HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07251989 - IO.4 TO:-- Board of Supervisors
I.O. 4
FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
n,
DATE: July 17, 1989
osT'4 cou
SUBJECT: PROPOSED RESPONSE TO THE REPORTOFTHE 1988-89 GRAND JURY ENTITLED
"POLICE AGENCIES OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY"
Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Adopt the following report of our Committee as the Board of Supervisors' response to the Report of the 1988-
89 Grand Jury entitled "Police Agencies of Contra Costa County".
2. Remove this item as a referral to our Committee.
BACKGROUND:
On April 14, 1989 the 1988-89 Grand Jury approved the attached report on "Police Agencies of Contra Costa
County". On July 17, 1989 our Committee met with the Sheriff-Coroner,members of his staff and members of the
1988-89 and 1989-90 Grand Juries. We reviewed the proposed response suggested by the Sheriff-Coroner and
discussed the Grand Jury's recommendations with the members of the Grand Jury and the Sheriff-Coroner. At the
conclusion of these discussions we formulated the following response, utilizing a format suggested by the Grand
Jury in their final report,in which the Grand Jury requested that written responses to Grand Jury recommendations
clearly specify:
A. Whether the recommendation is accepted or adopted.
B. If the recommendation is accepted,a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite
target date.
C. A delineation of constraints, if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be implemented within the calendar
year.
D. The reason for not adopting a recommendation.
Continued on attachment: YES Signature:
Recommendati f County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee
�p ' -Other: ✓�
Signature(s) TOM P WERS UNNE WRIGHT MC PEAK
Action of Board on: _ July 25, 1989 Approved as Recommended x Other
Vote of Supervisors I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
x Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN.
Absent: Abstain:
Attested Ar /9i
cc: County Administrator hil Atchelor, Clerk of the Board
Sheriff-Coroner
Foreman, 1988-89 Grand Jury of Supervisors and County Administrator
Foreman, 1989-90 Grand Jury
Superior Court Judge Wayne Westover By 9&A6-,,,, p! Deputy Clerk
CLVM:ch(io-4)
This and all future responses to Grand Jury recommendations coming from our Committee will follow this format
as closely as possible.
RECOMMENDATION# 1:
The Board of Supervisors include in the 1989-90 budget the funds to purchase and install an ion trap detector
mass spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer for the Criminalistics Laboratory.
RESPONSE:
A. This recommendation is adopted.
B. The Sheriff-Coroner will be responsible for implementing this recommendation. All appropriate requisitions
and approvals have been obtained for the lease/purchase of the ion trap detector mass spectrometer and Fourier
transform infrared spectrophotometer for the Criminalistics Laboratory. The County Purchasing Department
is in the process of finalizing the agreements at this time. This equipment is being purchased with special revenue
funds from drug diversion fees and fines. This recommendation will be fully implemented as soon as the
equipment can be delivered.
RECOMMENDATION#2:
The Sheriff's Department initiate action to integrate Bay Station with the West County Detention Facility
currently under construction.
RESPONSE:
A. This recommendation is accepted.
B. While land has been set aside at the new West County Detention Facility fora new Bay Station,there are no funds
available at this time to undertake construction of such a facility. The Sheriff-Coroner and County Administrator
will be responsible for implementation of this recommendation at such time as funds can be identified for its
implementation.
C. It will not be possible to implement this recommendation in the near future because of lack of funds.
RECOMMENDATION# 3:
The Citiesof Antioch,Pittsburgand San Pablo provide funding and support to upgrade or expand their police
department facilities as appropriate.
RESPONSE:
Implementation of this recommendation is not within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors.
RECOMMENDATION#4:
All police agencies in Contra Costa County implement or expand programs of volunteer participation by
citizens of all age groups.
RESPONSE:
A. This recommendation is adopted to the extent that it pertains to the Sheriff-Coroner. To the extent that the
recommendation applies to other police agencies in the County,its implementation is not within the jurisdiction
of the Board of Supervisors.
B. The Sheriff-Coroner is responsible for implementing this recommendation and, in fact, has done so. The
Sheriff's Department uses volunteers in Cadet and Reserve Deputy uniformed functions, and has an extensive
volunteer program using persons of all age groups within the Detention Division. The Administration and
Community Services Bureau is in the process of establishing a volunteer program in their Crime Prevention Unit.
