City Council
October 3, 2023
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Jestin D. Johnson
City Administrator City Administrator
SUBJECT: Proposed Response to 2022-2023
Alameda County Civil Grand Jury
Report
DATE: September 20, 2023
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Approve A Report And Recommendations From The City Administrator Regarding Ways To Improve Oakland’s 9-1-1 System And Invest $2.5M In Forthcoming Funds From The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, And Authorize The Council President To Respond On The City Council’s Behalf To The 2022-2023 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Report Findings Titled “Oakland 911 Still Lacking A Timely Response.”
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2022-2023 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Final Report included one report titled “Oakland 911 Still Lacking a Timely Response,” about the City of Oakland (City) that requires a response from the City Council and the Oakland Police Department (OPD) to their findings and recommendations. OPD has prepared a response to the report for your consideration. City Council discussion on this agenda item may inform the final responses to the Grand Jury Report by the Council President on behalf of the City Council. By default, formal responses to the Grand Jury report would have been due 90 days after the report’s public release. The City, however, requested and received an extension of the time to respond from the Grand Jury’s representative. In accordance with the extension the City’s responses are due no later than Friday, October 20, 2023.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The 2022-2023 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Final Report was published on June 23, 2023.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Final Report that pertains to the City of Oakland are provided in herein as Attachment A. The draft response to “Oakland 911 Still Lacking a Timely Response” is provided as Attachment B. Please note that the Civil Grand Jury requests that the City Council provide a response to Recommendation 23-1 and Finding 23-1 which are noted below. Per the Civil Grand Jury request, OPD has prepared a draft response to the “Civil Grand
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Response for 2022-2023 Date: September 20, 2023 Page 2
City Council
October 3, 2023
Jury Finding 23-1.” Please refer to Attachment B for more information on OPDs response to Finding 23-1. As part of the discussion for this item, the City Council should determine whether or not it concurs with OPDs response to “Finding 23-1”.
Civil Grand Jury Finding 23-1: The Emergency Communications Center lacks adequate staffing to promptly answer 911 calls and, working with the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department, has been unable to fill open positions in a timely manner.
Civil Grand Jury Recommendation 23-1: The Grand Jury recommends that the Oakland City Council, in its Fiscal Year 2023–2025 budget, authorize and budget for additional Emergency Communications Center managerial 2022–2023 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report positions, up to a total of 15 management positions; avoid cutting the budget for operator/dispatch positions; and avoid capping or reducing overtime.
Responding parties are instructed to refer to page 116 of the final report for “How to Respond to Findings & Recommendations” in this report which has been provided as Attachment C to this agenda report.
The production of this report aligns with the City Council’s goal to achieve a responsive and trustworthy Government.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no direct fiscal impacts associated with the production of this report. Should an appropriation be needed to respond to the findings or to implement any of the recommendations, those requests will be submitted through the City’s Budget Process.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
There was no public outreach necessary other than posting on the City’s website.
COORDINATION
The Office of the City Attorney, Oakland Police Department, Information Technology Department, and Human Resources Management Department were consulted in preparation of this report.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Response for 2022-2023 Date: September 20, 2023 Page 3
City Council
October 3, 2023
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are no economic opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Race & Equity: There are no race & equity opportunities associated with this report.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That the City Council Approve a Report and Recommendations From The City Administrator Regarding Ways to Improve Oakland’s 9-1-1 System And Invest $2.5M In Forthcoming Funds From The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, And Authorize The Council President To Respond On The City Council’s Behalf To The 2022-2023 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury Report Findings Titled “Oakland 911 Still Lacking a Timely Response.”
For questions regarding this report, please contact Tonya Gilmore, Acting Deputy City Administrator at 510-238-7587.
Respectfully submitted,
JESTIN D. JOHNSON
City Administrator
Prepared by:
Tonya Gilmore,
Acting Deputy City Administrator
Reviewed by:
Mark Love, Interim Director
Human Resources Management
Attachments (3):
A. 2022-23 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Reports (Oakland Excerpt) B. Draft response to “Oakland 911 Still Lacking A Timely Response” C. 2022-2023 Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report Excerpt (page 116) “How to Respond to Findings & Recommendations”