HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11141995 - SD7 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ..L Contra
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FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE ''F- �'` '' Costa
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County
DATE: November 6, 1995
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SUBJECT: WEST COUNTY BOOKING UNIT
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. DIRECT the County Administrator, in conjunction with the Sheriff-Coroner, members
of the Public Managers Association and city and town law enforcement agencies
to undertake a study which includes the following characteristics and which touches
on the following subjects:
A. Is broadened from previous studies to identify the impact of a West County
booking unit on other elements of the criminal justice system, including the
District Attorney, Public Defender and Courts in relation to the current
practice of cite-releasing many arrestees who might be willing to plea
bargain if they were in custody but may be less likely to plea bargain if they
are not in custody prior to trial.
B. Is broadened to include the overall costs and benefits to the community at-
large in taking into consideration all aspects of the law enforcement system,
whether the Sheriff or city police departments, rather than just the County,
including taking into account the potential savings to city police agencies
from eliminating holding facilities and reducing the time officers have to be
out of the jurisdiction providing transportation to prisoners.
C. Considers the impact of lower classifications of personnel on the cost-benefit
analysis, rather than always assuming that staffing must be done in the
same manner as it has always been done in the past.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER /
Y �G
SIGNATURE (S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON November APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
,
l
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED— - �T(n,6.Qtyy JA9 d- I q
Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
CC: SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
See Page 4
BY AA A DEPUTY
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D. Evaluates the potential value and operational problems associated with one
or more regional transportation units operating in the County to reduce the
need for each law enforcement jurisdiction to handle all of its own
transportation costs.
E. Evaluates the potential value and operational problems associated with
contracting some or all inmate transportation out to a private sector firm or
other arrangement which might be able to provide essential transportation
services for less cost than using a sworn deputy or police officer for this
purpose.
F. Includes a description of the commitments that were made about the opening
of a West County booking unit in conjunction with the West County
Detention Facility at the time the West County facility was being planned and
what events may have forced some modifications to whatever commitments
were made at that time.
G. Considers the requirements to conduct mental health, medical and
classification screenings of prisoners in regard to the liability issues for
various jurisdictions and how the system can be streamlined and duplication
can be avoided without unfairly increasing the liability of any one
jurisdictions or aspect of the system by eliminating the need to transport
prisoners back and forth to Martinez when it might be possible to make a
classification decision in one area of the County and avoid transportation
entirely.
H. Explores the benefits newer technology may bring to the discussion such as
the advantages of remote booking in avoiding unnecessary waiting time at
the main detention facility, avoiding duplicate inputting of the same data and
taking advantage of using identical forms. This might also include electronic
"mug shots" and other computer, electronic and telecommunications
innovations which are about to become available tools for the law
enforcement agencies.
I. Distinguishes what is currently clearly required by State law versus what is
considered "local policy" but which is not otherwise a required policy or
practice.
J. Explores the County's ability to utilize the West County Detention Facility for
a broader variety of prisoner classifications so essentially all West County
residents could be held in the West County Facility, regardless of the nature
of their crime or past record and background.
2. DIRECT the County Administrator to provide at least a status report on this subject
to the 1996 Internal Operations Committee by March 15, 1996 and for this purpose
REFER this subject to the 1996 Internal Operations Committee, removing it as a
referral to the 1995 Internal Operations Committee.
BACKGROUND:
The Board of Supervisors has referred to our Committee the question raised by the Grand
Jury and others regarding opening a booking unit at the West County Detention Facility
in order to save transportation costs for law enforcement agencies between West County
and Martinez.
Attached is a report from the County Administrator's office outlining the cost of opening a
second booking unit, based on figures provided by the Sheriff, and the impact such a unit
would have on the countywide booking fee which is charged to all law enforcement
agencies for booking prisoners into County detention facilities. This report also outlines
those costs which are incurred in the booking process which are not recoverable from the
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booking fee now and how those costs would increase, even if the booking fee were
increased to contribute toward the increased costs of the second booking unit.
On November 6, 1995, our Committee met with staff from the Sheriff's Office (Undersheriff
Russ Pitkin, Larry Simmons, Wayne Beck), the County Administrator's Office,
representatives from the police departments of the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Concord,
EI Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo, and Walnut Creek, the City
Manager of Richmond and members of the 1995-96 Grand Jury.