The Sheriff's Department is constantly expanding its volunteer participation. The entire Search and Rescue
Operation is staffed with volunteers.
- 2 -
RECOMMENDATION# 5:
All police agencies in Contra Costa County continue to explore methods of improving cost effectiveness and
achieving savings through improved efficiency and elimination of duplicate services that may exist among
the various agencies.
RESPONSE:
A. This recommendation is adopted to the extent that it pertains to the Sheriff-Coroner. To the extent that the
recommendation applies to otherpolice agencies in the County,its implementation is not within the jurisdiction
of the Board of Supervisors.
B. The Sheriff-Coroner is responsible for implementing this recommendation. The Sheriff's Department
constantly strives to improve its cost effectiveness and eliminate duplicate services by its participation in the
County Police Chiefs'Association,the Corrections and Detention Services Advisory Committee,the Alameda-
Contra Costa CAL-ID Network, the Criminal Justice Executive Council, The County's Policy Advisory
Committee and numerous other multi-agency user groups. The Sheriff notes that four cities presently contract
their police services with the Sheriff(Danville, San Ramon,Lafayette and Orinda). The Sheriff has agreed to
convert some 44 Deputy Sheriff positions to civilian positions to increase efficiency and reduce costs. The CAL-
ID Program,in particular,is an outstanding example of a program the County could not possible have afforded
to implement by itself. Through the cooperation of all of the cities in the County this program has now been
implemented.
This recommendation requires an on-going effort to constantly be aware of opportunities to implement cost-
effective methods of doing ones job. We believe that the Sheriff-Coroner has already accomplished a great deal
in this area and will continue to be alert to other improvements that can be made in his department.
RECOMMENDATION#6:
All Police agencies in Contra Costa County continue their efforts regarding youth programs with a focus on
drug and alcohol education.
RESPONSE:
A. This recommendation is adopted to the extent that it pertains to the Sheriff-Coroner. To the extent that the
recommendation applies to other police agencies in the County,its implementation is not within the jurisdiction
of the Board of Supervisors.
B. The Sheriff-Coroner is responsible for implementing this recommendation. The Sheriff indicates that his
number one priority for additional funding during the 1989-90 fiscal year is to fund the DARE Program for the
unincorporated areas of the County. This is a structured program, using a uniformed officer in the classroom,
to teach students how to recognize and resist pressures to use drugs and alcohol;it includes positive reinforcement
to self esteem and builds communication and decision-making skills.The Sheriff's Department has been actively
participating in an East County Youth Connection program which had its main focus on drug education and
enforcement in the grade schools and high schools, with funding from a state grant. The Sheriff's Department
also assists the other county schools with drug and alcohol education, as funding allows.
C. The extent to which additional efforts can be made in this area are primarily a function of the budgetary
constraints with which the Board of Supervisors is faced. Our Committee agrees with the Grand Jury,that more
effort needs to be made in this area. The Sheriff is cooperating fully with the Drug and Alcohol Summit
Conferences which are being sponsored by the Board of Supervisors,a major focus of which is to prevent drug
and alcohol abuse by young people.
RECOMMENDATION#7:
Because of substantial population growth in Contra Costa County, the Sheriff's Department and police
jurisdictions listed in Exhibit 1 commit themselves to long-range planning including cooperative efforts with
neighboring law enforcement services.
- 3 -
RESPONSE:
A. This recommendation is adopted to the extent that it pertains to the Sheriff-Coroner. To the extent that the
recommendation applies to other police agencies in the County,its implementation is not within the jurisdiction
of the Board of Supervisors.
B. The Sheriff-Coroner is responsible for implementing this recommendation. The Sheriff's Department is
consistently participating in cooperative planning efforts with neighboring communities to ensure that law
enforcement needs are;met within the available funding. Much of this cooperation occurs through the Sheriff's
participation in the Police Chiefs'Association. This,again,is an on-going effort which cannot realistically have
a target date established. The Sheriff has noted that his department is looking at the possibility of a cooperative
program to implement a DNA-matching program which allows the use of bodily fluids to absolutely identify
a single individual, something which is not always possible at present.