The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office received praise and criticism from the Calaveras County Grand Jury in its final 2015-16 report released Monday.
The Calaveras County Grand Jury Report is an annual document prepared by 19 citizens for judicial purposes. Among its purposes is to point out wrongdoings and achievements among local government agencies. The report also provides recommendations to rectify any negative findings.
The report states the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office failed to follow policy and procedure on at least one occasion.
The jury’s investigation into the Sheriff’s Office complaint process uncovered at least one complaint that, due to its nature, should have warranted further investigation, and others that were not documented properly.
“Selectively deciding not to document a complaint or conduct an internal affairs investigation is contrary to current policy and procedure,” the report states.
The Sheriff’s Office Policy and Procedure Manual states, in part, that personnel complaints include any allegation of misconduct or improper job performance that, if true, would constitute a violation of department policy or of federal, state or local law, policy or rule. Complaints can be classified as informal, which require only action from a supervisor of a higher rank than the accused member, or formal, which would require an investigation by a supervisor or referral to Divisional Internal Affairs.
The report also stated that the jury’s investigation was delayed “significantly” due to a lack of cooperation from the Sheriff’s Office, though it was unknown whether or not to be intentional.
It was indicated undocumented claims continued to trickle in after the office provided all copies of complaints and stated all were included. It took multiple attempts by the jury to obtain a current Policy and Procedure Manual. Throughout the interview process, different answers were provided to the same question.
The Sheriff’s Office, during the jury’s inquiry, stated that “a formal investigation was not initiated because the CCSO determined they had enough information from the report and no further action was needed.”
The office’s failure to refer the complaint for further investigation, along with improper handling of other complaints, led the jury to recommend that the Sheriff’s Office develop clear policies and procedures that can’t be misinterpreted and keep accurate logs, that all staff members have a current copy of the manual, and that the procedures be a part of the grand jury’s review each year.
Those targeted by a grand jury are required to respond in writing within 60 to 90 days. Agencies are not required to follow through on grand jury recommendations.
The jury’s investigation extended to other areas under the domain of the Sheriff’s Office.
An investigation into the Calaveras County Jail found the kitchen was “immaculate with professional cooking and baking facilities” and the “food and calories are closely monitored with direction from the dietitian’s menu.”
The report stated, however, that staff levels are inadequate. Salary ranges and other less-than-attractive benefits are considered to be the source. Pay for correctional staff members ranges from $38,000 and $46,000.
“This problem is exacerbated by non-competitive compensation packages and contributes to officers leaving our county for more attractive pay/benefits in other neighboring counties,” the report stated.
Also in the review was an investigation into medical services at the jail.
The jury looked at the procedures followed by medical staff.
During its investigation, the jury found that California Forensic Medical Group, Inc., the contractor that provides medical services at the jail, was operating under an expired contract that was renewed on a month-to-month basis from June 30, 2015, until a new contract was executed on March 29, 2016. The jury also found the medical group to be less than forthcoming and ultimately ran out of time to complete its inquiry.
However, the jury did find that the Calaveras County Public Health Department has a copy of CFMG’s policies and procedures and that it performs annual reviews of the policies, updates and changes as they are made. The department also participates in quarterly reviews, along with CFMG and jail staff, to review jail medical services, and keeps documentation from those reviews.
Other findings from the report include:
• Animal Control services could be better served with an additional technician.
• The Vallecito Conservation Camp is well maintained, though it was recommended it reduce its overall number of crews to maintain fully manned teams.
• The county’s Public Work Department’s Waste Management division exceeded mandated requirements for recyclable waste.
June 14, 2016
The Union Democrat
By Jason Cowan
No comments:
Post a Comment