Report 2021-105 Recommendation 56 Responses
Report 2021-105: Law Enforcement Departments Have Not Adequately Guarded Against Biased Conduct (Release Date: April 2022)
Recommendation #56 To: Stockton Police Department
To better assess whether peace officer applicants have the ability to work with diverse members of their communities and whether they possess detectable disqualifying biases, by no later than October 2022 Stockton Police should proactively seek and attempt to contact secondary references to obtain more candid information about applicants, such as information about past biased conduct or affiliation with hate groups.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From April 2026
Per a previous response this was actually implemented in October 2022. No drop down so 2024 was used.
SPD strengthened its background investigation process to better assess applicants' ability to work with diverse communities and identify disqualifying biases.
Practices Implemented
POST Aligned Background Investigations
Background investigators now:
- Proactively seek secondary references
- Document all attempts to contact references
- Ask targeted questions regarding:
o Cultural competence
o Past biased conduct
o Hate group affiliation
o Ability to work with diverse populations
Diversified Background Investigation Team
SPD has diversified its background investigators and recruiters to reflect community demographics.
Annual EEO Review
The annual EEO report provides additional oversight and ensures alignment with community expectations.
- Completion Date: October 2024
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
Stockton provided a copy of the POST background investigation manual, which emphasizes and requires contact with secondary references. It has attested to following this manual and to the extent that it is doing so it has fully addressed this recommendation.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From March 2025
Per a previous response this was actually implemented in October 2022. No drop down so 2023 was used.
- Completion Date: October 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Stockton reiterates that it implemented this recommendation in 2022. We received no additional information from Stockton that changes our previous assessment.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2023
The Department had been seeking and contacting secondary contacts for applicants. However, after review, the documentation of such efforts was not documented in the narrative of the background investigation.
Beginning in April 2022, the background investigators are required to have documentation on efforts to obtain secondary contacts and candid information about past conduct or affiliation with hate groups.
- Completion Date: April 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Stockton PD does not have a formal policy or procedure requiring that investigators contact secondary references when provided.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
All Recommendations in 2021-105
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.