Three R’s and the CCP: Recidivism; Retirement; and Replacement

There was a time when the retirement of a police chief affected, primarily, the department losing the chief and the one from which the replacement came.  I imagine management and staff experience mixed emotions: sadness watching their leader step down; anticipation of who the new leader will be; excitement over the upward potential of their own careers.  Like a game of Tetris – the blocks line up differently, pushing some towards the top. 

One of the effects of California’s prison realignment is the creation of the executive committee of the Community Corrections Partnership.   This is the body that manages realignment money and decides the policies for the county’s criminal justice system.   The meetings are public and I participate, usually, by quietly taking notes, often times in agreement, other times not.  The environment is collegial, and, I, as well as others, am afforded the opportunity to comment or express an opinion.   

AB 109 was very specific about who can make up the executive committee of the CCP.  Of the CCP’s seven members, only one represents the interests of the cities.  By statute, the Board of Supervisors must pick a police chief from one of the cities in their county to sit on the CCP.   Sonoma County’s first and only municipal representative is Santa Rosa’s Chief of Police, Tom Schwedhelm.  On December 20, 2013, he is retiring. 

There seems to be some disadvantage for a municipal representative in the governing of county-wide funds and policies.  The ratio of county-to-city representatives is 6-to-1 in favor of the county.  Cities don’t generally receive funding from a county, though policies implemented by the CCP have a tremendous impact on the cities.  County department heads speak a budget language foreign to most. Considerations and procedures follow a different law or custom from a city police department. Normally, a city police chief would not be dialed into county politics. A municipal representative might feel like baseball player thrust into a cricket match. 

Not so, with Chief Schwedhelm, his has been the loudest voice demanding a definition of “recidivism.”  The Chief knows that the only way to accurately measure Realignment’s effects is to have a clear, concise and stable meaning of the word.  A criminal justice consultant under contract with the county has been tasked with helping the CCP reach a consensus definition.  But such consensus remains elusive.

The leading approach is to loosely define the term while tracking all of the variables.  The variables are many and include: offender status – whether the offender is a felon or misdemeanant; offense type triggering the recidivist label – whether the new offense is a felony, a misdemeanor, or a violation of probation; if the new offense is a violation of probation – was it is a technical violation (meaning missing an appointment, or testing dirty); time frame of the new offense from the initial offense – 1 year, 2 years, 3 years; should new offenses only be considered if they occurred during the probation period; or should they be counted if they happened at all - any time after the initial offense?

Tracking all of the variables seems to be prudent.  But, just as the home-plate umpire should not be the pitcher’s mom , a government body, which receives state money based on how low their reported recidivism rate is, should not be free to massage the numbers into the shape most favorable.   

The chief deserves to enjoy his retirement.  He has done an exemplary job for his city. He was hired from within; a rarity in police departments that I hope is repeated.  He enjoys the respect and appreciation of his officers, as well as the community he’s served.   Chief Schwedhelm has also done a great job on the CCP.  

Thank you, Chief for your service to Santa Rosa and your leadership on Sonoma County’s CCP.   May your replacement as chief serve us half as well, and may your replacement on the CCP continue the push for accountability.