Correctional Sergeant Mentorship Program:
On August 12, 2020, CCSO representatives attended a meet and confer with CDCR’s Office of Labor Relations, along with Pleasant Valley State Prison Warden Scott Frauenheim and Avenal State Prison Warden Rosemary Ndoh. The meet and confer regarded the implementation of the Correctional Sergeant Mentorship Program (CSMP) and the Cohort Hiring Process. The program was developed to assist newly hired sergeants with their transition into the supervisory classification. Wardens Frauenheim and Ndoh had both implemented sergeant mentorship programs at their facilities approximately two years ago and found it to be very successful in developing and training newly hired sergeants. CDCR took notice of the program’s success and asked Wardens Frauenheim and Ndoh to assist them in developing a statewide mentorship program. The program proposes a sergeant hiring schedule, in which institutions will hire sergeants on a quarterly basis which will coincide with scheduled Basic Supervision training. Each institution will have predesignated quarters throughout the year to hire new sergeants. The process will ensure that upon being hired, sergeants are immediately enrolled into the 40 hour Basic Supervision course, followed immediately with a 40 hour Sergeants Academy. This predetermined hiring schedule will be evaluated annually to ensure a steady pipeline of new sergeants are available to the institutions. CCSO believes this is a good thing, as in the past many of us promoted to the sergeant classification and did not attend any official training for many years after being promoted. Upon completion of the Sergeant’s Academy, the newly hired sergeants will be assigned a mentor who is a well-qualified and established sergeant who has volunteered to help guide and assist the new sergeant with their transition at the institution. Mentors are expected to meet with their mentee twice per month to discuss their progress and to provide guidance with any potential issues they might be experiencing. CDCR stressed their commitment to the program, stating they were reaching out to all hiring authorities and informing them of the importance of this program and the expectations of support from local management teams. CCSO is always in favor of training and development programs, and we believe this program will provide much needed guidance, support, and encouragement to newly promoted sergeants.
Medal of Valor Ceremony:
CCSO has supported CDCR’s Medal of Valor ceremony for over 20 years, and will continue to sponsor this great event. Due to the pandemic, this year’s event will be recorded in CDCR’s studio and will entail a reading of the recipients’ names. A DVD can be provided upon request. CDCR and CCSO hope to return to a live ceremony next year. Congratulations to all 2020 Medal of Valor recipients.
AIMS Meet and Confer:
CCSO requested a meet and confer regarding the Allegation Inquiry Management Section (AIMS) inquiries. We have concerns about the AIMS notice timeframes, ensuring member representation, and violating POBR by implying it is an inquiry and not an investigation. The meet and confer was scheduled on August 20, 2020, however CDCR requested to postpone once they knew that CCSO’s General Counsel was in attendance. CDCR stated that they also wanted to have an attorney present. Next meeting is set for September 14, 2020.
In the meantime, CCSO’s General Counsel has instructed members to ask the following questions, especially if they were unable to secure representation.
- Am I the subject or focus of the inquiry being conducted? (in other words is the complaint or concern giving rise to the AIMS inquiry because of something I said or did/didn’t do?)
- May I decline to participate in this process or am I being required/ordered to answer your questions?
- (if yes to #1) Is it possible that any answer I give in response to your questions may result in findings of a policy violation which could lead to discipline or corrective action against me or a referral to Internal Affairs for a formal investigation?
- (if even possible) I invoke my rights under POBR and request that we postpone this interview to allow me to obtain a representative of my choice before any questioning begins. The representative of choice will be an attorney provided through CCSO.
If the AIMS investigator refuses then on the record the CCSO member should state that (a) I object to the interview proceeding as (b) their POBR rights have been violated because (c) they have been denied the right for a representative of choice to be present.
Upcoming State Election:
It’s time to vote! CCSO State Election Nomination Forms were mailed out last week. If you do not receive one, your Chapter President can provide the form. They will even mail it in for you, just ensure it is completed with all required information. The current State Board seats up for election are State Secretary, State Board Member Sergeant, and State Board Member Non-Peace Officer. The incumbents are listed below:
- State Secretaray: Sam Robinson
- State Board Member Sergeant: Sabrina Harris
- State Board Member Non-Peace Officer: Paul Gonzales
Attorney Appreciation:
- R. Oviedo’s Law Group shared a recent expressions of thanks they received from a member/client:
“J.R., thank you for the time today. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate you, Ms. Deborah and CCSO for all of your help through this ordeal.”
CCSO is proud to have compassionate and hard-working attorneys who always do their best to ensure a favorable outcome for our members.