Oversight_Panel
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 JUSTICE AND COURAGE
OVERSIGHT PANEL
Monday, December 5, 2005
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
City Hall, Room 34
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
MINUTES
Members Present: Commissioner Dorka Keehn (Chair), Marily Mondejar- Filipina Women's Network, Dr. Emily Murase- Department on the Status of Women, Ken Theisen- Bay Area Legal Aid, Jill Tregor- Greenbook Project, Beverly Upton- San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium
Members Absent: Juana Flores- Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Antonio Ramirez- POCOVI
Staff Present: Colleen Montoya- Department on the Status of Women
I. Call to order/Agenda Changes
The meeting was called to order by Chair Dorka Keehn at 9:09 am.
Approval of agenda (Murase/Theisen/Unanimous).
II. Approval of Minutes
Approval of minutes of October 19, 2005 (Theisen/Mondejar/Unanimous).
III. Old Business
A. Candidates for Oversight Panel
Commissioner Keehn reviewed the status of Panel membership and noted that Supervisor Fiona Ma agreed to serve as an Honorary Chair. The Panel discussed its one open seat. Dr. Murase reported that she approached Terry Person-Harris regarding her interest in serving on the Oversight Panel, however Ms. Person-Harris is currently in transition and unable to make a firm commitment at this time. The Panel agreed to review its membership requirements to determine whether there are parameters to consider when making the next appointment. The Panel will continue the item to a future meeting.
B. Proposed Relocation of Domestic Violence Response Unit
The Panel discussed the proposed relocation of the Police Department's Domestic Violence Response Unit. Dr. Murase updated the Panel on the November meeting with Deputy Chief Tabak, and her subsequent correspondence. The Panel discussed the options available, including a possible off-site location and the advantages and disadvantages of such a move. The Panel reviewed an agenda for a December 12th meeting with Chief Fong. Panel Members Beverly Upton, Ken Theisen, Emily Murase, and Dorka Keehn, and Policy Analyst Colleen Montoya, stated they would attend the meeting. The Panel also discussed whether the relocation should be brought to the attention of the Police Commission. It was decided that any further action, including attendance at a Police Commission meeting, would be considered at the next Oversight Panel meeting.
C. Current Staffing Levels of the Domestic Violence Response Unit
The Panel discussed the current staffing levels of the DVRU. Commissioner Keehn reported that at the November 7th meeting, Deputy Chief Tabak committed to assigning at least one new inspector from the incoming Academy class to the DVRU. The issue will be on the December 12th agenda with Chief Fong. The Panel asked Ms. Montoya to confirm the current staffing level prior to December 12th.
D. Strategic Plan for FY 05/06
The Panel reviewed the 2005-2006 Strategic Plan. Panel members raised questions regarding Goal D Objective 2 - Complete full study of Superior Court Motion to Revoke Hearings. The Panel discussed in length the issue of MTRs and their efficacy and enforcement. Panel members felt that more information was needed and requested that D2 be changed to read "Review results of MTR in the Domestic Violence Court" (Tregor/Upton/Unanimous). The Panel proposed several strategies for gathering additional information on MTRs, including a review of the data, a visit to the DV Court, a meeting with the new DV Court Judge (Lee), and the inclusion of MTR data in JUSTIS.
The Panel made the following additional changes to the Strategic Plan and requested that the Justice & Courage Mission Statement be added to the Plan:
Goal B Objective 2b - add "Victim Notification System" (Tregor/Upton/Unanimous)
Goal C Objective 1-3 - add "by June 2006" (Tregor/Upton/Unanimous)
Goal D Objective 3 - omit "52 weeks"(Tregor/Upton/Unanimous)
The Panel also requested a training be scheduled for mid-January to educate Panel members on the DV Court process. Assistant District Attorney James Rowland and Interim Chief of Adult Probation Art Faro agreed to help facilitate the training.
E. Victim Notification System Status
Dr. Murase provided the Panel with a brief overview of the San Mateo County Victim Notification System model. Ms. Montoya will present a more detailed report at the February 1st meeting.
F. Adult Probation Department Response to McAllister Study on Court Compliance
Interim Chief of Adult Probation Art Faro reported to the Panel that he had reviewed 200 of the 399 individual cases examined by the McAllister Study and requested additional time to prepare a response. The Panel granted Mr. Faro an extension until the February 1st Oversight Panel Meeting.
G. District Attorney Statistics on Domestic Violence
In response to its request, Assistant District Attorney James Rowland provided the Panel with statistical information regarding domestic violence cases handled by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Rowland also reviewed the impact of the Crawford decision and stated that the jurisdictions most successful with prosecuting domestic violence post-Crawford are those providing police officers with DA-led trainings. Mr. Rowland reported that he is currently providing such trainings, but is unable to meet the full need due to limited time and resources. The Panel commended Mr. Rowland for his efforts.
H. PRAXIS Safety Audit Update
Dr. Murase updated the Panel on the status of the Safety Audit budget and the scaled down version of the proposal. Dr. Murase reported that she is currently in negotiations with the Mayor's budget office as to the specific amount to be approved per the Mayor's commitment. A conference call was scheduled to discuss the proposal with PRAXIS. Panel members discussed next steps and expressed their desire and commitment to an open and transparent contract process.
IV. Reports
A. Protocol Committee Report
Sally Pina, Committee Co-Chair, updated the Panel on the Protocols Committee and progress on the Protocol Assessment. Ken Theisen and Jim Rowland will work on reviewing the DA Protocol. Jill Tregor will assist with the Human Services Agency Protocol.
B. Resources Committee Report
Beverly Upton, Committee Co-Chair, updated the Panel on the Resources Committee and the status of the Blue Shield Foundation Proposal.
C. Filipina Community Association Update
Dr. Murase presented the Panel with a memo from Commission on the Status of Women Secretary Garry Consolacion updating the Panel on the Filipina Community Association and recent events.
D. Media Outreach Report
Panel Member Marily Mondejar updated the Panel on the Media Plan, including the proposed Ethnic Media Roundtable. Ms. Mondejar will work with Ms. Montoya to select a Roundtable date for February. Commissioner Keehn reported that she submitted an Op-Ed following the two recent domestic violence-related homicides but it was not published.
E. JUSTIS Report
Dr. Murase reported that Ms. Montoya would be attending the JUSTIS Governance Council Meeting on Thursday, December 8th. The target operational date for the Domestic Violence Reporting and Query Module is February 2006. A users meeting for Ms. Montoya, Mr. Theisen, and Ms. Upton is being rescheduled.
V. New Business
A. Meeting with Presiding Judge Robert Dondero
The Panel discussed the agenda for the meeting scheduled with Presiding Judge Robert Dondero on December 6th, 2005. Ms. Upton requested that the agenda include asking Judge Dondero for his guidance on the MTR issue.
B. Domestic Violence Response Team
Kathryn Black, Executive Director of La Casa de las Madres, presented on the creation of a San Francisco Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) through funding from the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
C. Meeting with Mayor Newsom
Commissioner Keehn reported back on her meeting with Mayor Newsom regarding the Safety and Accountability Audit budget and the Mayor's commitment to sustaining the Justice & Courage Project, including funding for the Project Coordinator position.
D. Oversight Panel Meeting Schedule for 2006
The Panel approved the meeting schedule for 2006.
VI. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 pm.
