The 2019-20 Grand Jury Report
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FINAL CONSOLIDATED REPORT A Report for the Citizens of Yolo County, California Arcade Arroz Beatrice Brooks Browns Corner Cadenasso Capay Central 2019-20 Yolo County Citrona Kiesel Clarksburg Kings Farms Conaway Knights Landing Grand Jury Coniston Lovdal Daisie Lund Davis Madison Tancred Dufour Merritt Tyndall Landing Dunnigan Monument Hills University of California Davis El Macero Norton Valdez El Rio Villa Peethill Vin Esparto Plainfield Webster Fremont Riverview West Sacramento Green Rumsey Willow Point Greendale Saxon Winters Guinda Sorroca Woodland September 24, 2020 Hershey Sugarfield Yolo Jacobs Corner Swingle Zamora Woodland, California 2019-2020 YOLO COUNTY GRAND JURY FINAL CONSOLIDATED REPORT A Report for the Citizens of Yolo County, California September 24, 2020 Woodland, California i Acknowledgements Special thanks to jurors Lisa DeSanti, Ann Kokalis, Richard Kruger, Sherwin Lee, Lynn Otani, and Laurel Sousa for their extra time and effort in performing important officer duties during our term. Thanks also to all the jurors during our tenure who gathered information, contributed to the writing of the various individual committee reports, and worked the many hours required for thorough investigations. Cover Art by Judy Wohlfrom, 2017-2018 Foreperson ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... ii Honorable Sonia Cortés .................................................................................... vi The 2019-2020 Yolo County Grand Jury ......................................................... vii About The Grand Jury ..................................................................................... viii Investigations .................................................................................................. 1 Monitoring Compliance with 2017-2018 Yolo County Grand Jury Recommendations Summary ......................................................................................................... 2 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 4 Findings .......................................................................................................... 17 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 17 Every School is Vulnerable: Staff and Students Must Feel Safe for Learning to Occur Summary ......................................................................................................... 21 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 23 Findings .......................................................................................................... 28 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 29 Reorganization of the Public Guardian and Public Administrator: Needed Change and Continuing Challenges Summary ......................................................................................................... 34 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 37 Findings .......................................................................................................... 43 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 44 The Hawk, the Beetle, and the Budget: An Evaluation of the Approved Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan in its First 16 Months Summary ......................................................................................................... 51 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 55 Findings .......................................................................................................... 66 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 67 Election Security in Yolo County Summary ......................................................................................................... 74 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 78 Findings .......................................................................................................... 89 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 90 iii The Davis Police Accountability Commission, SB 1421, and Residual Questions from the Picnic Day 2017 Incident Summary ......................................................................................................... 93 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 99 Findings .......................................................................................................... 117 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 119 Striving to Make a Difference: Responses to the 2018-2019 Yolo County Grand Jury Report .................... 134 Flood Management in the Urban Environment – Yolo LAFCo and the Role of Reclamation Districts 537 and 900 within the City of West Sacramento .................................................................................. 135 Missed Funding Opportunities: West Sacramento Flood Control Projects ....... 140 Health and Human Services: The Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery 143 System – A Watershed Moment ........................................................................ 143 Sci-Tech Academy: A Model For The Future? ................................................. 144 Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Report: ORR Places Youth In Yolo County Detention – What Can Be Improved? ........................................... 145 iv v GRAND JURY County of Yolo P.O. Box 2142 Woodland, California 95776 Honorable Sonia Cortés Judge, Superior Court of California 1000 Main Street Woodland, CA 95776 Dear Judge Cortés, The 2019-2020 Yolo County Grand Jury is honored to prepare and present our Final Consolidated Report to you and to the citizens of Yolo County. In early March 2020, the Grand Jury ceased meeting in person and went to remote meetings and interviews due to COVID-19. In May 2020, with consultation from the Court, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors voted to extend our term from June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020. This unprecedented extension allowed the Grand Jury time to finish our investigations and reports under these challenging circumstances. The Grand Jury received and reviewed 19 citizen complaints. Of those complaints, four were referred to the different Grand Jury Committees, and two were declined. Due to the timing of some submitted complaints, five are being forwarded to the incoming Grand Jury so the complaints may receive adequate review and investigation. The Grand Jury inspected the Yolo County Monroe Detention Facility (Women’s section) as stipulated by the California Penal Code. In its Final Consolidated Report, the Grand Jury presents six reports based on investigations initiated by the Grand Jury, and one based on citizen complaints. The 2019-2020 Yolo County Grand Jury is composed of a diverse group of selfless volunteers from throughout the county. The Final Consolidated Report represents the commitment and hard work of the Jurors, who were dedicated to finding the truth and improving the county community. I personally wish to express my sincere gratitude and admiration to all those who applied their various skills and interests in accomplishing this task. The Grand Jury appreciates and thanks all the Yolo County employees and officials, as well as those in Jury Services, providing us with outstanding support and guidance throughout the process. It has been our honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Yolo County. Leslie Field Leslie Field, Foreperson 2019-2020 Yolo County Grand Jury vi The 2019-2020 Yolo County Grand Jury Leslie Field, Foreperson ~ Davis Lynn Otani, Foreperson Pro Tem ~ West Sacramento John Arnold ~ Davis Lisa DeSanti ~ Davis Lisa Klotz ~ Davis Ann Kokalis ~ Davis Richard Kruger ~ Davis Sherwin Lee ~ Davis James McFarland ~ Davis Mohamed Sidahmed ~ Davis Laurel Sousa ~ Davis Alan Uota ~ Davis Rick von Geldern ~ Winters We also wish to thank those members who were unable to complete their volunteer service ~ Charlene Chick, Catherine Doherty-Handy, Adam Gardizi, Clayton Morgan, Janice Palmer, Melesio Perez, Eli Richman, Jonathan Rothman, Joe Sanchez, Stuart Williams, Enas Wilson, and Audrey Ybarra vii ABOUT THE GRAND JURY The United States Constitution’s Fifth Amendment and the California Constitution require that each county appoint a Grand Jury to guard the public interest by monitoring local government. Per California Penal Code Section (§) 888, the Yolo County Superior Court appoints 19 Grand Jurors each year from a pool of volunteers. These Yolo County citizens, with diverse and varied backgrounds, serve their community as Grand Jurors from July 1st to June 30th. The Yolo County Grand Jury is an official, independent body of the court, not answerable to administrators or to the Board of Supervisors. FUNCTION The California Grand Jury has three basic functions: to weigh criminal charges and determine whether indictments should be returned (Penal Code §917); to weigh allegations of misconduct