2025. https://atlasofsurveillance.org/a/aos000151-watsonville-police-department-body- worn-cameras 66. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 67. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 68. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 69. WYSM. January 1, 2025. “From Duty to Desire. Leadership and empowerment training for first responders and the community..” WYSM (Why'd You Stop Me?) Website. Accessed February 21, 2025. https://wysm.org/ 70. Confidential Grand Jury interview. 71. Confidential Grand Jury interview. Websites https://post.ca.gov/ https://www.watsonville.gov/2324/Police https://shf.santacruzcountyca.gov/

June 17, 2025 — Honoring Commitments to the Public Looking Back at 2022-2023 Civil Grand Jury Recommendations and Actions Taken by

24 pages 7 findings 18 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 7 findings

F1: The City of Watsonville does not have an Incident Response Plan. Funds have been identified in the city IT budget, and a vendor has been selected. In April 2025, the kickoff for this project begins. Items covered in the project are an incident response plan, playbooks, training, and cybersecurity scenarios that test the incident response plan. Envisioning the Future of Our Jails

Related Recommendations (1)

R1: The City of Watsonville should develop a formal Incident Response Plan with sufficient detail to serve as a guide in the event of a cyber attack. They should complete the plan by October 31, 2025. (F1) Envisioning the Future of Our Jails

F2: The Blaine Street Women’s Jail was reopened May 19, 2023. Incarcerated persons earn the privilege to move from the Main Jail to this minimum security women’s facility.

F3: The “S” unit of Rountree detention center was re-opened in March 2025.

F4: The County issued a Request for Proposal for a needs assessment and received two proposals. The County states that due to cost they will not complete the Needs Assessment for the Jail. Code Compliance Division - Out of Compliance

Related Recommendations (2)

R2: In the next budget cycle, the County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors should include the funds to complete the Needs Assessment for the jails. The goal of this assessment is to determine the most effective use of the three jails and any modifications to existing facilities needed to house the expected jail population into the future. The Needs Assessment for the Jails should be completed by October 31, 2026. (F4) Code Compliance Division - Out of Compliance

R4: “The policies and procedures manuals for the Planning Department and Code Compliance Department should be completely reviewed, updated as prescribed in the policy and procedures manual, and digitized. Each section should be dated, and all future revisions should include date markings for any changes. This process should be completed by the end of 2023.” IN PROGRESS 🔁 Expected completion in 2026 The Code Compliance Manual was reviewed and fully revised for clarity in June 2024. It is available online.[58] In 2022-23, the Planning Department and Public Works Department were integrated to form the Community Development and Infrastructure Department. Since combining these departments, “an effort has been underway to review the policies and procedures of both departments in order to update and create a single set applicable to the whole department. Due to multiple reviews, including reviews by Personnel and the Union, (the county expects) this effort to take another year before it is ready for distribution.”[59] _______________________________________________________________

F5: The Code Compliance Policies and Procedures Manual was reviewed and fully revised for clarity in June 2024. It is available online.

Related Recommendations (1)

R5: “By Fall 2023, Santa Cruz should identify and implement creative approaches to hiring and retention so they can maintain a fully staffed IT Department despite the competition with surrounding counties. The City should investigate potential partnerships with one or more of the 18 California colleges and universities with National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity.” DONE ✅ The City of Santa Cruz has implemented innovative hiring and retention strategies, resulting in IT vacancy rates consistently remaining between 0% and 5% since Fall 2023. They are conducting targeted outreach through professional networks such as the Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC), while also supporting internship and mentorship programs to develop local talent and strengthen career pipelines.[18] [19] _______________________________________________________________

F6: There is no evidence that the Policies and Procedures Manual for the Planning Department is updated and available online.

Related Recommendations (2)

R3: The recently formed Community Development and Infrastructure Department (CDI) should review the policies and procedures of both the Public Works and Planning Departments and create a single set applicable to the whole CDI. Each section should be dated, and all future revisions should include date markings for any changes. This set of policies and procedures should be completed by the CDI and posted online by April 30, 2026. (F6, F7)

R6: “By Fall 2023, the City of Santa Cruz should assign one individual responsible for cybersecurity. Adoption of a managed service provider arrangement will boost its security posture, although it does not eliminate the need for a dedicated security lead within the City's IT Department.” DONE ✅ The City of Santa Cruz has expanded its IT Department staff from 23 to 26 full-time positions, including the addition of a Cybersecurity IT Manager. This senior-level management role is responsible for developing, enhancing, and overseeing the City's cybersecurity initiatives, significantly strengthening its overall security posture.[18] [19] _______________________________________________________________

F7: In 2022-23, the Planning Department and Public Works Department were integrated to form the Community Development and Infrastructure Department. Since combining these departments, there is an effort underway to create a single set of policies and procedures, applicable to the whole department.

