Fresno Co. grand jury issues annual report

By Paula Lloyd / The Fresno Bee

The Fresno County grand jury Tuesday issued its annual report, a compilation of 12 separate investigations into a variety of issues -- from the city of Fresno's handling of the Metropolitan Museum and Granite Park to noise complaints in Parlier.
Separate reports on the 12 investigations were released throughout the past year, but the annual report includes responses on each report from government officials, some being made public for the first time.

One of the reports studied switching law-enforcement protection of county islands from the county sheriff to Fresno police.
The grand jury's report recommends the city and county split the cost of a study by an independent third party to see whether the county would save money by contracting with the city to police county islands.

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said she was disappointed that the grand jury did not talk to county island residents about the issue. About 43,000 people live on approximately 5,700 acres of county land within Fresno city limits.

"What this report does not take into account is the will of those residents living in the county islands," Mims wrote. "The overwhelming message I hear from my constituency is that they are not interested in having their police services provided by ... Fresno Police."

Fresno County Supervisor Judy Case -- who was chairwoman when the board's response was written in September -- said "a significant majority" of county island residents want sheriff's deputies to patrol their neighborhoods.
Mayor Ashley Swearengin, Mims and Case disagreed with the grand jury finding that county island policing has been discussed very little by city and county officials, saying the issue has come up many times in joint meetings.

The issue remains unresolved, but a final decision needs to be reached, Mims said. "This discussion needs to play out for the last time."

Other topics in the 2009-10 report cover the Claremont Custody Center, the Pleasant Valley State Prison, an investigation of a suicide by the Fresno County sheriff's and coroners offices, the Fresno County employees retirement plan, the county's mental health board, the fire protection district and the BMX park in Orange Cove and the Caruthers Unified School District.

THE REPORTER CAN BE REACHED AT PLLOYD@FRESNOBEE.COM OR (559) 441-6756.


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