Yolo County Grand Jury

2025-2026

4 reports

Findings & Recommendations 8 findings
F1: The failure to provide funding sufficient to keep pace with the increase in intake and service calls has resulted in inadequate housing for animals.
F2: The YCAS facility places a great deal of reliance on volunteers for day-to-day operations. Volunteers are often trained by other volunteers. Staffing for the busiest operational days (Saturdays) is often facilitated through volunteers.
F3: YCAS’s use of an outdated policy manual and lack of standard operating procedures had led to the lack of a formal hands-on training program has resulted in inadequate training for some volunteers.
F4: The lack of weekday evening and Sunday availability is a disincentive to potential adopters who may have difficulty visiting on weekdays or during the limited Saturday hours. Although hours are being expanded on Tuesday evening, adoption hours have not been expanded based on the website.
F5: Staff have made progress in implementing some of the recommendations from last year’s Grand Jury report, such as improvements to the website, highlighting volunteer opportunities, and receipt of the “Clinic in a Can” unit for medical activities, however the unit is still not operational.
F6: YCAS’s emphasis on outreach to the cities of Woodland and Davis has resulted in nearly 40% of the county’s population being neglected when it comes to animal care education, adoption events, and spay/neuter and vaccine clinics.
F7: YCAS’s lack of a formal volunteer recognition program and their failure to foster and encourage staff-volunteer interaction has resulted in poor coordination of volunteer activities, inadequate training of volunteers, and poor volunteer morale.
F8: YCAS’s failure to verify County employment conflicts for volunteers may have violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. RECOMMENDATIONS The Grand Jury makes the following recommendations:
Additional Recommendations 10

Not linked to specific findings.

R1: The Yolo County Board of Supervisors should increase funding for YCAS to keep pace with Yolo County population growth and the number of animals received at the facility.
R2: The Department of Community Services should prioritize planning, expedite permitting coordination, and the completion of infrastructure for the “Clinic in a Can” to be operational to provide a more modern facility for spay/neuter operations by December 31, 2026.
R3: YCAS staff should implement the new Policy and Operations Manual, currently the manual preparation is in progress and expected for completion in Mid-April. As of May 12, 2026, it has yet to be released. YCAS staff should implement comprehensive training of staff and volunteers on the manual by November 30, 2026.
R4: The YCAS facility should schedule an adequate number of paid employees working on the weekend, to serve the community for animal adoptions, increase adoptions, and reduce the length of stay for animals.
R5: YCAS should expand weekend and evening hours, opening on Sunday, with appropriate YCAS staff, supported by volunteers, and expand some evening hours, as appropriate, particularly in the Summer, to increase the ability for adoptions to occur more quickly. The facility should consider closing to the public on a weekday, rather than Sundays.
R6: YCAS should develop better ways to foster interaction among volunteers and between volunteers and staff. Examples may include: • Providing a regular newsletter aimed at both staff and volunteers, that presents information about the shelter, staff and policy changes, and volunteer activities. • Maintaining a suggestion box, paper or online, that can be used anonymously • Conducting regular meetings of staff and volunteers who perform the same duties, e.g., dog walkers, kennel cleaners, kitten socializers. These may include a combination of general discussion and volunteer training. • Encouraging use of the WhatsApp channel by both volunteers and staff to keep everyone updated on latest information.
R7: YCAS should develop a program to formally recognize volunteers and their achievements. Examples based on efforts that have been successful for other similar programs include: • Annual volunteer appreciation events. • Recognition of volunteer milestones such as hours worked, years of volunteering, or becoming a Purple Paw. These could include a certificate, a pin, or mention in a newsletter or social media. • Recognition of personal milestones such as birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc. • Photo Identification, laminated badges with lanyards for those who work directly with the public. • Showcasing individual volunteers on social media, in newsletter, or at adoption events. • Providing volunteers with free or at-cost items such as T-shirts or caps. • Nominating volunteers for local volunteering awards, such as the Yolo Community Foundation’s Philanthropy Awards. • Having an on-site bulletin board for posting information for and about volunteers.
R8: YCAS should verify that employees who are also serving as volunteers are not in conflict with the Fair Labor Standards Act.
R9: YCAS should work to include the city of West Sacramento in education and outreach programs. Suggestions include: • Work with the city and the private sector to hold spay/neuter and vaccination clinics in suitable locations in the city, e.g., Sutter Health Park parking lots, and local schools. • Work with local animal-related businesses, restaurants and outdoor venues to hold adoption events. • Work with local schools and colleges to recruit volunteers. • Have Animal Control officers participate in the Arthur Turner Library Trucktopia which showcases public & private sector vehicles. • Develop outreach programs to recruit people willing to foster animals. • Explore partnering with professional baseball teams, e.g., River Cats and/or Athletics on educational and other outreach events.
