What We Do
We provide the general public with information and educational materials and activities on the California Civil Grand Jury system that will help increase public awareness of the valuable role the civil grand jury plays in our democratic system of government.
We provide comprehensive training on all subjects relative to empaneled civil grand juries available to all 58 counties within California including civil grand jury training as well as specific workshops on key topics relevant to civil grand jury service.
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Civil Grand Jury Resources
Here you can find sample documents, templates, examples of well-written reports, links to local government resources,
and FAQs.
Our Annual Conference
Every year in the fall, CGJA holds an Annual Conference and Membership Meeting to provide an opportunity for members and civil grand jurors to meet and discuss experiences and hear from speakers and panels on relevant topics of interest.
Chapter Resources
Includes chapter resource documents, suggested activities for chapters, guidance for forming a chapter along with templates.
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Join CGJA as an active member, volunteer for CGJA, become a civil grand juror, join a chapter, or support us through a tax deductible donation.
Grand Jurors' Journal
This bimonthly journal is a major source of information about the civil grand jury system and recent updates on CGJA activities of interest to our members.
CGJA and California's Civil Grand Jury System
Learn about CGJA and details about California’s unique system of civil grand juries.
Our Awards
Annual awards recognizing civil grand jury reporting and media coverage along with the Angelo Rolando Service Award.
We can help you become
an effective civil grand juror
CGJA conducts training seminars for civil grand jurors and alternates on their various civil functions. These seminars include twelve full hours of presentations and over 300 pages of training materials. Experienced and highly qualified trainers who have served as civil grand jurors or grand jury legal advisors present these programs locally, throughout the state as “onsite” seminars or via Zoom if Covid-19 restrictions exist.
We also conduct Foreperson and Pro Tem Workshops, Legal Advisors’ Workshops, and Report Writing Workshops.
Stay Updated with Civil Grand Jury News
www.ksbw.com/article/monterey-county-jail-booking-delays-officers-off-patrol/71256395
Grand Jury says Monterey County jail booking delays can keep officers off patrol for hours
KSBW Action News 8, May 8, 2026, by Ricardo Tovar
A Civil Grand Jury found that booking arrestees into the Monterey County Jail can sometimes take hours, pulling deputies and police officers off patrol, reducing law enforcement coverage in the field, or forcing other officers to cover the area.
The report says delays often happen at the jail intake area and can get even longer when arrestees need medical clearance at Natividad Medical Center.
In some cases, the full booking process can take more than eight hours when lines are long.
While deputies and officers said the booking process itself usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, the full arrest-to-return process can take about two hours under ideal conditions and much longer when delays occur.
“During this time, officers may wait in line to enter the sally port, a secure parking area at the Jail that serves as a waiting area for officers and arrestees. They may also spend additional time at a hospital when medical clearance is required,” the grand jury report said.
Officers can complete reports or other administrative work in or around patrol vehicles. This helps offset some lost time, but does not eliminate the operational impact of being off patrol, according to the grand jury report.
“If the body scan is clear, the arrestee continues with the medical questionnaire. The form contains 160 questions for men and 179 for women and is completed before being entered into the Jail Management System. The nurse’s assessment incorporates the arrestee’s responses and the nurse’s observations. Under typical conditions, this process takes 30 minutes to an hour,” the grand jury report said.
The grand jury said these delays affect every law enforcement agency in Monterey County, increasing overtime costs, straining patrol staffing and creating uncertainty for local departments.
It also found that recent changes, including more medical staff and expanded workspace, may help, but their long-term impact has not yet been formally measured.
The grand jury’s recommendations:
• Create a written system to measure and report booking times and delays
• Compare booking performance before and after the CHP transition over six months
• Study long-term intake area changes to improve processing during busy periods
• Create written procedures for medical-clearance transports and required documentation
• Study ways to reduce duplicate manual data entry between agencies and the jail
• Form a formal working group with local law enforcement on booking issues
• Create a consolidated booking operations guide for outside law enforcement agencies
• Create written guidance on when and where officers should get medical clearance
www.montereyherald.com/2026/05/04/grand-jury-report-calls-for-more-resources-for-first-responder-...
Grand jury says Monterey County jail booking delays can keep officers off patrol for hours
www.ksbw.com
A Civil Grand Jury found that booking arrestees into the Monterey County Jail can sometimes take hours, pulling deputies and police officers off patrol, reducing law enforcement coverage in the field,...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
www.ksbw.com/article/grand-jury-monterey-county-digital-radio-coverage-emergency/71256137
Grand Jury says 42% of Monterey County lacks reliable digital radio coverage for fire emergencies
KSBW Action News 8, May 8, 2026, by Ricardo Tovar
A grand jury has found that Monterey County’s fire districts in unincorporated areas have major radio communication gaps because of rugged terrain, outdated equipment and limited funding.
