JUDICIARY AND LAW COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Administrative Center – Room 3220

2:30 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Vicki Burke, Keith Belzer, John Medinger, Jacie Gamroth (arr @2:35)        

MEMBERS EXCUSED:  Joe Bilskemper, Maureen Freedland, Bernie Maney       

MEMBERS ABSENT:  None 

STAFF & GUESTS:  Steve Helgeson, Jeff Wolf, Mike Horstman, Doris Daggett, Bryan Jostad, Gloria Doyle, Jane Klekamp, Bob Taunt, Ruthann Schultz, Margaret Larson, Steve O’Malley, Gary Ingvalson, Mary Powell, Sharon Hampson, Cheryl Stephen

CALL TO ORDER

Committee Chair Vicki Burke called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION by Gamroth/Medinger to approve minutes of October 9, 2007 (not October 10^th as stated on the agenda).  Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland, and Maney excused.  Supervisor Medinger suggested different wording other than “make” in the comment: “we may make $59,000 in confinement fees for 2007”; maybe use the word “generate”.  Comment only.

APPROVAL OF JOINT MEETING MINUTES WITH LEC ADDITION COMMITTEE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

MOTION by Medinger/Gamroth to approve the joint meeting minutes with LEC Addition Committee and Criminal Justice Management Council of October 10, 2007.  Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland and Maney excused. 

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Belzer/Gamroth to accept the following Consent Agenda items:

• CJMC Executive Committee Minutes of October 10, 2007
• Emergency Medical Dispatch Advisory Committee Minutes of September 21 and October 8, 2007
• Public Safety Communications Governing Board Minutes of September 24, 2007
• Local Emergency Planning Committee Minutes of September 19, 2007

Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland and Maney excused.  Supervisor Medinger questioned the progress made on EMS ambulance services.  Steve O’Malley noted progress but still ongoing negotiations with the mediator and the two parties; need to clarify that elected officials are the governing body.  

PUBLIC COMMENT

None requested.

REQUEST BY YWCA COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) FOR KIDS PROGRAM

Committee Chair Burke noted this was presented and briefly discussed at the last meeting with consensus by committee members to invite Ruthann Schultz, CASA Program Director, to the November meeting to further review and answer questions.  Ms. Schultz noted her written request for $10,000 in funding for CASA was sent to the County Administrator at the end of August, but he had already prepared his 2008 proposed budget.  Steve O’Malley noted any additional budget funding could be done at the County Board level based on a recommendation of this committee.  Ms. Schultz distributed a handout relating to “goals of juvenile court.”  She noted the CASA for Kids Program fills an important gap in the court system by assuring that the children under the County’s jurisdiction are seen every week and that all parties to these cases receive timely and factual information about the child and family.  CASA is an advocate for the child.  She reviewed the process of selecting and training CASA volunteers.  She noted that in seeking funding from the federal CASA program, that the first question they ask is if the County supports the program; without County support, cannot expect funding from the federal CASA program.  Discussion on types of cases and role of the CASA volunteer, social worker, and guardian ad litem.  In addition to a support letter sent by the Family Court Commissioner, Gloria Doyle was also present and spoke in support of the CASA program.  MOTION by Medinger/Belzer to recommend to the County Board the addition of $10,000 to the 2008 County budget as a donation to the La Crosse YWCA CASA for Kids Program.  Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland and Maney excused.

REVIEW SCREENING/HIRING PROCESS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL

Bob Taunt reviewed, as follows, the hiring process for Jailer and Patrol Deputy:

• Applications are accepted and all take a written exam; those who pass the test are screened by Personnel and Sheriff’s Dept.
• Those that pass the screening are then interviewed by Sheriff’s management staff and finalists selected.
• Background check on:  employment and personal references, criminal violations (state), traffic violations (re Patrol Deputies), and check with NIC for other state violations.
• Physical exam, drug tests and evaluation by physician.
• Re Patrol Deputies, Dr. Cubbage (County Psychologist) administers Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test, plus interview with the candidate, and reports his findings to Personnel.
• Jailers must be 18 and have high school diploma or GED as minimum.
• Patrol Deputies must be 21 and have Basic Police Certification Training in Wisconsin within last two years, or already be certified as a Law Enforcement Officer in the State of Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board.  Also require minimum of 60 fully accredited college-level credits with preference for Associate Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Police Science or Criminal Justice.  Main reason for additional education and evaluation of the Patrol Deputy is because they carry a weapon.
• Both must pass an 18-month probation period.    

UPDATE ON CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM (CIT) TRAINING

Margaret Larson reviewed CIT training.  She distributed a handout relating to the agenda of the training session that occurred during the week of October 8-12, 2007.  The Mental Health Coalition of the Greater La Crosse Area is the main advocate for this training, including the police, Sheriff, Clinical Services and financial support from La Crosse Community Foundation.  Offered two 40-hour training sessions in 2007 and plan two more in 2008.  The training has seen the following results:  (1) lower risk of injury to officers and others, (2) fewer repeat contact with mental health consumers, (3) fewer dropped 72-hour holds, (4) enhanced working relationship with crisis workers, (5) reduced manpower and overtime use, and (6) greater involvement of family and friends of the mental health consumer.  Law enforcement works with the Mobile Crisis Response Team.  To-date for 2007, there were 423 calls of which 84% were from the community and 16% from the hospital; as compared to 2005, this was the opposite – many more calls from the hospital.  This is an example that the training is working and saving costs in hospital holds.

