Safe Reopening Compliance Team

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

The County of San Diego formed the Safe Reopening Compliance Team (SRCT) to respond to COVID-19 related complaints of possible violations of the state and local health orders to ensure businesses safely operate to protect public health. The team helps businesses navigate health orders to come into compliance, and where necessary, takes escalated enforcement actions. SRCT is the lead for complaints in the region, coordinating with the incorporated cities. SRCT coordinates with local jurisdictions by distributing daily complaints and compliance data and holding bi-weekly coordination meetings and joint inspections. The team is housed in Planning & Development Services (PDS) and includes supervisors on temporary assignment from other departments. Staffing includes one manager, five supervisors, and 34 temporary staff. Since being established in August, the team created new procedures and enforcement criteria, developed a mobile inspection app for use, trained new staff, and conducted community and business outreach. Since the start of the program, the team received and addressed over 23,000 complaints. SRCT monitors state and county guidelines and shifts its resources, approach, and methods to meet changing guidelines. The program's goal is to educate and achieve voluntary compliance and only escalate our enforcement when needed.