COUNTY OF SONOMA COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS MINUTES JANUARY 26, 2010 Human Resources Training Room 575 Administration Drive, Suite 117C, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Victor Amstadter, Patricia Boyd, Mario Castillo, Dale Geist, Elizabeth McCarthy, Evelina Molina, Judy Rice (Chair), Chris Rohde (Vice-Chair), Roger Jack Young, Ann Zimmer COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Lucy Andrews, Art Warmoth (Officer-at-Large), both notified STAFF PRESENT: Nadine Jaillet GUEST SPEAKERS PRESENT: Sonoma County Sheriff Bill Cogbill, Windsor Chief of Police Steve Freitas, Santa Rosa Chief of Police Thomas Schwedhelm I. CALL TO ORDER - INTRODUCTIONS: Rice called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM. Visitors were welcomed, and Commissioners introduced themselves giving their name and district. Rice welcomed new Commissioner Molina to the Commission. II. III. CONSENT ITEM: Zimmer motioned to approve the Agenda for January 26, 2010, with the elimination of Latino Health Forum under Partnerships with Organizations & Agencies. Seconded by Amstadter. All were in favor. NEW BUSINESS: Rice introduced discussion with Sheriff Cogbill, beginning by offering that the Commission has questions as a result of studying material received from the Committee on Immigrant Rights Sonoma County (CIRSC). Rice noted it is important to divorce emotion from the topic at hand. Cogbill agreed this is an important topic, and is one that comes up on a regular basis at the police chiefs meetings. Some main comments made and questions asked are listed below: With regard to immigration issues and towing cars, law enforcement looks at court decisions and policy drafted, to conform with laws. Cogbill feels very
comfortable that law enforcement is doing what is in the best interest of the community. Car impounding is a tool used as a public safety issue. Non-licensed drivers crash 3.7 times more than licensed drivers do. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is notified when a felony is committed. ICE can look at the jail list every day to gain information on non-violent misdemeanors, the information is public. The Bias Based Policing Policy is in response to racial profiling. Deputies are reassured that racial profiling isn t tolerated, and engaging in this conduct is a firing offense. The Immigration Policy is how law enforcement deals with ICE and illegal immigrants. Chief Schwedhelm stated the whole intent for policy and procedures is to follow the law. The Sheriff does not have an agreement with the federal government, and won t participate in sweeps, but must cooperate with ICE. ICE has the authority to require local cooperation, and there are ramifications for not cooperating: potential loss of millions of dollars. $13 Million is the maximum Sonoma County Sheriff has received for cooperating with ICE. Deputies cannot ask what a person s immigration status is. It is policy to record a person s country of birth at time of booking - the booking form asks where one was born. The purpose for this question is to verify name and address, to identify exactly who a person is, as multiple people can have the same name. It also helps in setting the bail amount - knowing a person s country of origin determines the flight risk. The Sheriff is required by law to notify a person s consulate if they are booked. How many times has a Consulate been notified? Undetermined. Do ICE and local authorities go in the field together? Yes, to find gang activity. ICE and the FBI have a gang task force. The gang enforcement team includes the Sheriff, Probation, and California Highway Patrol. Law enforcement change their policies and procedures according to change of laws. Rice asked if Cogbill and Freitas would be willing to continue this dialog with the CHR and the immigrant community. Both replied yes, absolutely. Cogbill responded that education, collaboration, and working together is positive, and they are willing and able to attend, demonstrated by their attendance at tonight s meeting. Rice asked what Cogbill would like from the CHR. Cogbill informed the group that years ago he was a Liaison to the CHR, and that the CHR used to attend particular police chief association meetings. He feels the best way to have ongoing dialog is to be regularly scheduled on the CHR Agenda, possibly every quarter, and reassured that law enforcement wants to have issues brought forward, that CHR Commission Minutes Page 2
IV. interactive, ongoing dialog is good. Cogbill suggested putting energy into changing laws, not into asking for the laws not to be enforced. Supervisor Carrillo, in attendance, thanked the Commission for taking this issue on. He is making recommendations to mayors and council members regarding how to work on policy, and hopes the Commission can make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. Carrillo acknowledged that immigrant issues is a community wide issue, and not only a Latino issue. CONSENT ITEM: Zimmer motioned to approve the December 22, 2009 Draft Minutes. Seconded by Castillo. All were in favor. V. PUBLIC COMMENT: Steve Birdlebough, a former prosecutor in Redding, asked how persons in jail get in jail without a charge. He offered that his experience with lobbying for law change is that police associations, District Attorneys, prison guards, probation officials, etc. have such effective lobbying in Sacramento, that laws usually end up their way. Nina H., a member