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6.1. C. - Page 1 <br /> RE PO RT <br /> To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br /> From the Cit Mana er <br /> June 10, 2013 <br /> SUBJECT <br /> Response to Civil Grand Jury Report entitled "Can We Talk? Law Enforcement and Our <br /> Multilingual County" <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> Approve by motion the issuance of the attached letter responding to the March 20, 2013 <br /> Civil Grand Jury Report and authorize the Mayor to sign and send the letter in response. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> On March 20, 2013 the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury ("Grand Jury") filed a report <br /> with the San Mateo Superior Court regarding law enforcement agencies ability to <br /> communicate with the County's non-English speaking population. The Grand Jury <br /> collected information from all of the law enforcement agencies in the cities and towns in <br /> the County, and from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, regarding the level and <br /> efficiency of their interactions with non-English speakers in their jurisdictions. The report <br /> concluded that law enforcement agencies in the County should implement written <br /> policies and procedures as a guideline for encounters with non-English speakers. The <br /> report further recommended that agencies subscribe to a language line telephonic <br /> service, examine the feasibility of providing smart phones with access to translations <br /> services to line level personnel, and encourage and financially support participation in <br /> POST language skills classes. The Superior Court stated that the City Council must <br /> submit comments to the court regarding the report's findings and recommendations no <br /> later than June 18, 2013, and that the response must be approved by the City Council <br /> at a public meeting. <br /> ANALYSIS <br /> The Grand Jury report produced six findings and four recommendations. Three of the <br /> recommendations are applicable to Redwood City: <br /> R1. Develop a written policy/procedure for language access. <br /> R3. Examine the feasibility of providing smart phones to patrol officers. <br /> R4. Encourage and financially support participation in POST language skill classes. <br /> City staff has considered the findings and recommendations and has prepared a letter <br /> for the Mayor's signature that responds to the Grand Jury's report. The Redwood City <br />