City of Coronado, California
POLICE DEPARTMENT
“Commitment to Community Through Professionalism, Integrity, Respect and Teamwork” August 16, 2024
The Honorable Maureen F. Hallahan
Presiding Judge of the Superior
Court County of San Diego
P.O. Box 122724
San Diego, CA 92112-2727
Re: Dog Bites in San Diego County
Dear Judge Hallahan,
Pursuant to California Penal Code 933.05, the Coronado Police Department provides the below response to the applicable findings and recommendations included in the above reference Grant Jury Report.
FINDINGS
F1. Not all animal control agencies with jurisdiction for animal control in the cities of San Diego County consistently report their dog bite information to San Diego County Animal Control for annual reporting to the California Department of Public Health.
The Coronado Police Department agrees with the finding.
F2. Public information concerning fines for violations of dog control ordinances is not available for all interviewed jurisdictions.
The Coronado Police Department agrees with the finding.
RECOMMENDATIONS
R1. Interviewed cities should submit to the County of San Diego reports about all dog bites within their jurisdictions annually.
Response: The recommendation will not be implemented.
We do not report dog bites to the County of San Diego. If the dog's owner lives outside Coronado, we send the report to the animal control facility nearest the owner's home.
Reporting to the County of San Diego would require our Records Department to gather additional details (like animal type, sex, breed, etc.), which would increase staff work.
R2. Interviewed cities and the County of San Diego should publicly post the fines associated with violations of ordinances concerning dogs.
Response: The recommendation will not be implemented.
The City of Coronado does not issue or collect fines for dog ordinance violations. Instead, all such violations are referred to the San Diego County Superior Courts. It is the court's system that assesses any Attachment 2
potential punitive fines.
We thank the Grand Jury for working with the Coronado Police Department and other agencies. Their review and recommendations will improve how dog bites are reported in the county.
Sincerely,
___________________
Rick Martinez,
Chief of Police
Attachment 2
700 Orange Avenue, Coronado CA 92118 (619) 522.7350
Attachment 2