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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12172002 - SD.5 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Sheriff-Coroner on behalf of the Costa Warrant Review Board DATE: December 17, 2002 ount,TV SUBJECT: Status Report of Warrant Review Beard SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: ACCEPT the status report from the Office of the Sheriff regarding the implementation of the Warrant Service Unit as a pilot program scheduled for January 2403, and a summarization of the Warrant Review Boards continuing efforts to reduce outstanding warrants in Contra Costa County. BACKGROUND: The problem of un-served warrants has been a concern to justice officials and citizens for a number of years. This is not just a local or Bay Area problem, but a state and national one. In 1994, there were approximately 80,000 outstanding warrants in Contra Costa when the County began utilizing the Franchise Tax Board for collections, and began converting traffic fines to civil assessments. At the time the Warrant Review Board was organized in February of 2001 the number of outstanding warrants was 42,073. As of October 28, 2002 there were 34,153 outstanding warrants. This represents a reduction of 7,920 warrants, or 18% of the outstanding warrants. Of the 34,153 active warrants in Contra Costa County, 90% are misdemeanor warrants and 9.1% are felony warrants. Over 57% of the outstanding warrants are between one and four years old, 28% are between five and nine years old, and 15% are ten years or older. In February 2001, the Board of Supervisors under the direction of Supervisor Uilkema established a Warrant Review Board to develop warrant reduction strategies. In October 2001, the Warrant Review Board provided a list of possible strategies to reduce the number of outstanding warrants. The Board of Supervisors directed the Office of the Sheriff to submit a proposal for the formation of a field unit designated to serve warrants (one of the proposed strategies). In April of 2002 the Courtesy Letter Program was reinstated. "Courtesy Letters" notify a person of an active misdemeanor warrant for their arrest. There are many benefits in sending out Courtesy Fetters, which include the following: 1) Individuals set up appointments to appear in court 2) The community receives a message that crime is taken seriously 3) Increased revenue- fines and fees associated with warrants are collected. To date 20,414 Courtesy letters have been mailed out, which represents 5,050 newly generated warrants and 14,364 older backlogged warrants. The remaining notices were sent out the first meek of December. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: __X__YES SIGNATURE: � 2ECOMMENQATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR / ECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE —„APPROVE oTf ER SEE ATIAG`M ADDS SIGNATURE(S)'� Action of Baard D7CiEiFR 17, 20[32 Approved as Rcrn�mended�,_ Other„X_ VOTE OF SUPI<RVISORS I HERESY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN UNANIMOUS(ABSENT W 3 AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE AYES: NOES: SHOWN. AssERr: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED 17, 2002 CONTACT: George Roemer(335-1067) JOHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF CC: Warrant Review Beard SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR By- DEPUTY Page 2 December 17, 2002 In May of 2002 the Office of the Sheriff submitted, through the Warrant Review Board a report and a proposal to the Board of Supervisors to hire one full-time deputy to staff a Warrant Service Unit in the Office of the Sheriff. At the Budget Hearings for FY 02/03 Sheriff Rupf presented the proposal. The Board approved the implementation of a Warrant Service Unit as a pilot program to be effective January 2003 through June 2003. The Warrant Service Unit will be dedicated to serving warrants, coordinating warrant sweeps such as the recent Domestic Violence Elder Abuse Sweep, and working with outside agencies to serve warrants. At the end of the six-month period the Warrant Service Unit will provide an impact and progress statement to the Warrant Review Board. In October of 2002 Contra Costa County became the first county in the state to conduct a Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Warrant Sweep. In a combined effort led by the Sheriffs' Office Domestic Violence Unit, eighty-eight officers from sixteen law enforcement agencies made 145 warrant service attempts and served 25 warrants over a two-day period. The sweep received very positive coverage from the media. Channel 7 news covered the event in its entirety. In addition a Contra Costa Times reporter rode with the officers during the sweep. Channel 7 news aired their story via live feed from the Antioch Police Department on the 11:00 news, then again on their morning news show. The Times ran their story in the October 24,h edition of the paper. Both Channel 7 hews and the Centra Costa Times declared the Sweep a success. Warrant sweeps send a strong message to criminals that Contra Costa County Government takes crime seriously and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in this county. The goal of the Warrant review Board is to improve community safety through the apprehension of known scofflaws and criminals within Contra Costa County. The Warrant Review Beard requests the continued support of the Board of Supervisors. Future warrant reduction strategies include the following: • Implementation of the Warrant Service Unit to prioritize, serve warrants, and facilitate interagency warrant sweeps • Conducting additional warrant sweeps • Due Diligence training for police officers throughout the County •- This will result in fewer court mations to dismiss for lank of service attempt records and a higher conviction rate. • Continue to involve the media to heighten public awareness that Contra Costa County takes outstanding warrants seriously, and affirming that law enforcement agencies will make every effort to arrest individuals with outstanding warrants. Announce warrant sweeps in the newspapers, and invite reporters on ride a-longs with the Warrant Service unit. Implementation of the above recommendations will result in more effective communication between law enforcement agencies in Contra Costa County, more warrants being served, a reduction in outstanding warrants, and ultimately, a safer community. (warrantretAewSO) ADDENDUM SD.5 December 17, 2002 On this day the Board ACCEPTED status report from the Office of the Sheriff regarding the implementation of the Warrant Service Unit as a pilot program scheduled for January 2003, and summarization of the Warrant Review Board's continuing efforts to reduce outstanding warrants in Contra Costa County. After conclusion of further discussions,the Board took the following action: + REFERRED the issue to the Internal Operations Committee for review and return to the Board in six months, should Internal Operations Committee deem it necessary.