Julie Enea from the County Administrator's Office presented the attached report to our
Committee and briefly reviewed its conclusion that it would cost an additional $1.9 million
a year to staff the West County Booking Unit and that $1.3 million of this would not be
recoverable by the County through the booking fee. Despite this, the booking fee
countywide would increase from $137 to about $222 per booking.
Supervisor DeSaulnier asked whether a full cost-benefit analysis had been done on the
costs and savings to all jurisdictions from implementing the West County Booking Unit and
was told that no such full analysis has been done.
A number of possibilities were mentioned and explored. These included:
✓ a regional transportation unit,
✓ the need to look at costs and benefits more broadly than simply the impact on one
jurisdiction,
✓ whether it is feasible for cities to get out of the jail business,
✓ what commitments were made when the West County Detention Facility was being
planned,
✓ whether cite-releasing arrestees is just compounding the costs because of the
negative impact on the rest of the system, including the District Attorney, Public
Defender and Courts,
✓ whether other than sworn deputies could be used to transport prisoners,
✓ whether civilian transportation companies could save money,
✓ what the overall savings or costs to the total community are likely to be,
✓ what technological innovations are available or likely to become available in the
near future that could assist in streamlining the system and reducing costs,
✓ what impact the issue of mental health and medical screening requirements has on
the whole booking process,
✓ what impact classification decisions and liability have on the whole booking issue,
and
✓ whether the West County Detention Facility can be used to hold all or most West
County residents, regardless of classification in order to reduce transportation
costs.
Based on an excellent and candid discussion of the financial, operational and other factors
which are a part of this discussion, we have agreed on the above recommendations, which
we hope will assist in clarifying the issues and laying out the alternatives and costs of
each.
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cc: County Administrator
Presiding Judge of the Superior Court
Presiding Judges of the Municipal Courts
District Attorney
Sheriff-Coroner
Public Defender
County Clerk-Recorder
Superior Court Executive Officer
Interim Municipal Court Administrator
Each City Manager and Police Chief in the County (Via CAO)
George Roemer, CAO's Office
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OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Administration Building
651 Pine Street, 10th Floor
Martinez, California
DATE: October 25, 1995
TO: PHIL BATCHELOR, County Administrator
FROM: GEORGE ROtaSenior Deputy County Administrator
By JULIE ENEnagement Analyst
SUBJECT: INTAKE UNIST COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY
You recently asked me to work with the Sheriff to update a preliminary analysis of the
feasibility of opening a second full service intake unit, to be located at the West County
Detention Facility. To properly evaluate the total cost of such a unit, consideration must be
given to a related issue, the booking fee, and how the establishment of a second unit would
impact the fee rate and total cost recovery.' A cost/benefit analysis of this proposal, which
follows, indicates that it would not be feasible to open a second intake unit. Attached as
additional background is (1) a history of the booking fee in this County, (2) a rough estimate
of the impact of a second booking unit on the booking fee and (3) a memorandum from
Sheriff Rupf dated September 25, 1995 outlining his staffing configuration for a second
booking unit, on which the cost/benefit analysis was based.
ANALYSIS
The Sheriff's Department currently operates one booking unit for three separate detention
facilities: Martinez, Marsh Creek and West County. Decentralization of the booking
process has been an attractive topic from a service and operational point of view. West
County cities are particularly interested in a local intake unit because they book a
proportionately higher number of arrestees than elsewhere in the County, approximately
40% of the total chargeable bookings with only 21 % of the total County population. A
local intake unit would provide West County cities a more convenient booking site which
would result in an, as yet, unquantified reduction in transportation costs and increase in the
availability of patrol officers.
The primary and insurmountable obstacle to decentralizing the booking process is money.
