GRAND JURY REPORT

I GOT A COPY OF THE GRAND JURY REPORT FOR 2005-2006, IT WAS THE ONLY WAY I COULD FIND OUT WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE COMPLAINT I FILED WITH THEM SINCE I NEVER HEARD FROM THEM ON THEIR FINDINGS.

THE INDIVIDUALS WHO INVESTIGATED MY COMPLAINT DID EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD THEM NOT TO DO, THEY TALKED TO PEOPLE FROM ADMINISTRATION AND DID NO REAL INVESTIGATING OF MY COMPLAINT.

AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS ABOUT 10 RIOT HELMETS AND MAYBE A DOZEN PAIRS OF ELBOW AND KNEE PADS BETWEEN THE TWO FACILITIES.
I AM AMAZED THAT WITH THE INVENTORY LIST I SUPPLIED THE GRAND JURY THAT THEY MADE THE STATEMENT THE EQUIPMENT WAS ACCOUNTED FOR.
THE INVENTORY LIST I HAVE SHOWS 35 HELMETS ORDERED. A MAJORITY OF THESE HELMETS COSTS $137 EACH. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE 27 PAIRS OF GOGGLES ($47 EACH) THAT ARE ON THE INVENTORY LIST. NO MENTION OF THE KEVLAR PROTECTIVE SLEEVES, TACTICAL HOODS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT OFFICERS WHO WORK THESE JAIL FACILITIES CAN NOT LOCATE.

IN THE REPORT THE GRAND JURY ALSO MADE THE COMMENT THAT THE 25 PADDED PROTECTIVE VESTS ( $40 EACH) WERE DETERMINED TO BE NO LONGER SERVICEABLE.

CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THESE VESTS THAT WERE RECEIVED THE FIRST PART OF 2004 AND HAVE NEVER BEEN ISSUED OR USED ARE NOW DEEMED NO LONGER SERVICEABLE.

STILL AS OF THIS DATE 7/1/2006, MOST OF THE OFFICERS AT THE SANDY MUSH FACILITY HAVE NO ACCESS TO WHAT LITTLE EQUIPMENT THERE IS.
THE OFFICERS OF THESE TWO JAIL FACILITIES SHOULD BE IN A UPROAR OVER THIS MISSING EQUIPMENT, THIS EQUIPMENT IS FOR YOUR SAFETY. THE UNION FOR THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SHOULD BE YELLING THE LOUDEST BUT ANYONE WHO WORKS IN THE CORRECTIONS DIVISION KNOWS WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE BY THE UNION. THE VERY SAD PART IS THE UNION OFFICERS ARE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS FIRST AND THIS EQUIPMENT IS FOR THEIR SAFETY ALSO.

ONE LAST COMMENT.

IN THE GRAND JURY REPORT THERE IS A LETTER FROM LINDA DASH TO JUDGE McCABE. HER LAST SENTENCE IS BELOW,

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE SERVED ON THE 2005-2006 MERCED COUNTY GRAND JURY.

MY OPINION

THE JURY MEMBERS WHO INVESTIGATED MY COMPLAINT DID A DISSERVICE TO THE OFFICERS OF THE CORRECTIONS DIVISION BY NOT THROUGHLY INVESTIGATING MY COMPLAINT. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED, THE ONLY THING I COULDN’T GIVE YOU WAS THE COMMON SENSE TO DO A DECENT INVESTIGATION. SOME OF YOU CERTAINLY HAVE NO REASON AT ALL TO BE PROUD OF THE WORK YOU DID.

MICHAEL SOFRANEK