August XX, 2023
Honorable Michael D. Coughlan, Presiding Judge
Superior Court of California, San Joaquin County
180 E. Weber Ave, Suite 1306J
Stockton, California 95202
Dear Judge Coughlan,
The City of Ripon welcomes the opportunity to respond to the 2022-2023 San Joaquin Grand Jury Case #0322 Report regarding School Safety: A Shared Responsibility. The City of Ripon always welcomes independent review of security measures and safety plans of the school sites within our community, and thanks the Grand Jury for its efforts.
The City of Ripon has reviewed the report provided and implemented many of the recommendations. The City of Ripon would also like to take the opportunity to address the Report’s findings and recommendations. Our comments follow below.
Grand Jury Findings:
F2.4 Many district CSSPs show a lack of meaningful collaboration between districts and local law enforcement agencies, causing confusion and chaos during an emergency.
The Ripon Police Department has long enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Ripon Unified School District, working collaboratively on a variety of issues and ongoing challenges. The partnership includes administrative and school site security evaluations, suggestions, and discussion, along with input and planning into the Ripon Unified School District and the individual school sites CSSPs, culminating in staff development training between the entities and practical training exercises.
Finding F2.4 does not specifically reference the Ripon Unified School District or the City of Ripon when discussing the perceived lack of inter-district collaboration. Thus, to the extent Finding F2.4 is intended by the Grand Jury to apply to RUSD and the City of Ripon, the City of Ripon respectfully disagrees with the finding. More generally, the Police Department re-affirms the importance of ongoing meaningful collaboration with the Ripon Unified School District in the preparation and updating of the Comprehensive School Safety Plan
Grand Jury Recommendations:
In responding to the Grand Jury’s recommendations, we note each recommendation and the City of Ripon’s response follows.
R2.4 By December 15, 2023, each law enforcement agency in San Joaquin County meaningful ly collaborate and approve the updated CSSP for school sites within that agency’s jurisdiction.
The City of Ripon Police Department and other governmental agencies within our jurisdiction began collaborating with the Ripon Unified School District in September of 2022 to update the current CSSPs. The City of Ripon Police Department will continue to work with the Ripon Unified School District and other involved agencies to update and approve the CSSP.
The City of Ripon would like to once again thank the Grand Jury for its effort in their review of the City’s security posture. The City of Ripon agrees that it is vital that all local municipalities implement sufficient safeguards to protect their information systems and continue to supply vital resources to their constituents. Please let us know if there is anything further that you require.
Michael Restuccia, Mayor