By its nature, the booking process is labor-intensive and, to be of maximum value, must be
provided on a "post" basis, 24 hours per day/ 7 days per week. As of fiscal year 1993-94,
the cost of providing one booking location for the County was $3,156,776 spread over
22,961 annual bookings for an average cost per booking of $137. Based on the Sheriff
Department's recommended staffing configuration fora second booking location, the total
increased costs related to opening a second unit approach $2 million and would have the
effect of increasing the booking fee to at least $222. Central, East and South County cities
would also pay this increased fee and would receive no offsetting savings for transportation
nor any other associated operational benefits.
w • j
Phil Batchelor Intake Unit - West County Detention
October 25, 1995 Page 2
Moreover, even with the dubious acceptance by the cities of an increased booking fee, the
County has no money to pay for its estimated $1.36 million share of the increased costs to
operate a second booking unit. SB 2557, as amended, permits counties to charge booking
fees for limited types of bookings and to a specific group of agencies. Due to these
limitations, approximately 70% of the County's booking costs aren't recoverable through the
booking fee. In FY 1994-95, for example, the County was permitted to charge fees for only
5,942, or 26%, of a total of 22,893 bookings because of the growing list of exceptions to
chargeable bookings as defined through the many amendments to the original SB 2557
language.
Additionally, the Sheriff's staffing configuration for a second booking unit includes nearly
$400,000 in costs which are legally not allowed to be included in the booking fee but
which would, nevertheless, be incurred. These costs, including additional transportation
costs, are outlined in the Sheriff's memorandum dated September 25, 1995, attached. The
Sheriff also cites other potential operational problems related to intake and housing
limitations at the West County detention facility.
The Sheriff also addresses the proposal to open a West County booking unit on a part-time
basis. Yet the funding problem remains and a part-time booking unit presents additional
potential operational problems.
From a fiscal standpoint, it is difficult to justify recommending this additional cost burden
for the Sheriff where only minimal operational benefits to the County are expected,
particularly after the recent round of budget reductions. The proposal would, in effect,
significantly increase the booking fee for all agencies and cause the County to subsidize a
significant portion of the additional costs. The County is presently facing funding shortfalls
in health services ($8 million), general assistance ($4 million) and criminal justice ($4.3
million) that threaten the survival of critical programs. Under these circumstances, the
County could be more receptive to the proposal of a second booking unit if it were cost
neutral to the County, meaning that the cities would need to be willing to pay increased
booking fee and identify an ongoing funding source of about $1.3 million, which represents
the increased costs to the County that are not legally recoverable through a booking fee.
RECOMMENDATION
A suggestion to the cities for gaining some of the cost savings and operational benefits of
a second booking unit without incurring significant additional costs would be to regionalize
their transport services by pooling their resources. Some cities have limited holding facilities
which can serve to hold a group of arrestees to be transported, for example, three times per
day by a transport officer to be financed from city transport savings. This kind of
cooperative effort would seem more feasible under current local government financing
constraints than establishing a costly second booking unit.
0
GR:JE
Attachments
i)7
" Attachment
THE BOOKING FEE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
The Final 1990-91 State Budget included $708 million in cuts for counties and new revenue
raising capabilities from SB 2557. In Contra Costa County, the state revenue reduction
amounted to $13.8 million with a potential offset of $6.8 million in estimated revenues.
Therefore, the County endured a $7 million budget reduction which caused the elimination
of 114 positions, service reductions at health clinics, the closure of a girls' treatment center
in the Probation Department and a permanent hiring freeze which still endures. In an effort
to raise more financing for local programs, the Board sponsored Measure D on the
November 6, 1990 ballot. This measure, if passed, would have generated $25 million per
year for.all levels of local government. Unfortunately, Measure D was supported by only
35.8% of those who voted.
In January 1991, the Board conducted a public hearing and subsequently adopted both a
criminal justice administrative (booking) fee and a property tax administration fee pursuant
to SB 2557. These fees, while representing a new revenue source to the County, did not
result in new monies or expanded County programs. The revenue derived from the $127
booking fee merely represented an inadequate backfill of state funding cuts in the Trial
Court Funding and Criminal Justice Subvention Programs (AB 90). Likewise, the revenue
derived from the property tax administrative fee was used to backfill state cuts in health and
human services programs.
The implementation of the booking and property tax administration fees was detrimental to
the working relationships between counties and other local government agencies. Lawsuits
were immediately filed in 20 counties and were subsequently coordinated by the superior
court into one action which is still pending. Contra Costa County settled its local lawsuits
in November .1994 after several years of litigation.