Cost for the weekly training averages $5,000.  She noted total of 47 trained law enforcement from La Crosse County of which 25 are from the Sheriff’s Dept.

UPDATE ON CJMC AND THEIR MISSION STATEMENT

Jane Klekamp reviewed this topic.  A copy of the CJMC mission statement and vision statement was sent with the agenda.  She also distributed a report on the progress made by Justice Sanctions and other departments based on the Carey Report recommendations.  Highlights as follows:

·         Creation of Executive Committee of CJMC to work on limited risk control theory and the Judges are reacting favorably.

·         Prepare ongoing snapshots of jail population.  Jane distributed snapshop information taken 13 times from the end of June to-date.

·         Executive Committee of CJMC also discussing options to current practices.

·         Progress being made in closing women’s jail and developing a 4-tear system:  assessment, residential, community and secure jail.

·         Justice Sanctions is focusing more on higher risk individuals.

·         Increased Justice Sanctions staffing, including a Supervisor.

·         Have a seamless delivery system; this includes treatment courts and women’s community-based program.

·         Starting to utilize the Proxy instrument; this is being done during booking and first level of screening for clients by Justice Sanctions.

·         Making progress on aligning assessment results with corresponding activities to address risk level and criminogenic needs.  Ongoing training on this.

·         Incorporate additional assessment tools; further training on domestic violence screening tools.

·         Reducing drug testing frequency by half.  Working on this with some resistance from treatment courts.

·         Develop a quality assurance plan that identifies core services that require routine procedures to ensure fidelity.  Progress being made that also includes the hiring of a Supervisor.

·         Conduct a client survey.  It’s been compiled and ready to distribute.

·         Conduct evidence-based practices training; one completed in September with more in the future.

·         Develop staff training plan.  Working with colleges and NIC to possibly offer regional training in 2008.

APPROVE RENEWAL OF CONTRACT FOR JAIL INMATE PHONE SYSTEM

Sheriff Helgeson, Chief Deputy Jeff Wolf, and Bryan Jostad reviewed the contract renewal for the jail inmate phone system. Highlights as follows:

• Current provider is Sercurus Technologies which has been providing the service since January 2005.
• Forty-five Sheriff’s departments in the State have same phone system provider.
• Benefits of extending the contract:  Sercurus will upgrade the current software technology at no cost which will (1) improve communications between inmates, family and friends by offering “Connect Me-Now, First Call connect, and ability to set-up prepaid accounts, (2) improve investigative techniques with storage and archiving inmate calls and access real time to inmate conversations, and (3) improved fraud detection and continued ability to block phone numbers preventing over 90% of 3-way phone calls.
• In addition, minutes per phone call will increase while costs will decrease.
• Sheriff Dept. commission will increase from 52% to 55%.
• And a $50,000 sign-up bonus that the Sheriff has offered to be used toward inmate programs over the next 3 years.

Staff recommends the extension of 3-year contract with Sercurus Technologies.  Some miscellaneous questions.  Cost per local phone call is $4.42 for 20-minute call (previously $4.45 for 15 minutes).  Also noted all calls are recorded except those with attorneys; only Sheriff management staff and investigators listen to recorded calls and only if they suspect suspicious activity or threats.  MOTION by Gamroth/Belzer to approve the 3-year contract extension with Sercurus Technologies for Inmate Telephone Service ending February 1, 2011.  Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland and Maney excused.

REVIEW CONFINEMENT FEE HISTORY

Noted Supervisor Bilskemper had requested this information.  Information was sent with the agenda that included history and yearly collected amounts.  Money is collected at time of arrest or during incarceration, or collection notice given during time of release; also collect these debts via the Tax Intercept Program.  Question asked how much administration time is involved; is it cost effective?  Answer unknown.  Sheriff Helgeson noted that once the confinement fee was started, staff noticed inmates had less money for concessions and for doctor fees.  Committee Chair Burke suggested further review prior to the 2009 budget process.

RESOLUTION RE ESTABLISHING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER (LEC) ADDITION BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE

Steve O’Malley reviewed.  He noted per the creation of the LEC Addition Committee in February 2006, that once a final project design was approved by the County Board, the LEC Addition Committee would disband and the construction oversight would be taken over by the Judiciary & Law Committee.  Based on the last building committee and the amount of time involved during the construction process, there is a need for available and dedicated committee members.  Board Chairman Doyle and Steve O. are recommending the creation of a new construction oversight committee.  This resolution authorizes that as well as have the Chair of Judiciary & Law Committee be the chair of this new committee.  MOTION by Belzer/Gamroth to approve the resolution.  Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland and Maney excused.

INPUT & QUESTIONS RE 2008 DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS

No questions other than clarification that Jail Ministry is in the Jail Services budget under the Consulting line item.

ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS

At this time, Committee Chair Burke noted new jail physician - Dr. Chambers from Franciscan Skemp. 

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION by Belzer/Gamroth to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried unanimously; Bilskemper, Freedland and Maney excused.  The meeting adjourned at 4:05 p.m. 

Disclaimer:  The above minutes may be approved, amended or corrected at the next committee meeting.

Cheryl Stephen, Recorder