During the campaign for sheriff, I provided a vision for 21st century law enforcement for Lake County that included a citizen’s oversight committee. Now elected, I want to begin steps toward filling this promise.

My vision for 21st century law enforcement includes effective organization, highly trained staff, effective budget controls, modern equipment and issue-appropriate policies.

Operating goals include lowered response times, effective investigations, lowered drug and gang related crimes, interagency cooperation, increased protection for schools, emergency preparedness, sensitivity toward citizen needs, a modern jail and protection for community values (lake ecology, etc.).

Because much of a law enforcement organization is technical in nature, I believe a combination of civilian and professional involvement in shaping this vision is a key to its success.

The process would include establishing a county ordinance forming a special committee comprised of elected officials, county professionals, law enforcement professionals and citizens.

The committee would review, recommend and report on the sheriff’s advancement toward the goals established and thereby provide quality assurance to the public. The ordinance is needed to maintain the committee’s existence in future sheriff’s administrations.

Assumptions

The first assumption of an elected office is that the elected official has quality control (QC) over the labors of his/her office and secondly, the voting public has the say whether their minimum standards are met (ultimate QC).

Quality assurance (QA) as used in this case is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of focus areas of a Sheriff’s administration to maximize the possibility that minimum standards are being attained by the law enforcement process, progress toward improvement is maintained and the public is informed.

Special type of elected office – rationale

The only law enforcement agency that is directly subject to the voting process is a county sheriff. City police, highway patrol, wardens, marshals, FBI, etc, are all part of a larger government controlling agency and often have specific focus areas of service.

The sheriff’s office operates in generally unincorporated areas, over broad enforcement subjects that encompasses all of the specific areas of law enforcement handled by the other agencies, e.g., drug enforcement, domestic disputes, robbery, burglary, homicide and traffic.

It is unique, however, in that it also incorporates the duties, functions and responsibilities of the coroner, director of corrections and jail operations, director of court security, and director of the Office of Emergency Services (OES). The exceptional breadth of the office and the unique elected control by the public argues for public involvement in gauging the success of the service between elections.

Unfortunately, the necessarily confidential nature of law enforcement makes the dissemination of accurate information difficult and sometimes left to rumor and perhaps perceptions of law enforcement misconduct.

Oversight – concept

Citizen oversight of law enforcement is a process that reached an elevated degree of interest following the Rodney King incident in Los Angeles.

The CHP convened a task force on the use of force in April 1991 to evaluate department policies and procedures as they relate to the use of force.

A citizen’s ad hoc committee comprising of citizens not associated with the department was formed to conduct an independent review of the findings.

After this review was complete, the committee was later broadened to the citizens standing committee to review citizen’s complaint investigation procedures, equal opportunity issues, supervisory and management practices, selection, hiring and personnel procedures.

Basically this committee serves to provide consistent pressure for improvements in agency policies and practice by providing recommendations and public information in the form of reports.

The CHP model is not the norm for the bulk of citizen oversight committee in large cities. Many oversight committees directly review the case information of complaining citizens and provide specific recommendations on changes or improvements.

The negative side of reviewing independent complaints is a focus on only the negative side of law enforcement and creates negative staff morale because of the non-professional layperson investigations and external imposition of discipline.

In some cities this may be a necessary approach But for the broad based interest of the county voting public and the specific stakeholders in high risk areas such as businesses and protected groups this degree of specificity is not needed or warranted.

A model is needed that serves the specific needs of Lake County, is not intrusive on the day to day operations of the sheriff’s office and is guided by accepted standards in the law enforcement community.

Model – concept

The model being suggested here is the establishment of a combined group of approximately seven members of the general public, law enforcement professionals and government oversight professionals (e.g., county district attorney, county administrative officer, Board of Supervisors member) that would report directly to the Board of Supervisors.

This group would be self directed under guidance from the BOS and develop an agenda of interest areas for review. Potential areas would be effectiveness of budget controls, risk management, focus of personnel on problem areas (drugs, gangs, child and elder abuse, etc.), and attention to special areas of interest such as school protection, response times, jail security, conditions and maintenance, tribal relations or lake protection. All policies, procedures and budget control items would be fair game.

The committee would be basically looking to improve self-sanctioning, self-regulating, controlling mechanisms of the sheriff's office and provide an over-the-shoulder performance review of the elected sheriff with a report out to the Board of Supervisors and public.

As a gauge of progress and a target for both the committee and department, an established approach is preferred. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) was developed to address what was seen as a need to enhance law enforcement as a profession and increase its effectiveness.

Adopting a CALEA path to accreditation (accreditation is a professional goal of mine for the sheriff’s office) would provide the committee an established set of performance guidelines to gauge the sheriff’s office progress toward 21st century law enforcement.

CALEA

The accreditation process requires an agency to develop a comprehensive, well thought out, uniform set of written directives.

The CALEA standards provide the analysis that a CEO needs to make fact-based, informed management decisions.

The accreditation requires a preparedness program for natural or human caused unusual occurrences, improving the agencies relationship with the community, and establishing standards of conduct, authority, performance and responsibility.