The booking fee is currently being assessed at $137 per booking and is being voluntarily
paid by most cities; some cities still refuse to pay voluntarily, but allow the County to
collect the fee administratively through the periodic withholding of property tax
disbursements. We are in the process of recalculating the booking fee to determine a 1995-
96 rate which will reflect the recent cost-of-living and retirement increases for Sheriff
personnel. The new rate will be available shortly and will be scheduled for consideration
for the public and the Board within a couple of months. Actions to increase the booking
fee to reflect the increased cost of doing business have historically been confrontational and
acrimonious. The cities continue to attempt to dilute the provisions of SB 2557 through
legislative amendments and have, thus far, been fairly successful through this avenue.
WEST COUNTY BOOKING UNIT
COST ANALYSIS
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Sergeant $93,300 3.0 3.0 279,900 0 279,900
Deputy $73,300 11.0 7.3 535,090 271,210 806,300
Aide $48,200 6.0 5.7 274,740 14,460 289,200
Clerk-Exp $39,200 3.0 2.8 109,760 7,840 117,600
Nurse R.N. $73,700 3.0 3.0 221,100 0 221,100
Mental Health $67,700 3.0 1.6 108,320 94,780 203,100
MHCS Supv $74,040 0.3 22,212 0 22,212
DSW $37,962 0.2 7,592 0 7,592
1,558,714 388,290 1,947,004
Estimated Overhead:
Department 68,150
Facility 115,435
COWCAP 200,965
384,550
1,943,264
Estimated increased booking fee: $222
LEstimated recovery through booking fee(estimated 30%): $582,979
Remaining costs, presumably County General Fund(70%allowable plus 100% unallowable costs): $1,364,025
10/27/95
KN AL
Sher=iff's Department _� Waw E. Rupf
Conth''a Costa County SHERIFF
Custody Services Bureau Russell F. Pitkin
1000 Ward Street odr..
Undersheriff
Martinez, California 94553 COST&�°
(510) 646-4645
To: Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff Date: September 25, 1995
From: Wm. D. Shinn, Captain Subject: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Asst. Custody Services Bureau Commander MEETING = NOVEMBER 6, 1995
By: W. D. Beck, Administrative LieutenanAGENDA: WCDF BOOKING AREA
Background
In the Summer of 1991 the West County Detention Facility opened. The booking area was not
opened due to a lack of staff. I
On several occasions we have explored the possibility of opening the booking facility. The cost
of Sheriffs staff and Medical/Mental Health staff necessary to operate the booking area is
enormous.
In addition to the increased staff costs the County Administrator's Office estimates an increase
of 80-90 dollars per booking if the West County Booking Facility is opened.
WCDF Booking Area Difficulties
The West County Detention Facility is not well designed as a booking center., Even with the
booking center open a number of circumstances exist that preclude an arrestee from being booked
at this facility.
Medical
There are no Medical/Mental Health beds at the West County Detention Facility. Even if
Medical staff is provided around the clock many inmates will need to be transported to Martinez
immediately after booking by Sheriffs Transportation Deputies or not accepted from the
arresting officer. This will require the arresting officer to transport to Martinez for booking.
Examples of those inmates not suitable at the West County Detention Facility for medical reasons
are:
• Pregnant substance drug abusers
• Persons withdrawing from drugs
• Persons with seizures
• Other serious medical conditions requiring close monitoring
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff
September 25, 1995
Page 2
Females
There is no secure (maximum security) intake housing for females.
New arrestees are normally placed into an intake housing after being booked. While on the
intake housing unit Classification Officer determines in which facility an inmate should be held
and where in that facility.
The West County Detention Facility has no secure housing for females while Classification
determines where to safely house the prisoners.
Prior to the opening of the West County Detention Facility the Transition Team recommended
that all females be transported to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking.
Booking Area Staffing Requirements
If the West County Detention Facility is opened additional staff is required from a number of
employee classifications.
Additional Personnel Requirements
The minimum additional personnel required to staff the West County Detention Facility
booking area and related functions are as follows:
Sergeants: Three(3) additional
Three (3) additional Sergeants provides the line with eleven (11)
Sergeants. Eleven (11) Sergeants puts a`Custody',and a Processing
Sergeant on duty around the clock.
