Report 2014-117 Recommendation 10 Responses

Report 2014-117: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: It Must Improve Legal Compliance and Administrative Oversight of Its Employment of Retired Annuitants and Use of State-Owned Vehicles (Release Date: March 2015)

Recommendation #10 To: Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of

To make sure that permits receive prompt and appropriate approval, by June 2015 Corrections should review the justifications on permit requests to ensure they are appropriate before granting approval.

6-Month Agency Response

Within the Department, our Office of Business Services issued a Vehicle Home Storage Permit memorandum which provided instruction to approvers to review the justifications on permit requests before granting approval to ensure they meet the criteria for cost-effective and/or essential permits identified on the Vehicle Home Storage Request/Permit (STD 377) and additional requirements set by the Department Operations Manual. The Division of Adult Parole Operations has developed a comprehensive policy revising existing state vehicle use and operation procedures. Within this revised policy, permit approvers are instructed to ensure the appropriate justification has been received prior to approval and issuing a permit. The policy was issued to staff on 6/30/15. The Office of Correctional Safety reviews all Home Storage Permit requests within their division to ensure proper justification prior to granting approval and submitting to the Vehicle Management Unit for issuance of an Agency Permit Number, per CDCR 844/OCS Vehicle Policy and OCS Manual. The Board of Parole Hearings has established procedures for Vehicle Home Storage Permits and has provided training to Executive Officers, Commissioners, and Associate Chief Deputy Commissioners on June 15, 2015 and to Deputy Commissioners on June 16, 2015 on the Vehicle Home Storage Permit Process and the process when issued a state vehicle. The revised procedures provide instruction to permit approvers to review for appropriate justification before granting approval.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Multiple divisions within CDCR utilize home storage permits and are addressing policies and procedures accordingly. Office of Business Services (OBS): OBS will issue a memorandum that instructs permit approvers to review the justifications on permit requests before granting approval to ensure they meet the criteria for cost-effective and/or essential permits identified on the Vehicle Home Storage Request/Permit (STD 377) and additional requirements set by the Department Operations Manual; Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO): DAPO will revise and reissue its policy and procedures regarding the authorized use and operation of assigned State vehicles which will include the lines of responsibility for approving vehicle home storage permits. The policy is currently in draft phase and will provide a copy once approved; Office of Correctional Safety (OCS): (Fully Implemented) OCS reviews all OCS Home Storage Permit requests to ensure proper justification prior to granting approval and submitting to the Vehicle Management Unit for issuance of an Agency Permit Number. CDCR 844/OCS Vehicle Policy and OCS Manual; Board of Parole Hearings (BPH): BPH currently reviews the justification for appropriateness. However, BPH will create a procedure and provide training on this procedure. In addition, BPH will enhance reviews to address the concerns outlined in the audit report. Training will be provided on the new procedure by June 16, 2015.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2014-117

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.