CALEA accreditation can limit an agency’s liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates an attainment of internationally recognized standards for law enforcement. CALEA has been attained by sheriff’s departments elsewhere and attainment is ultimately verified by a team of independent outside CALEA-trained assessors.

Quality assurance – first step

The ultimate test of any adopted model is its ease of use, cost in money and time and effectiveness in delivering a useable product.

The development of an exploratory group to review the options and report to the Board of Supervisors is recommended as a beginning of a quality assurance program for our sheriff’s office.

This volunteer group can provide the transparency and needed independence from the sheriff’s office to promote public confidence in our law enforcement.

Frank Rivero is sheriff of Lake County, Calif.

NICE, Calif. – Two people were arrested on drug charges this week as part of an ongoing investigation that the Lake County Sheriff's Office said Thursday could yield still more arrests.

Capt. James Bauman said the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force conducted a probation search in Nice Wednesday afternoon, resulting in two arrests and a significant seizure of suspected methamphetamine.

The names of the arrestees were being withheld pending further investigation, Bauman said.

He said the search, which took place at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, was conducted on a singlewide mobile home in Nice.

He said two people were detained without incident while the home was searched.

Both subjects were found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine and more suspected methamphetamine, as well as evidence of sales, was located in the home during the probation search, Bauman said.

Bauman said the incident resulted in two felony arrests for possession of a controlled substance and possession for sales, as well as the seizure of more than 16 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

Investigators anticipate additional arrests relating to the case, which is one of the reasons for not divulging the arrestees' names at this point, Bauman said.

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The community is invited to the event, which will be held beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Community members will have the opportunity to meet and talk to interim Police Chief Craig Clausen.

The department reported that a short overview of the department will be offered, and Clausen will hold a question and answer session with attendees.

Clausen, a longtime department member, was selected by the Clearlake City Council to lead the department on an interim basis while the permanent city administrator is recruited, as Lake County News has reported.

Retired Chief Allan McClain said in a previous interview that the administrator position was the priority for recruitment, and that the police department's permanent chief selection would likely take place afterward.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

On Friday, the State Public Works Board approved the acquisition of a six-acre property at 675 Lakeport Blvd. as the site of the new 51,000-square-foot building, which will be home to the Lake County Superior Court.

“A replacement for the overburdened and aged courthouse in Lakeport has been identified as one of the most-needed in the entire state,” said Assistant Presiding Judge Steve Hedstrom of the Lake County Superior Court in a Friday statement. “Our new and carefully planned Lakeport courthouse, scheduled to open in 2014, will serve the public very well for years to come.”

The property is located just below the Lake County Chamber of Commerce's offices at Vista Point, within the city limits.

The location will give the new courthouse good access from Highway 29 and Lakeport Boulevard, and be close to services that the Judicial Council of California's Administrative Office of the Courts said will make it convenient for court users.

The courthouse on N. Forbes Street in Lakeport, completed in 1968, currently houses four courtrooms, the court clerk's offices, jury commissioner's office, judges' chambers and jury deliberation rooms, and other associated court facilities on the fourth floor, with just over 15,000 square feet of space. The rest of the building is occupied by various county offices.

In 2008 the state ranked Lakeport's court facilities as an “immediate need” for replacement, finding them unsafe, difficult to access and crowded. Lakeport was listed among eight locations given priority funding because of those concerns.

The project previously was estimated to cost $71.7 million, but the Administrative Office of the Courts' Offices of Court Construction and Management's most recent estimate is approximately $53,235,000.

The new courthouse is one of 41 projects funded by Senate Bill 1407, which finances critically needed courthouse construction, renovation and repair through a portion of judicial branch fees, penalties and assessments, without reliance on the state’s General Fund, the Administrative Office of the Courts reported.

The Administrative Office of the Courts said it will acquire the site from its owners, the Seregow Trust and Assembly of God Church.

The State Public Works Board's approval clears the way for close of escrow on the Lakeport Boulevard property, which the Administrative Office of the Courts said is expected to take place by March 1.

Also under way is the building's architectural design. The state has hired Santa Rosa-based TLCD Architecture and national firm Shepley Bulfinch for the design aspect.

The state said the project's architects are developing test fits of the building on the site, and design is expected to proceed through mid-2012, with construction scheduled to start in fall 2012.

The courthouse project is scheduled for completion in mid-2014, the state said.

The courthouse's draft initial study and negative declaration was presented in a September meeting in Lakeport.

On Tuesday, the Lakeport City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Administrative Office of the Courts which addresses city concerns over the project, from visual impacts to hydrology, sewer and water impacts, and infrastructure, as Lake County News has reported.

A state representative assured the council Tuesday that they planned to work with the city and do their best to address the city's concerns.

More information about the project is on the California Courts Web site at www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/occm/projects_lake_lakeport.htm.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

On Jan. 6 police received a report of a suspicious white male adult following a child home from school, as Lake County News reported earlier this week.