R10: Identify opportunities to do education and outreach in rural areas. This could include: • Identify local events where YCAS or volunteers could participate and provide educational materials. • Identify local locations for posting educational materials, such as libraries or post offices. COMMENDATION The partner organizations and volunteers who support the YCAS should be commended for their tireless work and dedication toward improving the current situation at the shelter. The volunteers are often relied upon for the daily needs of the animals which would likely not be met for such things as daily walks. Without the support of the volunteers at the facility and the overall spirit of volunteerism found within the community, the animals would be largely impacted. The shelter management has been successful in obtaining $337,000 in grant funding toward the “Clinic in a Can” program to facilitate veterinary care at the shelter. The “Clinic in a Can” has now been delivered and will include a surgery suite, recovery pad, wet table, exhaust fan. That said, prior to use, the “Clinic in a Can” still needs to be installed at the site, including the installation of necessary infrastructure, which YCAS is facilitating in concert with the Department of Community Services. The 2024-2024 Grand Jury found that the shelter’s process for signing up new volunteers was cumbersome, unresponsive, and ineffective. YCAS has launched a new website, www.yoloshelter.org which includes information about the shelter and adoption, as well as a new online portal for volunteer registration. However, the volunteer registration page does not link to the actual volunteer website, which has much more information about volunteer opportunities, volunteer duties, and volunteer sign up. Hours of operation of the shelter have been extended to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, per the recent March 24 Board presentation which is helpful. However, as of April 6, 2026, the expanded hours were not reflected on the website which shows the following for adoptions: Monday thru Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for dogs, and Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for cats. The Grand Jury understands that the shelter is overwhelmed and understaffed, and we are thankful to all for the ongoing dedication to the animals by the staff, volunteers, and partners who continue to contribute to the well-being of the animals at the shelter. RESPONSES Recommendations from a Civil Grand Jury are not binding on the public agency being investigated. However, the governing body of any entity must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations within 90 days of report issuance, and an elected official or agency head must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations within 60 days. The next year’s Civil Grand Jury may then evaluate and report on the required responses. 8.1 REQUIRED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code sections 933(c) and 933.05, the following response are required from the following elected county officials within 90 days of receipt of this report: Entity Findings Recommendations Yolo County Board of Supervisors F1-8 R1-10 8.2 INVITED RESPONSES The Grand Jury invites the following staff members to respond within 60 days of receipt of this report: Entity Findings Recommendations Director of Yolo County Department of F1-8 R1-10 Community Services Director of Yolo County Animal Services F1-8 R1-10 Yolo County Administrative Officer F1-2 R1-2 Responses must be submitted to the presiding judge of the Yolo County Superior Court in accordance with the provisions of Penal Code section 933.05. Responses must include the information required by section 933.05. ACRONYMS TERM DESCRIPTION BOARD Yolo County Board of Supervisors CAO Yolo County Administrator’s Office HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning JPA Joint Powers Authority LAFCO Local Area Formation Commission PAWS Pet Adoption and Wellness Services RFI Notice of Request for Information SPCA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals TNR Trap-Neuter-Return UCD University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine YCAS Yolo County Animal Services YASPA Yolo Animal Services Planning Agency 10
Findings & Recommendations 6 findings
F1: Correctional officer hiring and staffing is still a serious challenge for MDF.
F2: The MDF should have 120 officers; at the time of inspection, they had 98. At a follow-up meeting in May 2025, they had 94 correctional officers due to a handful of recent retirements. They currently have 95 (soon to be 97) correctional officers.
F3: Due to the staffing shortage, there is a still quite a lot of forced overtime.
F4: Understaffing at the MDF is creating the need to release inmates because the jail has reached capacity. Per MDF leadership, and the previous Grand Jury report, in 2024, a total of 18 individuals were released under the consent decree. In 2025 this number dropped to 6. The individuals released were in different stages of their court proceedings or serving time when released. The individuals released were determined to be the most suitable for release based on the consent decree criteria. (Re: Yolo County Jail NA (E.D. Cal.) | Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse)
F5: Applying for the correctional officer position is a long process. The county has improved on the time it takes for the application process but still loses candidates to other surrounding counties with higher pay.
F6: The pay scale for the Yolo County correctional officer continues to be lower compared to other adjacent counties. RECOMMENDATIONS The Grand Jury makes the following recommendations:
Additional Recommendations 1

Not linked to specific findings.

