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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 06061986 - 1.137 1. 137 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on _June 6 , 1989 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUBJECT: Report entitled "Contra Costa County Police Agencies and Sheriff Department Communication Systems" The Board on May 22 , 1989 received from the 1988-1989 Contra Costa County Grand Jury the report entitled "Contra Costa County Police Agencies and Sheriff Department Communication Systems. " IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that receipt of the report is ACKNOWLEDGED and same is REFERRED to the Internal Operations Committee and County Administrator. I hereby eerily that thle Is a true and Correct Copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervl ore onthe da lshown� ATTESTED: PHIL TCHELOR,Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Adminlatrator cc: Internal Operations Committee Deputy County Administrator By Grand Jury Presiding Judge , Superior Court /. / 37 A REPORT BY THE 1988-89 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY P. 0. Box 1110 Martinez, CA 94553 . (415) 646-2345 -,D IMq 99198 0 N '.rtv CONTRA COSTA COUNTY POLICE AGENCIES AND SHERIFF DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS APPROVED BY THE GRAND JURY: 1 C DATE• � 0 � ai14117ZL12L1Zj PHILIP:E: SITZ , SR. GRAND JURY FOREMAN ACCEPTED FOR FILING: DATE• cWAYNt A. ESTOV R JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY POLICE AGENCIES AND SHERIFF DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS SUMMARY The grand jury was impressed with the commitment and profes- sionalism of staffs assigned to communication centers in the Sheriff ' s Department and police agencies . It is noted that there is a need for upgrading equipment and developing a comprehensive communication system throughout the County. FINDINGS 1. The Sheriff ` s communication department (COM7) formerly located on the 7th floor of the County Administration Building, Martinez, was transferred to a new facility at 40 Glacier Drive, Martinez and is now referred to as COM1. The transition took place March 20 , 1989 without interruption of communication service. This facility is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics. 2. The Delta Regional Communication Center (DRCC) located at 212 "H" Street, Antioch, serves the police agencies of Antioch, Brentwood and Pittsburg, the Sheriff's Department' s Delta Station located in Oakley, Regional Ambulance, Inc. and the following fire protection districts: Riverview, Oakley, East Diablo, Bethel Island and Byron. COM1 serves Sheriff ' s patrol units in Central and West County, the police agencies of E1 Cerrito and Clayton and the following cities which contract with the Sheriff' s Department for police services: Lafayette, Orinda, Danville and San Ramon. Both DRCC and COM1 provide dispatching services for units of the Sheriff ' s Marine Patrol. All agencies presently served by DRCC are exploring appro- priate arrangements or feasible alternatives to merging DRCC and COM1. 3 . COM1 and DRCC are staffed by Sheriff' s Department personnel. _ _ Dispatcher vacancies at both centers average approximately 35 percent of full complement. 4 . Overtime, primarily of an involuntary nature, averages 37 .5 -1- hours per month per employee "causing symptoms of fatigue, stress and burn-out. " 5 . Recruiting and selection for Sheriff ' s Department Dispatcher is a long, cumbersome process. Of the 518 applicants tested in 1988, only 10 (approximately two percent) were appointed. 6 . Radio voice frequencies, the primary method of communication between dispatch and patrol units, are overloaded at peak periods creating potentially life-threatening situations. 7. The computer system at DRCC has frequently been and con- tinues to be in need of repair and is not compatible with the new equipment recently activated at COM1. 8 . Most police agencies in Contra Costa County maintain their own dispatch centers or contract with the Sheriff' s Depart- ment for police dispatch services. The City of Hercules contracts, with the neighboring City of Pinole. Kensington contracts with the City of Albany in Alameda County. The cities of San Pablo, -Richmond, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Walnut Creek operate their own dispatch centers. 9 . Emergency calls ( "911" ) are given highest priority by the County' s law enforcement agencies. 10. The Emergency Operation Plan for West Contra Costa County cities includes a radio frequency for its cities. However, the California Highway Patrol and . Contra Costa County Sheriff ' s Department are not on this frequency. 11. Among County police agencies there is great diversity in patrol car communication equipment, i.e. some patrol cars are equipped with mobile data terminals (MDT) which provide the officer immediate computer access , to various state agencies. 12 . Officers and deputies are equipped with two-way portable radios. However, some radios have minimal range limited by topography and wattage. CONCLUSIONS The 1988-89 Contra Costa County grand jury concludes that: 1. Fatigue, stress and burn-out created by involuntary overtime at Delta Regional Communication Center and COM7 have been major elements in the high vacancy factor among dispatchers. 2. The new Sheriff' s communication center (COM1) replacing COM7 is a spacious, well-equipped, comfortable working environ- ment. -2- 3 . Updating the computer system at DRCC is necessary to meet current needs and anticipated growth in the geographic area serviced by this Center. 4 . Delays in voice transmissions between patrol units and the two communication centers (DRCC and COM1) due to excess traffic on operating frequencies can jeopardize safety and adversely affect efficiency. 5. Communication systems utilized by the Sheriff' s Department and some local police agencies are not uniformly compatible. 6. Due to topography, some low-power output two-way portable radios presently in use by patrol officers in Central Contra Costa County are not adequate to provide efficient communica- tions. 7. Installing of mobile data terminals in all patrol units would alleviate the delays experienced on radio voice frequencies. RECOMMENDATIONS The . 1988-89 Contra Costa County grand jury recommends that the Contra Costa County Sheriff ' s Department: 1. Expedite the hiring and training process for dispatchers. 2 . Hire permanent full and part-time dispatchers to reduce current vacancies in staffing and for training, vacation and sick-time relief. 3 . Continue to explore the feasibility of„merging DRCC and COM1. 4. Assign a high priority to: a. Installing mobile data terminals in all Sheriff' s patrol cars to fully utilize the equipment capabilities of COM1. b. Purchasing higher wattage, two-way portable radios for all Sheriff's deputies working patrol duty. The grand jury further recommends that: 5 . Cities which operate their own dispatch centers assign a high priority to purchasing and installing mobile data terminals in patrol units. 6 . Police agencies which experience communication difficulty from low=power output portable radios purchase higher wattage units for their officers on patrol. -3- 7 . The Board of Supervisors appoint a county-wide committee to work with local police and fire agencies, Office of Emer- gency Services and Sheriff' s Department to establish a comprehensive radio communication system throughout the County. COMMENTS Police agencies and the Sheriff's Department are to be commended for the dedication and performance of their dispatchers. -4-