Goals and Accomplishments

By Mike Kanalakis

When elected four years ago, I instituted a ten year plan to eradicate gangs and gang violence, eliminate illicit drugs from our neighborhoods and schools, prevent school violence, and better prepare our communities to deal with disasters and terrorist acts. We have had many great accomplishments over the past 3½ years.

• Implemented an iris scanning system at the jail. The iris scanning system allows the Sheriff's Office to enroll and identify inmates using advanced iris scanning technology and build a biometric database of current and former inmates. The technology will be used to positively identify inmates prior to their release from jail and identify incoming inmates who have previously had their iris scans entered into the database.

• Procured a Staffing and Relief Factor Analysis for the Sheriff's Office. The purpose of the study is to receive advice and recommendations for optimal staffing levels within the Sheriff's Office. Study findings and recommendations will provide a valuable tool in defining Sheriff's Office staffing and overtime requirements, determining budget priorities, and in ongoing strategic planning for meeting departmental needs with limited resources.

• Will be instituting a Big Sur Law Enforcement Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU was a collaborative effort with state Parks and the California Highway Patrol to help improve response times to the Big Sur area.

• By implementing stringent, cost-saving measures, the Sheriff's Office has consistently met budget despite numerous reductions in funding.

• As a commitment to combating the drug problem in our County, I reinstated the position of Commander for the Narcotics Division.

• Updated the Monterey County Sheriff's Office website which now facilitates the public's access to information and ability to download forms, complete crime reports, and view the Sheriff's Office budget. The public can also view the log of calls for service, which is updated every 24 hours. Related links such as Meghan's Law are also provided.

• Held the Sheriff's Office first open house in May of 2004. The goal of the open house was to educate County residents on the many aspects of the Sheriff's Office and have a fun-filled and informative event.

• Presented the second annual Open House in September of 2005. The next Open House is scheduled for September 23, 2006.

• Reinstituted a formal uniform inspection. The inspection was conducted for the Sheriff's review of uniformed personnel and public witness. The inspection highlighted the esprit de corps, professionalism and pride of the Monterey County Sheriff's Office uniformed personnel.

• Secured from Senator Barbara Boxer a $3.1 million grant for the purposes of funding a countywide joint gang task force. The joint gang task force consists of personnel from the Sheriff's Office, Salinas Police Department, District Attorney's Office and the Probation Department. The task force also includes an intervention component that will target at risk youth to help steer them away from gangs and came online on March 25, 2005.

• Instituted the Monterey County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad. Once the bomb squad personnel have been trained, they will be able to respond to incidents throughout the county. The County will no longer have to rely on resources from Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties. A local bomb squad enhances the Sheriff's Office ability to respond quickly to potentially dangerous situations.

• Established a Sheriff's Office Agricultural Task force to help combat agricultural related crime in Monterey County. Monterey County is now a member of the Central Valley Agricultural Crime Task Force and a partner in the Agricultural Crime Technology Information and Operation Network (ACTION).

• Changed the design of the graphics on patrol vehicles for a more unique and professional image and to improve recognition. This update includes enhancing the emergency lighting on the vehicles, more ergonomically designed interior placement of equipment, and at the same time, cutting costs for the improved final product.

• While dealing with the forced reductions in personnel, as a part of the web-page, put in place forms to allow citizens to print off report forms to allow them to complete incident reports and mail these into the office. These are reviewed and assigned for follow up if noted.

• Put in place the capability for Crime Prevention Specialist to take incident reports over the telephone for those cases not requiring follow up.

• County Jail issued inmate clothing was converted from solid colored, one-piece jumpsuits to striped, two-piece uniforms. These striped uniforms are color-coded to distinguish the inmates' custody status. The changing of the uniforms was for both budgetary reasons and security concerns. The two-piece uniforms can be replace one piece at a time versus the previous requirement to replace the entire jumpsuit. Secondly the striped uniform replaces the previous denim pants and light blue shirt that proved to be a poor deterrent against walk-away escapes by inmates.

• Formed the Monterey County Sheriff's Office Honor Guard. The Sheriff's Office Honor Guard is staffed by deputies who volunteer to serve on this squad. The Honor Guard performs at ceremonial functions within the County and represents the Sheriff's Office at other agency funerals.

• Secured a canine for the jail with the assistance of the Carmel Rotary. The canine will be used to help stop the flow of drugs in the Monterey County Jail.

• Made numerous promotions and appointments since taking Office. Appointed Nancy Cuffney as Undersheriff of the Sheriff's Office in January 2005. Undersheriff Cuffney is the first female Undersheriff for Monterey County, and the second of only four female Undersheriffs in the state.

• Has made continual process in updating the equipment for the SWAT team with new weapons, sights, personal and team trauma packs, and other equipment.

• Collaborate with the Civil Rights Coalition to share ideas and improve communications between the Sheriff's Office and members of the community. The coalition is comprised of community members representing civil rights and minority organizations such LULAC, NAACP, and the ACLU. The Sheriff's Office also created an anti-racial profiling policy and a cultural diversity policy.

• Participates in the NAACP Peninsula Law Enforcement Chiefs Meeting. This cooperative and information sharing partnership has become the prototype for other NAACP chapters and law enforcement agencies throughout the nation.

• Established the Sheriff's Office Labor Management Committee. The Committee is comprised of Peace Officers and Professional Staff who work together to address work-related issues and concerns.

• Formulated the Sheriff's Advisory Commission on Budget and Finance. This Commission is comprised of Monterey County business and community leaders. The primary focus of the Commission is to assist the Sheriff's Office and to make recommendations as to how the Office can restore revenue and find solutions to fiscal problems.

• Revised the Monterey County Sheriffs Manual to reflect current organizational realities. The manual was copied to compact discs and each employee was provided a copy.

• Continue to support the Alisal School District with their Parents on Patrol Program and participated in National Walk to School activities at local schools.

• Facilitated communication in the Monterey County Sheriff's Office by authorizing the meeting notes from the weekly Executive Management Team to be distributed throughout the Sheriff's Office.

• Reorganized and restructured Bureaus, Units and patrol staffing plans to meet the ever changing needs due to budget cuts and loss of personnel.

• Establishment of the Sheriff's Office Helicopter Program. The helicopter will be a multiuse aircraft which can be used in search and rescue missions, assist with fire and crime suppression and medical transports.

• Procurement of a Records Management and Jail Management System. This system will link arrest reports, jail records, and fingerprint/photo information with the courts and other law enforcement agencies for the purpose of sharing critical data and information. The new technology will also provide analytical information and statistics.

• Procurement of facilities needs assessment for the construction of a new jail facility or current jail facility construction to identify future bed space needs and facility design.

• Secure jail construction funding or funding for the expansion of the current jail facilities. Reports from the County Grand Jury and the state Board of Corrections have stated that the jail is overcrowded and understaffed. The county jail is rated for only 813 inmates. In July of 2005, a record capacity of 1269 inmates was reached.

• Implementation of a law enforcement administrative database that will streamline Office functions in the area such as personnel management, scheduling, fleet management, and training.

• Establish a North County Patrol Station that will shorten the response time to the high population base in the area.