R1: While the Yolo County application process for correctional officers has been updated and streamlined, the 2025-26 Grand Jury suggests finding even more, innovative ways, to speed up the process. COMMENDATION 6.1 MONROE DETENTION FACILITY: The facility is clean and orderly, and the care of the incarcerated persons appears humane and thoughtful. MDF staff is doing a good job despite the staffing challenges. The Grand Jury, once again, found that the programs director is very passionate about his role and works tirelessly to provide incarcerated persons access to education and enrichment and continues to search for useful programs for all the incarcerated persons in the facility. 6.2 JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER: A commendation for the excellent educational opportunities that are provided – both high school and college curriculum. The JDC staffing levels are good, especially with the low number of wards. The JDC staffing levels continue to be at a good level and the staff appears dedicated to working with the wards and continue to come up with innovative programs to keep the wards engaged 7 RESPONSES Recommendations from a Civil Grand Jury are not binding on the public agency being investigated. However, the governing body of any entity must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations within 90 days of report issuance, and an elected official or agency head must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations within 60 days. The next year’s Civil Grand Jury may then evaluate and report on the required responses. 7.1 REQUIRED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code sections 933(c) and 933.05, the following responses are required from the following elected county officials within 90 days of receipt of this report: Entity Findings Recommendations Yolo County Board of Supervisors F1-6 R1 Yolo County Sheriff’s Office F1-6 R1 Responses must be submitted to the presiding judge of the Yolo County Superior Court in accordance with the provisions of Penal Code section 933.05. Responses must include the information required by Penal Code section 933.05.
Findings & Recommendations 20 findings
F1: Illegal fireworks businesses operated in Yolo County in violation of County ordinances for many years.
F2: Enforcement of those ordinances would have prevented death and destruction from the Esparto fireworks explosion. 4.2 YOLO COUNTY FIRE DISTRICTS
F3: Yolo County Fire Districts do not have the resources to provide fire prevention programs to their communities, nor provide sufficient training for district chiefs and firefighters.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1: Beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year, create the position of Yolo County Fire Warden, to: a. Establish a fire prevention and inspection program in the unincorporated portions of the County; b. Facilitate cooperation and communication among the County Fire Districts, and provide consistent and continued training to develop expertise and accountability among Fire District Chiefs; c. Act as the County’s liaison with appropriate State and Federal agencies.
F4: Yolo County Fire Districts lack the ability to coordinate activities with other County districts.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1: Beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year, create the position of Yolo County Fire Warden, to: a. Establish a fire prevention and inspection program in the unincorporated portions of the County; b. Facilitate cooperation and communication among the County Fire Districts, and provide consistent and continued training to develop expertise and accountability among Fire District Chiefs; c. Act as the County’s liaison with appropriate State and Federal agencies.
R7: Request Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to revisit its July 28, 2022 Municipal Services Review (MSR) for fire protection agencies and initiate where feasible a process for joining adjacent fire districts. a. Request LAFCO evaluate aggregating adjacent fire districts, as suggested in the MSR (July 28, 2022). 5.2 YOLO COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT The 2025-2026 Yolo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors directs the Community Services Department to:
F5: Yolo County Fire Districts lack the ability to coordinate with other County, State, and Federal agencies. 4.3 YOLO COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Related Recommendations (2)
R1: Beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year, create the position of Yolo County Fire Warden, to: a. Establish a fire prevention and inspection program in the unincorporated portions of the County; b. Facilitate cooperation and communication among the County Fire Districts, and provide consistent and continued training to develop expertise and accountability among Fire District Chiefs; c. Act as the County’s liaison with appropriate State and Federal agencies.
R7: Request Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to revisit its July 28, 2022 Municipal Services Review (MSR) for fire protection agencies and initiate where feasible a process for joining adjacent fire districts. a. Request LAFCO evaluate aggregating adjacent fire districts, as suggested in the MSR (July 28, 2022). 5.2 YOLO COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT The 2025-2026 Yolo County Grand Jury recommends that the Board of Supervisors directs the Community Services Department to:
F6: The Community Services Department lacks appropriate formal training programs for new employees. Instead, instruction is provided informally via on-the-job mentoring.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2: Direct the County Community Services Department to establish an enhanced professional ethics training program to be delivered to all Community Services staff annually, that emphasizes: a. the employee’s responsibility to protect public safety; b. recognizing and reporting on potential public safety hazards; and c. identifying and reporting potential zoning violations.