of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), said the JACL is very concerned with immigrant rights, emphasizing that it is not just a Latino issue, and gave examples of racial profiling that happened to persons appearing to be Latino. VI. Kim Caldeway, a CIRSC volunteer and county public health employee listed nine areas she recommended the CHR follow-up on, attached. COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS: Rice announced that the CHR has been invited to table at the Santa Rosa Rose Parade. She will review the information and report. Commissioners Amstadter, Castillo, Geist, and Rice are meeting with Supervisors Brown and Carrillo tomorrow, and will give a report at the February Commission meeting. Supervisor Communication Updates: Zimmer met with Supervisor Zane and reported that Zane s view on the proposed Family Unity Ordinance was straight forward and vehement. Zane does not like the Ordinance as written, and does not want her appointees investigating public welfare and safety. There are other human rights issues, and she does not feel immigration should be the CHR s main focus. Appointments and Openings: Rice announced the vacancies are now: none in the 1 st District, one in the 2 nd District, none in the 3 rd District, two in the 4 th District, and none in the 5 th District, totaling three openings. CHR Commission Minutes Page 3
Commissioner Molina shared some of her background, which has included a decade of involvement with human rights, and working with underserved at risk youth at Youth Green Jobs Sonoma. After a recent visit to Copenhagen Molina is now interested in expanding human rights to include climate justice. VII. OLD BUSINESS: Disability Services and Legal Center (DSLC) Zimmer met with the head of the Board of Trustees for DSLC and reported the organization does want to partner with the CHR in respect to mental health disabilities. VIII. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS: Attendance Report Distribution: The attendance report was distributed to Commissioners. Correspondence: There were no mailbag items for January. IX. ACTIVITY REPORTS: Strengthening The Commission (Rice): Rice asked for volunteers to be on the CHR Volunteer Subcommittee. Molina & Boyd volunteered. The subcommittee will gather information such as who, ways to recruit, best ways to make use of, etc. Rice asked Molina to bring recommendations to the February Commission meeting, and to keep her informed on progress, as an ex-officio committee member. Outreach to the Public: Events (Rohde): Human Rights Awards. Rohde was unsuccessful in speaking to Reverend Coffee personally, and left a detailed voicemail regarding the Awards. Communicating (Warmoth): No report this month. Educating No report this month. Partnerships with Organizations & Agencies: Human Rights Organizations: Elder Abuse (Rice): Rice missed the January 26 meeting. Amstadter attended, and reported three forums are scheduled as follows: February 23, 2010, 9-11 a.m., at Russian River Senior Center April 20, 2010, in Sonoma May 13, 2010, at Paulin Creek CHR Commission Minutes Page 4
Immigrant Issues: County of Family Unity/Family Integrity Ad Hoc (Geist) Young, Rice, and Geist met on January 25, 2010. The group prepared questions to ask Sheriff Cogbill and Chief Freitas for tonight s meeting, and also defined the ad hoc s mission goals. Geist wants to meet again soon. Drivers License & Vehicle Impound Policy Issues Ad Hoc (Amstadter) No current update. Humanizing the Immigrant Community Ad Hoc (Warmoth) Rice read points from a document supplied by Warmoth, attached. Zimmer commented there are refugees from many countries of origin, Cambodia and Eritrea, for example. Castillo spoke about a recent retreat he attended in Los Angeles, Reform Immigration for America, a comprehensive immigration reform subject, which included young people telling their stories in two minutes. Committee for Immigrant Rights Sonoma County (CIRSC) (Geist): No report. Family Justice Center (Boyd): Boyd reported that Alameda s Family Justice Center is the model used for Sonoma County s Family Justice Center. The Sonoma County Family Justice Center is opening in the Spring, and hiring a Project Manager is in process. Several local nonprofit agencies are involved as part of the Family Justice Center. Family Violence Prevention Council (Boyd): The group is lacking in membership and declining, however meetings are mandated. Boyd is Chair of the Education Subcommittee. Human Trafficking (Rice): The group has not met. Cinco de Mayo Committee SR (Warmoth): No report. Junior Commission (Rice): No update. X. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING: 1. Deaf community rights - Boyd 2. DSLC presentation by Michael Ellenwood - Zimmer 3. Possible Liaison with Reform Immigration for America, and materials presentation - Castillo CHR Commission Minutes Page 5
4. Report on meeting with Supervisor Brown and Carrillo on immigrant issues Rice 5. Report on meeting with KBBF new General Manager - Molina 6. County of Family Unity follow-up - Geist XI. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT: Dan Walsh, Santa Rosa Junior College instructor, may be able to assist the Commission in obtaining volunteers and or interns. XII. NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 5:30 PM at Human Resources Training. XIII. ADJOURNMENT: Zimmer motioned to adjourn and Boyd seconded. Rice adjourned the meeting at 8:06 PM. CHR Commission Minutes Page 6