November 12, 2024
Monterey County Civil Grand Jury
Attention: Doug Smith, Foreperson
P.O. Box 414
Salinas, CA 93902
Re: Updated Responses of the City of Salinas to the 2023-2024 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury Final Report – “Monterey County’s Response to Community Members Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis” Dear Mr. Doug Smith:
I am responding to your inquiry dated October 3, 2024, regarding updates to the City’s response to the Findings and Recommendations of the 2023-2024 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury Final Report.
As requested by the Civil Grand Jury, the City of Salinas respectfully submits the following updated responses to Recommendations Four and Five identified in the Final Report.
Recommendation 4. The Salinas Police Chief and the Monterey County Sheriff prioritize the completion of an annual training needs assessment and plan by no later than July 31, 2024, and by the end of each fiscal year thereafter.
Response:
The City agrees with this recommendation, and as of July 31, 2024, an annual training needs assessment and plan will be implemented and posted on the Salinas Police Department website.
Further Response:
The recommendation has been implemented. Training documents are consistently uploaded and posted on the Salinas Police Department’s website. The process is continuous and streamlined, with documents uploaded and posted once a staff member completes the training. The enclosed Salinas Police Department Training Plan is posted on the Department’s public website.
Recommendation 5. The Salinas Police Department and Monterey County Sheriff’s Office conspicuously post all current standards, policies, practices, operating procedures, and education and training materials to their websites by June 30, 2024.
Doug Smith, Foreperson
Re: City of Salinas’s Updated Responses to Monterey County Civil Grand Jury
Response:
The City agrees with this recommendation and as of June 30, 2024, such record will be posted conspicuously on the Salinas Police Department website.
Further Response:
The recommendation has been implemented. All current standards, policies, practices, operating procedures, and education and training materials have been conspicuously posted on the Salinas Police Department’s website. This is a continual process as new legislation and case law frequently change, leading to regular modifications to these policies and procedures.
The current Salinas Police Department Policy Manual, revised March 18, 2024, is posted on the Department’s public website, and includes the enclosed policy on Crisis Intervention Incidents.
Salinas Police Officers are currently participating in a mandatory two-hour Critical Incident Training (CIT) updated course that began on September 19, 2024. Upon completion, all Salinas Police Officers will receive updated CIT training taught by experts from Monterey County Behavioral Health.
The training provides officers with strategic communications skills required in the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Perishable Skills Training Program. The intent of the training is to improve officers’ ability to generate voluntary compliance through the art of persuasion and utilizing the tools of interpersonal and tactical communication. The training covers practical strategic communications skills for in-service personnel. It also includes additional information, skills and tactics related to Crisis Intervention, Community Resources, and the application of Critical Decision-Making elements.
This updated training ensures that critical incident training is not only a part of the overall training plan but is also deeply embedded in daily operations, through policy updates and practical, scenario-based learning.
Respectfully submitted,
Kimbley Craig
Mayor
Enclosures:
Salinas Police Department Training Plan
Salinas Police Department Policy 465 (Crisis Intervention Incidents) Cc: City Manager
City Attorney
Police Chief