Clerical: Three (3) additional
The Intake Area dramatically effects the Release Clerk's function. The
Release Clerk would not be able to assist in the Operations Office on Day
and Swing as is now the case. The Morning Watch requires a Release and
Admin Clerk on court days. Currently there is only one(1) Clerk on duty
on the Morning Shift.
Mental
Health: Three (3) Mental Health Clinical Specialists
The Director of Detention Division Mental Health Services, Myra
Sherman, suggests no less than two shifts per day. At a minimum, three
Mental Health Clinical Specialists are required.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff
September 25, 1995
Page 3
Medical: Three (3) additional R.N.s
Three(3) additional R.N.s will provide minimal coverage for the facility.
Sheriff s
Aides: Six (6) additional
The Facility was programmed for an Aide in Central Control, Booking,
Clothing Room and the Visiting Center when open.
This level of staffing requires at least sixteen (16) Aides. The program
documents suggested twenty-one(21) Aides. Presently there are then (10)
Aides assigned.
Six additional Aides are to staff the Booking Area.
Deputy
Sheriffs: Eleven (11) additional
• Booking - Six 6)Deputies
Six additional Deputies are required to staff the Booking Area.
.• Classification - Three (3) Deputies
A minimum of three(3) Classification Deputies will be required to
handle Classification responsibilities at the West County Detention
Facility if the Booking Area is opened.
�• Transportation - Two (2) Deputies
The West County Detention Facility Booking Area will have an
impact on Transportation.
Since high security prisoners cannot be held at the West County
Detention Facility for extended periods, more frequent
transportation to and from the West County Detention Facility will
be required.
The impact cannot be accurately calculated until the Facility is
actually opened.
No fewer than two (2) Deputies and an additional van will be
required.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff
September 25, 1995
Page 4
Personnel Costs
The minimum additional personnel costs associated with opening the West County Detention
Facility Booking area are:
Annual No. Total
Sergeants $93,300 3 $ 279,900
---'Deputies 73,300 11 806,300
Aides 48,200 6 289,200
Clerk Experienced 39,200 3 117,600
Nurse R.N. 73,700 3 2219100
Mental Health 67,700 3 203,100
Total Annual Personnel Costs $1,917,200
Grand Jury Recommendation
The Grand Jury made the following recommendation:
"The West County Detention booking facility be opened immediately and used, on
a trial basis, during heavy intake periods to eliminate the bottleneck at the
Martinez Detention Facility booking center and to decrease the county-wide impact
on local jurisdictions. "
Forty Hour Operation of Booking Area
Opening the West County Detention booking area for a trial period will require additional
personnel or existing personnel to work large numbers of hours of overtime.
If opened on a trial basis the West County Detention Facility booking area should be open forty
(40) hours per week. ,Four ten-hour Swing shifts will provide the best test.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff
September 25, 1995
Page 5
• Personnel Required
To operate the Booking Center forty (40) hours per week will require the
following personnel:
Sergeant 1 $ 93,300
Deputy
• Booking 1 73,300
• Classification 1 73,300
• Transportation 1 73,300
Nurse 1 73,700
Mental Health 1 67,700
Clerk Experienced 1 39,200
Sheriffs Aide 1 4$.200
Annual Cost $ 542,000
Without the hiring of additional personnel, forty (40) hours of overtime per week
will be required for each of the above job classifications.
• Problem Areas
• It is difficult to conduct a proper trial by opening the Booking Area for a
limited number of hours each week.
• Often persons brought into a Booking Area cannot be booked for several
hours as a result of the arrestee's state of sobriety.
The hours of operation of the Booking Area may end with several persons
still waiting to be booked as a result of being uncooperative or under the
influence.
• Booking facilities seem to get busy in spurts of activity. If several
arrestees are received late in a shift the shift could end with several people
remaining to be booked.
• Due to the remote location of the West County Detention Facility it has
been considered unwise to release people prior to daylight.
Persons booked and scheduled to be released on citation may have to be
held until daylight hours.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff
September 25, 1995
Page 6
All of the above situations indicate the difficulty of operating a booking facility
for part of the day.
It seems likely that a Deputy Sheriff and/or a Medical person will have to remain
in the Booking Area beyond the hours of any trial period.
WDS:WDB:js
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER