Alpine County convenes grand jury

The 2008-09 Alpine County grand jury has convened and residents are invited to submit requests for investigations.

The grand jury is an investigative body created by the Fifth Amendment and the California Constitution, working as a watchdog agency.

Its major function is to examine county government and special districts to ensure their duties are being lawfully executed. The grand jury reviews and evaluates procedures, methods and systems used by the agencies to determine if more efficient programs could be used to benefit the county's residents.

The grand jury also has the power, through Superior Court, to prosecute an agency or individual determined to be guilty of an offense.

Any resident may contact the grand jury. They may request the jury to investigate alleged mistreatment by officials, suspicions of misconduct and government inefficiencies.

The grand jury may be contacted by completing and mailing a complaint form to:

Foreperson

Alpine County Civil Grand Jury

PO Box 102

Markleeville, Calif. 96120

Complaint forms are available online at http://www.alpine.courts.ca.gov under the "Grand Jury" tab.

Forms also are available in Markleeville at the Alpine County Court House, county library and county clerk's office in the Administration Building; Kirkwood Public Utility District, Kirkwood; Alpine County Sheriff's Substation, Bear Valley.

The grand jury is required by law to operate in secrecy. All complaint forms and investigations are secret and confidential.

The 12-member grand jury is in session until June 30, 2009.