California Performance Review

Summary of Pertinent Sections

Prepared by Nick Warner, Nick Warner & Associates

916-443-7318/

August 16, 2004

1. About California Performance Review

Title:California Performance Review

Link:

Schedule:Riverside, August 13th at UCR, 10:00 to 3:00p.m.

Infrastructure - At this hearing the topics to be discussed will include: Transportation; Hospital, Housing and School Construction; Water and Energy.

San Diego, August 20th at UCSD, 10:00 to 4:00p.m.
Health and Human Services and Education, Training and Volunteerism
San Jose, August 27th at SJSU, 10:00 to 4:00 p.m.
General Government; Information Technology, Performance-based Management, Procurement and Personnel
Long Beach, September 10th at Cal State Long Beach, 10:00 to 4:00p.m.
Corrections Reform (IRP) and Public Safety
Fresno, September 17th at Cal State Fresno, 10:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection

  1. Summary of Recommendations -- The following summarizes the highlights of the 2,500 page California Performance Review.
  • Create Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security (DPS&HS) with four divisions.
  • CHP
  • Fire Protection and Emergency Management
  • Division of Law Enforcement (consolidates law enforcement functions of 8 other agencies: Fish and Game, Consumer Affairs, DMV, etc.)
  • VictimsServices
  • Appoint Secretary of Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Secretary would report directly to the Governor and coordinate all state level law enforcement and emergency management functions. The Secretary would also serve as the law enforcement liaison to federal, state and local agencies. This act would require legislation.

Note: The following agencies are recommended for consolidation under DPS&HS:

1)CHP

2)OTS

3)ABC

4)Consumer Affairs (3 enforcement divisions)

5)Department of Developmental Services, Office of Protective Services

6)Fish and Game, Enforcement Branch

7)Forestry and Fire Protection

8)DHS, Battered Women’s Shelter Program

9)DMV, Investigations Division

10)Parks and Recreations, Public Safety Branch

11)DSS, Disaster Section

12)Toxic Substance Control, Criminal Investigations Branch

13)Department of Water Resources, Flood Management/Dams Division

14)Emergency Medical Services Authority

15)Office of Homeland Security

16)Victims Compensation and Government Claims Board, Victim Compensation Unit

17)California State Fair Police Department

  • CHP – Will remain intact and continue with its traffic safety, law enforcement, and state security functions. One change will be the merging of the Office of Traffic Safety (currently within Business, Transportation and Housing Agency) into the CHP. The agency would become a Division that would report directly to the Secretary of DPS&HS.
  • Consolidation -- Reasons for consolidation are summarized by the statement, “Under normal conditions, this structure is confusing, duplicative and inefficient. In an emergency….It does not lend itself to effective delivery of emergency services when they’re needed most…”:
  • No uniform command structure
  • No single communication system in place that allows emergency responders to communicate with each other directly.
  • Too many classes of peace officers working for too many agencies
  • Duplication of effort and unnecessary competition amongst agencies (noted examples: Homeland Security and OES)

Other notes of interest

  • National Guard should remain outside of DPS&HS.
  • Counting every state board, commission, agency and department, more than 80 different California state entities perform or administer public safety services.
  • Recommends peace officer statutory review. Intent is to support (above referenced) consolidation of law enforcement functions and to determine if various classes of state peace officers are still necessary.
  • 9-1-1 – The bulk of the CPR as it relates to 9-1-1 focuses on the role of CHP and lack of interoperable systems. The report is critical of the resources the agency has been provided and their failure to implement Phase II in a timely manner. The report also mentions DGS Telecommunications Division several times with a parenthetical comment of “or its successor agency.” The CPR report as it relates to 9-1-1 is somewhat ‘pie in the sky’ in that most of the recommendations are hugely cost prohibitive or they would be in place today.

Specific 9-1-1 and emergency response recommendations and comments include:

  • DGS, “or its successor agency,” should link all state PSAPs as so0n as practical to a statewide network. This will permit data to be transferred between various PSAP and federal, state and local responders, as needed.
  • Required automated notification on 9-1-1 systems that non-emergency calls may generate a fine
  • Establish 3-1-1 call centers for non-emergency calls to CHP and other state governmental agencies. One center would be located in Southern California and one in Northern California.
  • All emergency response vehicles should be equipped with GPS technology
  • 3-1-1 equipment would be provided by using outdated 9-1-1 equipment as state upgrades technology. “The CHP is upgrading call centers with new equipment to meet Phase 2 wireless standards and the old equipment would work well for 311 system.”
  • DGS, “or its successor agency” should link all PSAPs in the state in order that an overcrowded PSAP can automatically transfer calls to a system that has operators available.
  • Providers should “explore” a requirement that all wireless providers be required to have Phase II capable equipment.
  • $100 million has been transferred from SETNA to State General Fund over the last 5 years.
  • Report references Federal Homeland Security Grants and NENA grants as a potential funding source for state 9-1-1 states no financial estimates available.
  • 9-1-1 Advisory and Appeal Board (SB 911, 2003) should be eliminated (This DOES require legislative approval).
  • Endnotes section(s) indicate interview with Daphne Rowe, Barry R. Helphill from DGS and make reference to NENA standards.

Endnotes: The Governor has received this report but has not yet endorsed any or all of it. Governor Schwarzenegger’s office advises they are reviewing the 2,500 page document and are interested in comments from the public. The public and interested groups are invited to testify at the above referenced hearings.

Many of these recommendations require legislative approval (including creation of DPS&HS and elimination of boards such as 9-1-1 Advisory-Appeal board).

Given that the document is so long and involved, it is possible that links to other issues pop up as we learn more about the report, the advisors and the issues. I will endeavor to update this report if/when additional information becomes available.

Sections used to prepare this summary report include, but are not limited to: