Date: May 13,1998

 

TO: Humboldt County Board of supervisors

 

 

FROM: Humboldt County Human Rights Commission,

            Jack Shaffer, Chair

 

Subject: Annual Report

 

Our last annual report was made on 5/6/97 by Jennifer Shoffner, former chairperson of the Commission. Since then we have had regular monthly meetings and a workshop for the commissioners.

 

MAJOR PROJECTS

 

Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) Committee:

At the request of the Board, we have appointed a committee of commissioners and community persons to consider a CLERB. It has met regularly for over a year and recently presented a sixth draft of a proposal for discussion by the law enforcement community on 4/2 and 4/14. Responses were provided by Sheriff Dennis Lewis, HSO Lt. Gary Philp, Chief Arnie Milsap, Eureka P.D. UPD Sgt. Dennis Sousa, Dave Leman, Co. Probation Dept., Terry Farmer, District Attorney, Chief Rick Shipley, Rio Dell. The whole commission discussed the CLERB proposal for the first time on 4/28/98 and is now working on this issue and will send a recommendation to the Board within the next few months.

 

CLERGY FOR COMMON GROUND (CCG):

In January 1998 we were invited to work with CCG to reduce polarization between law enforcement, environmental demonstrators and timber interest. We have met as a group on several occasions to better organize ourselves and develop our goals. We also met with law enforcement and the environmental community. Our involvement continues and CCG shares information via the internet.

 

Community Education:

We have promoted Human Rights Month resulting in proclamations by county supervisors, and the city councils of Rio Dell and Eureka. The resulting publicity had emphasized greater sensitivity to these issues.

The Commission has cosponsored with the N.A.A. C.P. and institute for the Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution(at HSU) a forum on race at Eureka High School on February 12, attended by 150-175 people and a second forum on April 23rd. This group held a forum on the HSU campus and is planning similar community activities. Networking with other groups is part of our community education efforts as well as giving talks and TV appearances. Our meetings are publicized in the local media.

 

NETWORKING

 

Law Enforcement:

Our interest in law enforcement is partly an outgrowth of evidence that hate violence is underreported and our belief that training of police officers to identify hate crimes would benefit the community. We continue to be supportive of such training efforts. Our networking includes liaisons with the Law Enforcement Chief Association of Humboldt, our local police departments, Bay Area Hate Crime Investigators Association and Police Officers Standards and Training. Two commissioners, Shoffner and Shaffer, were sent by POST to help evaluate the training for police at the Museum of Tolerance in LA.

We will continue to participate in any efforts to organize our communities affected by hate crimes. This will enable us to get a more accurate count on local hate crimes and incidents.

 

Domestic Partnership Registration Ordinance (DPRO):

We recommended a DPRO proposal which was considerably modified and is currently tabled by the Board of Supervisors. We maintain liaisons with groups concerned with the DPRO including the Commission on the Status of Women.

 

Humboldt County Grand Jury:

We attempted to implement greater cooperation with the Grand Jury by making a presentation to them and inviting a continuing dialogue. Our concerns did not appear to interest them.

We have members participating in the Humboldt Community Network as well as contacts with various educational institutions and agencies when relevant issues surface.

 

 

COMMISSION DEVELOPMENT

 

Essential to the work of the Commission is having all ten positions filled by active commissioners. We have had four resignations since our last report, Al Harris, Deborah McDermond, Chip Sharpe and Tehersa Howatt and had our last vacancy filled in March. Former Commissioners were sent certificates acknowledging their service.

We revised our bylaws, developed a policy on public statements by Commissioners, established a revised committee structure within the Commission, and identified liaisons roles to community groups. We have affiliated with the California Association of Human Relations Organizations, received their newsletter and anticipate training sessions in any of the following areas: community policing, hate crimes or intergroup relations. We have an annual workshop (last workshop held on 11/23/97) enabling us to become better acquainted so we can work together effectively. We recently devoted part of a meeting to discuss affirmative action in order to better understand each others position. We are developing an improved procedure for training new members.

In addition to our participation at community events, we have invited guest speakers to our meetings including Dan Taranto on the Grand Jury system and Kay Escarda on the Multi Assistance Center for the homeless. We also welcome the general public and recently shared ideas with a guest from Mongolia, brought by our local League of Women Voters board members. Members of the Commission attended the Headwaters demonstrations in September.

Last fall and this spring we have had an intern from the Political Science Department at HSU. Our current intern is helping to organize Commission materials accumulated over the years for archival storage at the Humboldt County Library.

 

 

INTAKES

 

There were at least six new intakes since last report and continued attention to two previous reports. Complaints included racial harassment at school, gender discrimination, concerns regarding the well-being of prisoners, a complaint about medical treatment and concerns about the neglect of homeless children by our local school system.

 

 

 

FUNDING

 

Our CAHRO membership ($100) was funded as out-of-pocket expenses by the individual commissioners who also assume full responsibility for their own travel costs, telephone,fax,e-mail,postage,paper and copying. We hope to receive funding and recently opened a bank account. Our out of pocket cost may be prohibitive for low income individuals wishing to serve on the Commission.

We believe that having our own phone number would facilitate access to the Commission and enable us to better serve the community and hereby request that you approve this.