R3: Direct the County Community Services Department to provide annual training covering the County Code of Ordinances to relevant employees in the following divisions: Planning, Building, Code Enforcement, and Environmental Health. The training shall focus on the employees’ responsibilities for enforcement of codes under their purview. The training content should include pertinent sections of the following codes: a. County Fireworks Ordinance (Chapter 2, Section 4-2) b. County Zoning Code for Rural Home Occupation (Section 8-2.306ab) c. County Agricultural Zoning (Chapter 2, Sections 3) d. California Building Codes 2025 (Volumes 1 and 2, Title 24, Part 2) e. California Fire Code 2025 (Title 24, Part 9)
F7: Community Services Department employees are not trained on a wide variety of County ordinances that would increase public safety and County revenues.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2: Direct the County Community Services Department to establish an enhanced professional ethics training program to be delivered to all Community Services staff annually, that emphasizes: a. the employee’s responsibility to protect public safety; b. recognizing and reporting on potential public safety hazards; and c. identifying and reporting potential zoning violations.
R3: Direct the County Community Services Department to provide annual training covering the County Code of Ordinances to relevant employees in the following divisions: Planning, Building, Code Enforcement, and Environmental Health. The training shall focus on the employees’ responsibilities for enforcement of codes under their purview. The training content should include pertinent sections of the following codes: a. County Fireworks Ordinance (Chapter 2, Section 4-2) b. County Zoning Code for Rural Home Occupation (Section 8-2.306ab) c. County Agricultural Zoning (Chapter 2, Sections 3) d. California Building Codes 2025 (Volumes 1 and 2, Title 24, Part 2) e. California Fire Code 2025 (Title 24, Part 9)
F8: Yolo County lacks an effective electronic system for keeping track of code enforcement cases.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4: Direct the Department of Community Services to develop a monitoring program by December 31, 2026, to: a. use aerial surveys to identify new construction within the unincorporated county; and b. verify that all construction is properly permitted.
F9: Yolo County operational code enforcement procedures are ineffective, and not in a state of control.
Related Recommendations (2)
R4: Direct the Department of Community Services to develop a monitoring program by December 31, 2026, to: a. use aerial surveys to identify new construction within the unincorporated county; and b. verify that all construction is properly permitted.
R8: Document processes for all routine workflows, which should include: a. Process maps showing routine workflows; b. Standard operating procedures; c. Training/qualification programs for procedures and systems; and d. Define expected reasonable timeframes and outcomes for each process step.
F10: Yolo County’s systems are isolated across departments, which impedes effective exchange of specialized information.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6: Starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year, create a full-time position for a County-wide Business Systems Analyst reporting to the County Chief Administrative Officer, with the responsibility of consulting with individual departments to effect operational improvements within the department and across all County services. a. The analyst’s role is to provide the following consultation services to individual departments via short-term (2-4 month) focused assignments, to: i. Assist in documenting processes: current workflows, future workflows, identify gaps, risks, waste, and opportunities for improvement; ii. Assist in the creation of standard operating procedures; iii. Design solutions to operational challenges by recommending system upgrades, or new technologies; iv. Facilitate incremental improvement projects. b. The analyst duties are to provide the following services to the County generally, to: i. Maintain a generalized understanding of all County operations; ii. Facilitate collaboration within and across departments that provide opportunities to improve County services (speed, cost, quality); iii. Work closely with IT teams to oversee the implementation of new systems or enhancements, ensuring effective integration with existing operational procedures; iv. Assist the County in defining functional requirements of digital systems and validate the implemented systems function as intended; v. Act as an intermediary with 3rd party software vendors/developers to evaluate and ensure implemented solutions meet County needs.
F11: Code enforcement activities are sometimes performed without documentation or effective procedures to evaluate the quality of the work and its timely completion.
Related Recommendations (2)
R9: Implement a system for tracking the completion of all routine work, which should include: a. Permanent traceable records of activities performed and decisions made; and b. Enabled auditing of metrics, activities by parcel or agent.
R10: Implement a system for tracking the administration of non-routine work, which should include: a. documenting staff training and certifications. The system should provide training metrics for individual employees and departments; b. reporting and tracking deviations from standard operating procedures or outcomes, with a permanent traceable record of activities performed, expert evaluations, and decisions made; and c. monitoring overall progress of routine workflows, and intervening as necessary to ensure work conforms to standard procedures and expectations. 5.3 YOLO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE The 2025-2026 Yolo County Grand Jury recommends the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office:
F12: The lack of effective code enforcement procedures allows County staff to avoid challenging or uncomfortable cases by selectively prioritizing less critical activities.