The report says these dead zones can leave firefighters and residents at risk during emergencies.
The county’s Next Generation Radio Network is testing newer technology, including LTE, Wi-Fi and satellite-supported systems, but it does not yet have enough funding for a full rollout.
Many fire districts also cannot afford the newer radios needed to work across all systems.
“The County Fire Districts’ primary source of funding is their allocation of the property taxes collected under State Assembly Bill 8. These revenues were severely affected by Proposition 13, passed in 1978, which limited property tax reassessments primarily to the time of property sales. The County has not identified a dedicated funding mechanism specifically for radio modernization in unincorporated fire districts,” the grand jury report said.
These fire districts include the Monterey Peninsula Airport District, Aromas Tri-County Fire Protection District, Cachagua Fire Protection District, Carmel Highlands Fire Protection District, Cypress Fire Protection District, Gonzales Rural Fire Protection District, Greenfield Fire Protection District, Mission-Soledad Rural Fire Protection District, North County Fire Protection District, Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District and South Monterey County Fire Protection District.
The grand jury found:
• About 42% of the county lacks reliable digital radio coverage
• About 18% lacks usable analog coverage
• Firefighters often must manually switch radio modes depending on location
• Funding for upgrades is a major problem, especially for rural districts
The report says adding more repeater towers could significantly improve radio coverage, but the most effective tower sites are often in remote areas without roads or installation platforms, pushing the cost of a single tower to more than $1 million.
Multiple towers would be needed to close the county’s communication dead zones, and the county currently does not have funding for that solution.
According to Monterey County’s Information Technology Department, analog and digital radio systems together cover about 73.3% of the county’s land area, reaching an estimated 99.5% of the population.
Still, the remaining uncovered areas, though sparsely populated, are vulnerable during wildfires and other emergencies where reliable communication is critical.
The grand jury recommends that the Monterey County Board of Supervisors create a countywide upgrade plan by Dec. 31, 2026, outlining the equipment upgrades and infrastructure needs.
The report also recommends the county study funding options for radio upgrades in rural fire districts by March 31, 2027, and create a plan to help financially strained districts obtain radios compatible with the county’s emergency system.
The Board of Supervisors is required to respond to the findings and recommendations within 90 days.
Grand jury says 42% of Monterey County lacks reliable digital radio coverage for fire emergencies
www.ksbw.com
A grand jury has found that Monterey County’s fire districts in unincorporated areas have major radio communication gaps because of rugged terrain, outdated equipment and limited funding.2 CommentsComment on Facebook
southtahoenow.com/05/11/2026/county-jails-focus-of-latest-civil-grand-jury-report
El Dorado County Grand Jury News
COUNTY JAILS FOCUS OF LATEST GRAND JURY REPORT
County jails focus of latest Civil Grand Jury Report
SouthTahoeNOW.com, May 11, 2026, by News Release
EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – Security is a top priority at El Dorado County jails and detention centers. The Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department take that responsibility seriously, according to the 2025-2026 El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury (Grand Jury) report of El Dorado County jails at South Lake Tahoe, Placerville, and the South Lake Tahoe Juvenile Treatment Center.
The report, “El Dorado County Detention Centers,” was published recently at www.eldoradocounty.ca.gov/files/assets/county/v/3/documents/public-safety-amp-justice/grand-jury/... by the Superior Court, which annually appoints 19 county residents as grand jurors to serve as citizen watchdogs over local government.
The Grand Jury investigation included site visits, interviews, and a review of previous state and local reports. Conditions at all facilities are acceptable, but the Grand Jury raised concerns over staffing levels and vacancies.
According to the report, “the Sheriff’s Office has made progress in recruitment by streamlining the application and testing process. The staffing concern requires additional action to ensure appropriate staffing levels at both the South Lake Tahoe and Placerville locations.”
The Grand Jury cited the expansion project at the Placerville Jail scheduled for completion in 2026 that will add 22,000 square feet to the facility. The expansion will add a new medical services area, female housing, and other ancillary services. The report notes that the expansion will not add to inmate capacity. The Grand Jury has concerns that this expansion amplifies the need to fill vacant positions for correctional officers and jail staff, especially at the Placerville jail.
