Protocols
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Protocol Committee
Minutes
Date: June 9, 2004
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
Location: Bay Area Legal Aid, 50 Fell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Members Present:
Barbara Brooten Job, Justice Courage Oversight Panel
Liz Tarchi, District Attorney’s Office
Trish Irwin, Community Member
Ken Theisen, Bay Area Legal Aid
Justine McGonagle, Department on the Status of Women
Rosario Navarrette, Department on the Status of Women
Barbara Kempster, Emergency Communications Department
Donna Medley, Office of Citizen’s Complaints
Sergio Calizo, Adult Probation Department
Sally Pina, Superior Court
Cynthia Alexis, Victim Services, District Attorney’s Office
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order by Barbara Brooten Job 1:40 P.M.
Introductions/Roll Call:
Introductions of all present were conducted.
Approval of Minutes - May 12, 2004:
The minutes of the January 14, 2004 were approved after clarifications and changes. Additionally, the minutes of May 12, 2004 were approved after corrections.
Recorder for Next Meeting:
Sally Pena agreed to take minutes for the next protocol committee meeting on July 14, 2004.
Presentation Continued – Adult Probation Department (APD)
Sergio Calizo continued the presentation of protocols and scope of services. Materials distributed at the meeting on May 14 were used as the foundation for the APD presentation and discussion.
- A brief overview of APD’s Victim Impact Program was provided. Nixon Lazaro is the probation officer assigned to work with victims. Nixon’s caseload is approximately ninety-eight (98) victims. Nixon will be invited to attend the July meeting to provide more details on services to victims.
- A batterer must be on probation in order to ADP to exercise jurisdiction.
- APD continues to maintain a “no tolerance” policy.
- APD does not support lifting stay-away orders.
- APD is proactive as it relates to defendants who violate the terms and conditions of their probation.
- All cases involving domestic violence are referred to Nixon Lazaro for outreach to victims.
- An outreach letter is sent to victims informing them the batterer is on probation and about services available to them.
- Bench warrants are an on-going problem and needs to be addressed in order to increase batterer accountability. The committee may want to make a recommendation that these type of bench warrants need to given a priority
- Approximately 20 – 25 bench warrants are issued a week.
- About one-half are not taken into custody.
- When there is an outstanding bench warrant and patrol officers comes into contact with a batterer, frequently a citation is issued for the batterer to appear at some future date.
- Two probation officers are assigned to serve warrants in other units. It would be helpful to have two probation officers assigned to serve warrants for the domestic violence unit. The Committee may want to make a recommendation to the Oversight Panel regarding this matter
- FRET (Fugitive Return Enforcement Team) still exists and is helpful. Still significant number violators get away and are not taken into custody.
Other:
- Training of emergency communications dispatchers is still a concern. This item will be referred to the Justice Courage Resource Committee.
- The Judicial Conference on Domestic Violence was held on June 3, 2004. It was well attended by judges. Overall the meeting was positive and productive. Some of the items covered included the following:
- Responses to emergency protective orders. Police frequently leave the wrong-call back number. To address this issue the responding officer will now leave a name and badge number.
- A reasonable response time is thirty (30) minutes. Most judges respond within fifteen (15) minutes per the judges.
- It was noted that there are safety issues for survivors when the Courts break for lunch.
- The courts have noticed a decrease in progress reports.
- It was proposed that policies for the Courts be in writing.
- Stay-away orders – Concerns were expressed regarding how stay-away orders are handled.
An ad hoc sub-committee will convene to address the stay-away orders. Members of this committee will include: Ken Theisen, Trish Irwin, Nixon Lazaro, Cynthia Alexis, and Sally Pina.
Next Meeting:
July 14, 2004, 1:30 – 2:30 P.M. at Bay Area Legal Aid. Adult Probation will continue its presentation, specifically focusing on services to victims.
Adjourned:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:25 P.M.