Related Recommendations (1)
R12: Ensure appropriate metrics exist that monitor the quantity and type of ordinance violations reported by sworn officers.
F13: The Community Services Department employs only one full-time code enforcement officer to enforce County codes across nearly one thousand square miles of unincorporated Yolo County area. 4.4 YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Related Recommendations (1)
R5: Starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year, augment county code enforcement by: a. one additional full-time employee (FTE) for code enforcement; and b. an additional one-half FTE as a clerical position to maintain and update the code enforcement tracking system.
F14: The Board of Supervisors has encouraged a laissez-faire attitude toward new construction and businesses located in unincorporated areas.
F15: The Board of Supervisors has not provided adequate resources for the enforcement of building and safety codes.
F16: At the time (2022-2023) building permits were issued for the Machado property the following County officials failed to enforce California Fire Code and Yolo County Fireworks Ordinances: a. Department of Community Services Chief Assistant Director b. Principal Planner c. Chief Building Official d. Supervising Hazardous Materials Specialist e. Code Enforcement Officer f. Building Inspector(s) g. Esparto Fire Protection District Chief h. Yolo County Sheriff’s Lieutenant i. Yolo County Sheriff’s Esparto Resident Deputy 4.5 YOLO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
F17: Sheriff deputies failed to enforce Yolo County Fireworks Ordinances.
F18: The Sheriff Lieutenant failed to obtain the required prior approval from the Sheriff for his financial interest in the fireworks business on his property.
Related Recommendations (1)
R16: Prior to approving any outside employment, the Sheriff shall ensure the involved business(s) are compliant with all required local, State, or Federal operating permits. RESPONSES Recommendations from a Civil Grand Jury are not binding on the public agency being investigated. However, the governing body of any entity must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations within 90 days of report issuance, and an elected official or agency head must respond to the Civil Grand Jury findings and recommendations within 60 days. The next year’s Civil Grand Jury may then evaluate and report on the required responses. 6.1 REQUIRED RESPONSES Pursuant to Penal Code section(s) 933(c) and 933.05, the Grand Jury requests responses to its
F19: The Sheriff’s Office does not adequately review the documented outside employment by sworn officers.
Related Recommendations (3)
R13: Review outside employment policies with all Sheriff’s Office employees.
R14: Perform an audit of existing approvals for outside employment to ensure they are aligned with department policies.
R15: Require employees to seek approval for outside employment annually.
F20: The Sheriff’s Office does not provide its sworn staff with adequate training on enforcement of County ordinances. RECOMMENDATIONS Pursuant to Penal Code 933, Each grand jury shall submit to the presiding judge of the superior court a final report of its findings and recommendations that pertain to county government matters during the fiscal or calendar year. 5.1 YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS The 2025-2026 Yolo County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Yolo County Board of Supervisors:
Related Recommendations (1)
R11: Provide additional training to all sworn deputies on significant Yolo County Ordinances and how to report potential violations to appropriate County divisions.
Findings & Recommendations 5 findings
F1: The parklet program has provided meaningful economic support to participating businesses on Main Street.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5: The City should consider extending the grant program or identifying alternative funding sources to support long-term sustainability. (Relates to F1, F3) COMMENDATION The City of Woodland is to be commended for launching an innovative program that helped local businesses remain open and thrive during challenging economic times.
F2: The lack of uniform design and safety standards among parklets poses potential liability risks and detracts from downtown aesthetics.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1: The City of Woodland should standardize design and safety requirements for all parklets and conduct regular inspections. (Relates to F2, F4)
F3: Smaller and less-resourced businesses may struggle to access grant funding or comply with application requirements.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2: The City should streamline the grant application process and offer technical assistance to ensure equitable access for all small businesses. (Relates to F3)
R5: The City should consider extending the grant program or identifying alternative funding sources to support long-term sustainability. (Relates to F1, F3) COMMENDATION The City of Woodland is to be commended for launching an innovative program that helped local businesses remain open and thrive during challenging economic times.
F4: The current oversight mechanisms are insufficient to ensure ongoing compliance and safety.
Related Recommendations (2)
R1: The City of Woodland should standardize design and safety requirements for all parklets and conduct regular inspections. (Relates to F2, F4)
R4: The City should establish a mid-year compliance review in addition to the annual review of parklet permits. (Relates to F4)
F5: Public feedback about reduced parking has not been formally addressed in city planning discussions.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3: The City Council should consider conducting a public parking impact assessment before renewing or expanding the parklet program. (Relates to F5)