Related Recommendations (2)

R7: “By the end of 2023 or sooner, the City of Santa Cruz should develop and implement a Cybersecurity Plan that encompasses all aspects of information security.” DONE ✅ The City of Santa Cruz has developed and published a comprehensive Cybersecurity Plan, detailing all aspects of information security. This plan is reviewed and updated annually by the Cybersecurity IT Manager to ensure continued effectiveness and alignment with best practices.[18]

Additional Recommendations 11

Not linked to specific findings.

R8: “By the end of 2023 or sooner, the City should complete an Incident Response Plan with sufficient detail for city officials to use as a step-by-step guide in the event of a cyber incident.” DONE ✅ The City of Santa Cruz has successfully created and published a detailed Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan. The plan outlines the designated Incident Response Team and their roles/responsibilities, a step-by-step guide for handling cyber incidents, and annual reviews and updates led by the Cybersecurity IT Manager to ensure ongoing relevance and alignment with best practices.[18] C) 2023 Recommendations for the City of Watsonville

R10: “Watsonville should conduct an evaluation of its recently expanded IT Department, critical IT upgrades, and the status of cybersecurity measures by the end of 2023. Based on this assessment, the City should allocate existing or newly identified resources to ensure cybersecurity is adequately addressed going forward.” DONE ✅ The City did an evaluation of its IT Department, approved a position reclassification, and hired staff to focus on cybersecurity as a major job function. All cyber issues in Watsonville are handled by their IT Department, which reports directly to the City Manager. Additionally, in December 2024 the city hired a Deputy City Manager who works closely with the IT Department.[20] [21] [22] [23] _______________________________________________________________

R11: “Given the size of Watsonville, the City should have a dedicated position for cybersecurity by the end of 2023, to ensure adherence to best practices, mitigation of potential threats, and education of city staff and leadership.” DONE ✅ A position reclassification was approved and staff have been hired to focus on cybersecurity as a major job function. The IT Department has a dedicated position, Cybersecurity IT Analyst, who reports directly to the IT Director. In adhering to best practices, the approach taken by the IT Department is that cybersecurity is an ongoing program.[23] [24] [25]

R12: “By early 2024 or sooner, Watsonville should prepare and implement a Cybersecurity Plan that addresses all of the best practices for strong cyber hygiene.” DONE ✅ The City of Watsonville worked with other local agencies and the County and created a Cybersecurity Plan in September 2023.[23] [26] [27]

R13: “By early 2024 or sooner, Watsonville should prepare and implement an Incident Response Plan with sufficient detail to serve as a guide in the event of a cyber attack.” IN PROGRESS 🔜 Expected completion in 2025 The City of Watsonville applied for and was awarded a State and Local Government Cybersecurity grant. This is a federal grant, and the funding status is unknown at this time. However, funds have been identified in the city’s IT budget, and a vendor has been selected. The project kickoff begins in April 2025, and includes an incident response plan, playbooks, and training. A training exercise will be conducted where the participants engage in a simulated, discussion-based activity that tests the incident response plan. Team members discuss their roles and responses to a simulated emergency or crisis to identify gaps in plans and procedures. The Incident Response Plan should be completed in the summer of 2025.[4] [23] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] _______________________________________________________________

R14: “Upon completion of IT structural upgrades and a higher level of cyber maturity, and by the end of 2023, Watsonville should participate in local, regional, and state information sharing initiatives.” DONE ✅ Along with participation in the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC) and Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), the City subscribes to California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) information sharing. The City of Watsonville IT Department is involved and participates regularly in the Cybersecurity Consortium, led by the ISD of Santa Cruz County. Watsonville’s IT Director meets regularly with the CISO of the County.[23] [33] [34] [35] [36] D) 2023 Recommendations for the City of Scotts Valley

R16: “Working with its IT contractor, by Fall 2023, Scotts Valley should write and implement a Cybersecurity Plan that is shared with all city officials to demonstrate comprehensive security measures and executive-level cyber threat awareness.” DONE ✅ In September 2023, the City of Scotts Valley created a Cyber/Information Security Plan. This plan is intended to be updated as new cybersecurity threats and advancements progress.[37] [38]