The Grand Jury gave two recommendations:
1. The El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors
direct the Director of Human Resources to conduct a compensation study for
Correctional Officers. The study should consider comparing with neighboring counties in State of Nevada to be completed no later than December 9, 2026.
2. The El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury recommends the Sheriff, in cooperation with the Director of Human Resources, develop a plan for recruitment opportunities to specifically address the application process, testing, training, and incentives for open positions located in South Lake Tahoe by December 9, 2026.
All findings and recommendations can be found in the full report on the County website. Under California law, the El Dorado County Sheriff and Board of Supervisors must respond to the Grand Jury report within 60 to 90 days, respectively.
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Kern County Civil Grand Jury Report Raises Concerns about Traffic-Safety in Bakersfield Neighborhoods
Kern grand jury report raises concerns about traffic safety in Bakersfield neighborhoods
bakersfieldnow.com
A new Kern County Grand Jury report is raising concerns about traffic safety in Bakersfield neighborhoods, saying the city too often responds to speeding0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Is the level of civil grand jury applicants increasing, about the same, or decreasing this year? I’m trying to evaluate the recruitment efforts being made around the state. If your county is seeing a significant increase, let us know if you did anything different. Thank you. Lou Panetta.
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Grand Jury Tackles County Radio Communications
www.montereyherald.com/2026/05/04/grand-jury-report-calls-for-more-resources-for-first-responder-...
By Kyarra Harris
kharris@montereyherald.com
A new civil grand jury report details gaps in emergency radio coverage across Monterey County, raising concerns about communication failures during fires and other emergencies.
The report, released Friday, examined radio communication systems used by fire agencies serving unincorporated areas and found that challenging terrain, limited funding and delayed adoption of newer technology have contributed to inconsistent coverage.
According to the findings, large portions of the county experience unreliable radio signals. Radio signals also may not be available in their area. Digital radio coverage, which is widely used for clearer communication, does not reach about 42 percent of the county’s geographic area. Analog radio, which has broader reach but lower quality, still leaves about 18 percent of the county without coverage.
The report states that these gaps create a risk for both residents and emergency responders, particularly during life-threatening situations where communication is critical.
Investigators identified several areas with limited or no coverage, including parts of North Salinas, Prunedale, Carmel Valley Village, Big Sur and south Monterey County. Coverage issues also extend indoors, where buildings can block radio signals.
Monterey County’s geography was cited as a major factor. The region spans more than two million acres, with elevations ranging from sea level to over 5,800 feet, creating natural barriers that interfere with radio transmission.
The report also points to the complexity of the county’s fire protection system. Multiple independent fire districts operate across unincorporated areas, each with its own funding and equipment. This has led to uneven adoption of communication technology and coordination challenges between agencies.
Firefighters often rely on a mix of analog and digital radios and must manually adjust frequencies depending on their location. The report found that while experienced personnel are able to navigate these systems, newer responders or those working outside their usual areas may face delays or communication breakdowns.
Efforts are underway to improve the system through the county’s Next Generation Radio Network project, which is testing newer technologies such as LTE, Wi-Fi and low-orbit satellite communication. Early testing suggests these options could reduce coverage gaps, but they have not yet been fully implemented.
Cost remains a major barrier. Building additional radio towers can improve coverage, but each tower can exceed $1 million due to difficult terrain and limited access. Newer radios that support multiple communication modes can cost about $12,000 per unit, placing additional strain on fire districts that must purchase their own equipment.
Funding for fire districts largely comes from property taxes, which have been limited since the passage of Proposition 13. The report found that this funding model does not provide enough revenue to support necessary upgrades to communication systems.
The civil grand jury issued several recommendations, including directing the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to develop a plan to address radio coverage gaps, identify funding sources and support fire districts in upgrading equipment.
County officials are required to respond to the findings and recommendations within 90 days.
Grand jury report calls for more resources for first responder radio communication
www.montereyherald.com
The civil grand jury issued several recommendations0 CommentsComment on Facebook
CGJA Journal
This bimonthly journal is a major source of information about the civil grand jury system and recent updates on CGJA activities of interest to our members.
The Gift of Your Time
is Priceless
CGJA is an all-volunteer membership organization. We succeed mainly because our members volunteer to serve on our committees and/or train civil grand jurors. Serving on committees almost never requires travel as we communicate via email and computer video. Our trainers do travel to venues throughout the state and we reimburse them for lodging, mileage, and a modest per diem for other expenses.
