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� <br /> 6.1 F <br /> Page 13 <br /> In zesponse to specific questions about SAFE, 16 out of 19 police chiefs felt that reestablishing <br /> the SAFE taskforce would be a great benef t to thexr communities. There was general agreement <br /> that a county-wide approach would be fhe rnost effective way to address sex crimes, including <br /> the monitoring of registered sex offenders. <br /> In FY 1996-1997 following fihe brutal atfack in Redwood Crty on a 9-year old girl by a previous <br /> sex offender, the Sheriff's Office, in conjunction wifh the Board of Supervisors and with active <br /> supportJparticipation from the District Attorney's Office and Probation Depar#lnent, established <br /> the Sexual Habitual0f£ender Program (SHOP} in order to monitor sex offenders. z5 It was <br /> �originally funded fihrough forfeitures and fingerprintang fees. This dedicated sex crimes unit <br /> worked in cooperation with the San Mateo County Probation Department to register and track <br /> sex of�enders throughout San Mateo County. In FY 1998-1999, SHOP was formalIy funded <br /> through Proposition 172 (%2-cent sales tax to `enhance law enfoxcexnent') and Supplemental Law <br /> Enforcement Sexvzces �unds (SLESF) (AB3299 funds generated through vehicle Iicense fees). <br /> As found in Board of Supervisors (BOS) reeoxds from 2001, the Sheriff used to make annual <br /> requests o� the BOS to specif cally designate SLESF for funding SH�P, 26 With the reduction in <br /> state sales tax revenue and SLESF funds, the County naw treats these funds as general law <br /> enforcement contributions, and the Sheriff can no longer request the B�S to designate a spec�fic <br /> funding source for sexual offender txacking and enforcement. <br /> From 2003-2007 the SHOP unit was staffed with a sergeant, three detectives and two ICE <br /> agents. Xn. addition to the unit's regular dufi�es, the Sheriff signed a Memorandum of <br /> Understanding (MOU} with. the Silicon Valley ICAC unit to provide equipment and personnel to <br /> monitor child parnography and c1uld exploitation on the Xnfemet. The SHOP sex cximes unit <br /> handled 300 San Mateo County sex offen.dsr cases per year. <br /> The San Mateo County SAFE taskfoz�ce consisted. of inembe�s from the Shezif�s O�fice, County <br /> Probation Department, Daly Czty, and Sauth San Francisco Police Departm8nts, which a11 had <br /> signed an MOU comrnitting resources to the Tas�cforce. The S.A.FE program's puipose was to <br /> have various law enforcement agencies comduct "sweeps" in specific areas to visit the rosidences <br /> af sex offenders to ensure they werc in comrpliance with xegulations. Often FosCer Cit}+ and <br /> Redwood City Police Depart�nents would join in the "sweeps". The taskforce completed six <br /> "sweeps" befoxe the California Department of Justice disbanded the pzogram in San IV�ateo <br /> County. <br /> Due to the Iack of State funding for the SA.FE taskforce, the Sheriff's Of�ce Sex Crimes Unit <br /> and the Probation Departxnent Sex Crimes Unit took up the slack. Tn 2005 the Sheriff's �ff�ce <br /> eontxact to provide investigative services to the East Pa1a Al�o Police Deparhnent expired. Two <br /> detectives were assi�ned from that unit to San Mateo Covnty Sheriff s Sex Crimes Unit. The Sex <br /> Crimes Unit then became a team consisting of a sergeant and three deputi�s. Staffing for sexual <br /> offender inves�igation, enforcement, and coordination o�' city poliee efforts was then one fu11� <br /> time scxgeant and three fall-time detectives in the S1�eriff 5 �ffice plus two days a week <br /> participation from ICE and County �'robation personnel. <br /> '� httn /larticles sf�,ate com/1996 08�07/news/17782043 I me�an-s-law-offenders-task-force <br /> '� Tnterdepartrnental I+�1emo; Sheiiff Don Hozsley to Board of Supervisars, Ap=il 3, 2001 fon c�axipg Apxi124, 200I. <br /> �a <br />