R17: “By Fall 2023, Scotts Valley should write an Incident Response Plan that clearly delineates the steps it will take in response to a cyber attack, the responsibilities of identified officials, and the coordination required with state and federal officials for each type and level of cyber attack.” DONE ✅ In November 2023, the City of Scotts Valley created a very detailed Cyber Incident Response Plan. This plan establishes City-Wide cyber incident response capability including the formation of the City of Scotts Valley Cyber-Incident ResponseTeam (CIRT). The document details the specifics outlined in the recommendation along with contact information for the CIRT, Cyber Best Practices, and Guidelines to Follow for various types of incidents.[38] [39] _______________________________________________________________

R18: “Scotts Valley should participate in local, regional, and state cybersecurity organizations for information sharing by the end of 2023.” DONE ✅ The City of Scotts Valley participates regularly in the regional Cybersecurity Consortium. The CISO of the County, who leads the Consortium, is part of CCISDA, a very strong IT coalition within the state of California. The City of Scotts Valley and participants of the Consortium benefit from leveraging CCISDA’s collective experiences and a robust level of information sharing.[8] [15] [16] [40] [41] E) 2023 Recommendations for the City of Capitola

R21: “Capitola should establish and implement a Cybersecurity Plan by the end of 2023. Several resources exist to provide a foundation or templates for these plans including NIST Guidelines, CISA resources, and Cal-CSIC guidance.” DONE ✅ The City of Capitola issued a Cybersecurity Plan in September 2023.[42] [43] _______________________________________________________________

R22: “By Fall 2023 Capitola should prepare an Incident Response Plan that provides detailed guidance for a city response to a cyber attack.” DONE ✅ The City of Capitola issued an Incident Response Plan in 2023 and updated the plan as recently as October 2024.[44] 2. Envisioning the Future of Our Jails Santa Cruz County is a compassionate community. The Prior Jury published a report challenging the Sheriff’s Department to improve the treatment and safety of jail inmates living with mental illness and to develop innovative and effective post-release reentry programs. The question was posed, “In the real world, with the funding constraints in this County, what is the best solution to both the aging Main Jail and to the distressingly high recidivism rate?” The Current Jury followed up on the 2023 Recommendations and evaluated the actions taken and determined current dispositions. 2023 Recommendations

June 02, 2025 — “Climate Action” Demands Outreach

14 pages 7 findings 3 recommendations

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Findings & Recommendations 7 findings

F1: The County’s need for Outreach to raise awareness of passenger vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals is not being addressed by staff in significant ways.

Related Recommendations (2)

R1: The Board of Supervisors should assign an office to own the task of proactive Outreach related to the CAAP. This assignment can either be County-only or in coordination with other agencies and local counties. (For example, working with MBARD or putting flyers into residents’ utility bills.) Completion date: January 31, 2026. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7)

R3: When the County spends money or staff time on any climate efforts addressing the state-mandated CAAP, the Board of Supervisors should ensure these actions are publicized to inspire and inform the taxpaying citizens. Completion date: within 90 days of any significant expenditure. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F7)

F2: Responsibility for the County’s Outreach efforts isn’t clearly defined. Even interested citizens have trouble finding updates.

Related Recommendations (2)

F3: The County Staff and the Commission on the Environment (COE) charged with reporting to superiors (i.e., Board of Supervisors) don’t stay current in publicly publishing their actions regarding the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP).

Related Recommendations (3)

R2: The Board of Supervisors should require OR3 to update all public-facing websites every quarter and post on their social media to reflect the CAAP actions being taken within the County offices. Completion date: October 1, 2025, and ongoing. (F3, F4, F5, F7)

F4: Staff charged with instigating/tracking/coordinating efforts required by the CAAP do not consider public Outreach part of their task.

Related Recommendations (3)

F5: Money was spent to create progress trackers on the CAAP Storymap Website, but no one is updating the progress.

Related Recommendations (3)

F6: Money has been spent to create another interactive website (Resilient Santa Cruz) for the interested citizen, but that website is not being publicized, and the modest participation goals have not been met.

Related Recommendations (1)

F7: County web pages and social media specifically created for reporting to the public have been allowed to languish and are not populated with recent news items on CAAP goal progress.

Related Recommendations (3)