HCSO and DHHS partner to bring more mental services to inmates in jail; HCSO also working with Hoopa tribe to improve law enforcement services

It is the Humboldt County Sheriff's office that deputizes the Hoopa tribal police per an agreement that they have with the Hoopa tribe. The Tribal Police are reserve deputies. The way the Sheriff's office and Hoopa Tribal Police have been working together will be changing soon, according to Undersheriff William Honsal, who I just spoke with a few minutes ago.

HCSO is aware of the need for more law enforcement presence in Hoopa. "Currently, only one officer has reserve officer status. The problem has escalated over the last few years because they have not been able to find deputies to work with the Tribal police," said Undersheriff Honsal. "We are working with the Tribe to find an equitable solution."

"We are going to assist them in finding Tribal officers and bring them up to the same standards of our Deputy Sheriff's. The residents of Hoopa deserve the same training and same level of service that we provide."

I also asked Undersheriff Honsal about the items passed yesterday on the consent calendar which will approve mental health services for inmates at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. This was joint effort by DHHS and the Sheriff's office.

The recent items were not related to the attempted suicides although the Sheriff's office and jail is aware and working on that issue, which Undersheriff Honsal says is a part of a larger effort. "We are working with DHHS to bring in more mental health clinicians on the weekends. Currently, they only come in Monday through Friday. We have put together a proposal for AB 109 money to submit to the Humboldt County Correctional Partnership program."

This is a photograph I took of Undersheriff William Honsal at an event with Bryan Hall of the Rescue Mission.