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 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.

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.

All Recommendations in 2021-105

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.