The incident wasn't reported until about 40 minutes later, after the girl's mother came home, and police said they weren't able to locate the male subject, who was described as being in his 30s with a medium complexion, average height and weight, with short brown hair, wearing a black sweatshirt, dark-colored jeans and Birkenstock-type sandals.

On Thursday at 10:30 a.m., police – including the department's school resource officer, Stephanie Green, and a detective – responded to a report of a suspicious person at the Terrace Middle School campus, with the person matching the vague description of the subject from the Jan. 6 report, according to Sgt. Dale Stoebe.

Stoebe said the initial report was made by two students to school staff who, in turn, reported it to law enforcement.

He said police conducted a search of the area almost immediately after the initial report but didn't find the subject.

Stoebe said that as police continued to investigate, the reports became conflicting, and they couldn't determine if the subject in question was from adjoining campuses.

He said all leads were exhausted while, at the same time, police avoided interrupting regular school activities.

Acting Chief Brad Rasmussen said police don't believe the two incidents are connected.

“If it had been the same guy, we would have a serious problem,” he said.

Since the report earlier this week of the suspicious subject following the girl, Rasmussen said the department hasn't received any other similar reports that raised any flags until this one.

Rasmussen said district Superintendent Erin Hagberg sent a letter home to parents, which has helped heighten awareness.

Green's job also includes discussing “stranger danger” issues with students, and Rasmussen said the National Child Safety Council provides agencies like Lakeport Police with information to education students.

“We've actually got quite a volume of educational material that we have available for handing out and going over with the kids,” said Rasmussen. “It is a big priority for us.”

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Richard Knoll, the city's community development, redevelopment, housing and economic development director, took to the council the proposed memorandum of understanding with the Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, the city and the agency for the new courthouse, to be located at 675 Lakeport Blvd.

He said the goal was to address concerns about the project, including visual impacts, a hydrology study, trash storage on site, mitigation and monitoring, and infrastructure – including sewer and water impacts.

A particular concern is stormwater. “We had a serious concern about this,” said Knoll, explaining that city staff didn't want to see the project exacerbate the existing stormwater problems on Lakeport Boulevard. Portions of the street have been known to flood during heavy rains.

The MOU also seeks to have the Administrative Office of the Courts dedicate land for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Lakeport Boulevard and Larrecou Lane.

Administrative Office of the Courts staff was on hand to assure the council that they would work with the city and do their best to address its concerns.

Councilman Tom Engstrom moved to approve the MOU, which was approved 5-0.

The council then moved to City Manager Margaret Silveira's request for a hiring freeze exemption to allow her to recruit for a permanent, full-time finance manager.

The job has been open since last September, Silveira said. An interim finance director filled in until last month.

Although the city is under financial hardship, Silveira called the position “critical” to the city's well being.

She said she could recruit both for a finance director or a finance manager, the latter with less experience and qualifications. However, a manager position could be paid less and eventually mentored and trained into more complex duties, she said.

Councilman Roy Parmentier asked if the position is in the budget. Silveira said it is.

Engstrom said it may be in the budget, but pointed out the city hasn't adopted its final budget yet, and with the governor talking about serious cuts, he said he felt it was a bad time to recruit and possibly later have to lay off current employees. He said he felt doing so would send a bad message to the community and to city staff.

“I tend to agree with you,” said Councilman Bob Rumfelt.

He asked if the city can hire a part-time person. Silveira said they've attempted to find a part-time candidate.

City Attorney Steve Brookes pointed out that it's a difficult position to recruit for at this time, with a “brain drain” resulting from many people in government jobs retiring.

Rumfelt asked what would happen if they didn't hire a finance director.

“We can limp along with consultants and using more inside staff to get by,” she said, pointing out that it becomes a struggle not having the position when timely, accurate financial reports are needed for administration.

She said the consultant drives from Hollister, and has been helping them get caught up on their books. When she arrived last spring, three years of city books hadn't been closed. Just two weeks ago, they closed the last set, for 2009-10.

“It's a very terrible situation for a city to be in, to not know the accuracy of their finances,” she said.

Mattina said it seems to be a critically important position. “I don't think that we should limp along.”

Silveira noted they already have spent $30,000 on the consultant so far this year.

Engstrom said he had no problem getting a temporary candidate until the city knows its budget realities, but he didn't want to bring someone in and have it result in layoffs. “We need to do what we can to protect the people we have working here.”

Replied Parmentier, “I know we need somebody in finance,” pointing out that if the books hadn't been closed for three years, something is wrong.

Mattina moved to have the hiring exemption lifted, Parmentier seconded if they would change the motion to call for hiring a part-time, temporary candidate.

While she was willing to adjust her motion, Mattina asked, “If we hire someone part-time who's going to do the rest of the work?”

After further council discussion, Mattina withdrew her motion and moved to approve the staff-suggested motion of lifting the hiring freeze, which Mayor Suzanne Lyons seconded. The vote with 3-2, with Engstrom and Parmentier voting no.

In other council business, a contract with Ruzicka Associates for the Green Ranch parcel survey was unanimously approved. The survey is part of the necessary work to complete the city's purchase of a portion of the ranch, where a municipal well is located.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .