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1 <br /> 6.1 F <br /> Page 23 <br /> Grand Jury Response <br /> Page b I <br /> Response: This finding was directed towards the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. <br /> coNC�usioNS; <br /> 1. The cifizens of San Mateo County, especially children, are at a greater risk of <br /> being the victims of sexual offenses because some law enforcement agencies (a) <br /> no longer vigorously monifor sexua/ offenders nor invesfigate sexual predators to <br /> the same degree and (b} no longer coordinate such activifies on a county-wide <br /> bases. <br /> Response: Respondent disagrees with this finding. Though the SHOP program is <br /> no longer in existence, law enforcement agencies in San Mateo County are working <br /> toge#her, nonetheless, to combat predatory activity. Both the San Mateo County <br /> Probation Department and the Parole Division of the California Department of <br /> Corrections and Rehabilitation work with Iocal law enforcement to find and track <br /> registered sex offenders. These supervisorial agencies conduct "sweeps" in target <br /> cities, appearing unannounced at the homes of sex registrants, and targeting <br /> individuals who are not in compliance with their registration obligations. In <br /> September 2010 the Redwood City Police Department participated in one such <br /> "sweep" that targeted severai Cities and sixteen registran#s in the City of Redwood <br /> City. <br /> Additiona(ly, law enforcement officers who investigate child abuse offenses meet on <br /> a monthly basis to get training and share information through the San Mateo County <br /> Multi-Disciplinary Committee. As part of the San Mateo County Child Sexual Abuse <br /> Protocol, and in compliance with the National Chi[dren's Alliance, this County has a <br /> multi-disciplinary approach to the investigation of child abuse cases. This means <br /> that multiple agencies gafher at the Keller Center to make sure that a complete <br /> investiga#ion is conducted, which will meet the needs of alf participating agencies <br /> (law enforcement, Youth and Family Services, District Attorney, medical), so that the <br /> perpetrator can be brought to justice while minimizing trauma to the child victim. <br /> Part of the same multi-disciplinary process involves monthly meetings where <br /> representatives from each of these disciplines gather, in addition to representatives <br /> from Rape Trauma Services and the Victim's Center, to share information, ideas and <br /> investigative techniques. These meetings include trainings from experts in specific <br /> fields. As a result, not only are individual officers trained in new techniques and law, <br /> but the training promotes uniformity in child abuse investigations throughout the <br /> county. <br /> All law enforcement agencies contribute financially to employ an expert child <br /> forensic interviewer who is trained to elicit the most complete disclosure from a child <br />