Opinion ID: 567270
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: County Policy

Text: 94 As the Supreme Court has stated repeatedly, to impose liability on a local government, the act or omission causing the deprivation of a constitutional right must be pursuant to an official policy or custom. See, e.g., Monell v. Department of Social Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 694, 98 S.Ct. 2018, 2037-38, 56 L.Ed.2d 611 (1978). A County may be held liable under section 1983 only where its policies are the 'moving force [behind] the constitutional violation.'  City of Canton v. Harris, 489 U.S. 378, 389, 109 S.Ct. 1197, 1205, 103 L.Ed.2d 412 (1989) (quoting Polk County v. Dodson, 454 U.S. 312, 326, 102 S.Ct. 445, 454, 70 L.Ed.2d 509 (1981)). The Supreme Court has emphasized a County may not be held vicariously liable for the acts of its employees. See, e.g., Monell, 436 U.S. at 691, 98 S.Ct. at 2036. 95 The official policy requirement was intended to distinguish acts of the municipality from acts of employees of the municipality, and thereby make clear that municipal liability is limited to action for which the municipality is actually responsible. 96 Pembaur v. Cincinnati, 475 U.S. 469, 479-80, 106 S.Ct. 1292, 1298-99, 89 L.Ed.2d 452 (1986) (footnote omitted). 97 In reviewing allegations that a governmental policy or custom caused the violation of a plaintiff's constitutional rights, we must carefully examine the evidence to ensure vicarious liability is not imposed. See City of Oklahoma v. Tuttle, 471 U.S. 808, 823-24, 105 S.Ct. 2427, 2436-37, 85 L.Ed.2d 791 (1985). A policy may be shown where--and only where--a deliberate choice to follow a course of action is made from among various alternatives by policymakers. Meehan v. County of Los Angeles, 856 F.2d 102, 107 (9th Cir.1988) (quoting Pembaur, 475 U.S. at 483-84, 106 S.Ct. at 1300). Of course, bald allegations of a policy or custom are not sufficient, Polk, 454 U.S. at 326, 102 S.Ct. at 454, and evidence of more than a nebulous policy or custom is required. Tuttle, 471 U.S. at 823, 105 S.Ct. at 2436. Without such evidence, the plaintiff has failed to present a case for the jury. See id. at 823-24, 105 S.Ct. at 2436-37. 98 The majority holds either of two County policies or customs was the moving force behind the deprivation of Redman's right to personal security. Neither of these purported policies was established by the evidence. 99 First, according to the majority, the County adopted a policy or custom of placing aggressive homosexuals in the mainline or general jail population, on the assumption that heterosexual inmates could protect themselves from homosexual assaults. The evidence showed, however, that the County had a written policy of segregating aggressive homosexuals into isolation or special housing, and jail officials were aware of this requirement. Reporter's Transcript, Vol. II, at 171, 235-36. 1 Due to a lack of special housing, officials at the South Bay Detention Facility (SBDF) could not segregate the homosexuals. Id. at 171-72. Special rooms designed to house a single, troublesome prisoner were being used to house two prisoners. Id. Thus, although the County had a policy which required the segregation of aggressive homosexuals, in practice, officials at the SBDF did not follow this policy. In contravention of the County's policy, officials put Clark in the jail's general population, and Redman was assigned to his cell. Such conduct is insufficient for the imposition of Monell liability. 100 When an official's discretionary decisions are constrained by policies not of that official's making, those policies, rather than the subordinate's departures from them, are the act of the municipality. 101 City of St. Louis v. Praprotnik, 485 U.S. 112, 127, 108 S.Ct. 915, 926, 99 L.Ed.2d 107 (1988). 102 Thus, contrary to the majority's assertions, the County did not adopt a policy or custom of placing aggressive homosexuals into the general population of the jail. Nevertheless, the majority imposes liability upon the County based on Captain Beall's assumption that heterosexuals in the general population can protect themselves from homosexuals who have been aggressive toward passive homosexuals in the homosexual module. Redman, however, failed to present evidence that Captain Beall possessed policymaking authority. An official's acts may not be considered governmental policy unless the official has been given 'final authority to establish municipal policy with respect to the [challenged] action.'  Hammond v. County of Madera, 859 F.2d 797, 802 (9th Cir.1988) (quoting Pembaur, 475 U.S. at 481, 106 S.Ct. at 1299). Captain Beall testified he operated under the direction of Sheriff Duffy and reported to an immediate superior, Inspector Powell. Id. The mere fact that Captain Beall could exercise discretion in executing the County's policies and supervised the actions of deputies does not indicate he was a policymaker. 103 The fact that a particular official ... has discretion in the exercise of particular functions does not, without more, give rise to municipal liability based on an exercise of that discretion. 104 Collins v. City of San Diego, 841 F.2d 337, 341-42 (9th Cir.1988) (quoting Pembaur, 475 U.S. at 481-82, 106 S.Ct. at 1299). In sum, the evidence does not support the majority's conclusion that the County adopted a policy or custom of placing aggressive homosexuals into the general population. 105 The majority then turns to overcrowding as a possible policy or custom. There was no evidence of the existence of such a County policy. 106 As discussed above, a policy is defined as a deliberate choice made by officials with final authority over the subject matter at issue. See also Pembaur, 475 U.S. at 481 n. 9, 106 S.Ct. at 1299 n. 9 (a policy is a  'specific decision ... designed to carry out such a chosen course of action.' ) (quoting Webster's Third New International Dictionary 1754 (1981)); Tuttle, 471 U.S. at 823, 105 S.Ct. at 2436 (the term policy generally implies a course of action consciously chosen from among various alternatives). 107 In City of Canton v. Harris, 489 U.S. 378, 390, 109 S.Ct. 1197, 1205-06, 103 L.Ed.2d 412 (1989), the Supreme Court held inadequate training could represent a policy for which liability could be imposed upon a local government. To establish the existence of such a policy, the Court required proof of facts evidencing the local government's awareness of a high probability of harm if the government failed to act. 108 [T]he need for more or different training [may be] so obvious, and the inadequacy so likely to result in the violation of constitutional rights, that the policymakers of the city can reasonably be said to have been deliberately indifferent to the need. In that event, the failure to provide proper training may fairly be said to represent a policy for which the city is responsible.... 109 Id. (footnote omitted). Justice O'Connor clarified this requirement in her concurrence: 110 Where a § 1983 plaintiff can establish that the facts available to city policymakers put them on actual or constructive notice that the particular omission is substantially certain to result in the violation of the constitutional rights of their citizens, the dictates of Monell are satisfied. Only then can it be said that the municipality has made  'a deliberate choice to follow a course of action ... from among various alternatives.'  111 Id. at 396, 109 S.Ct. at 1208 (quoting Pembaur, 475 U.S. at 483, 106 S.Ct. at 1300) (emphasis added). 112 In the present case, Redman did not present any evidence that the County had actual or constructive notice that overcrowding presented a high probability of assault. To the contrary, as the majority acknowledges, Deputy Canfield testified he did not believe the SBDF was overcrowded. Reporter's Transcript, Vol. II, at 235. More important, both Captain Beall and Deputy Green testified they were not aware of any sexual assaults at the SBDF prior to the assault at issue in this case. Reporter's Transcript, Vols. I & II, at 113, 117, 211. From the record before us, it cannot be said the County was aware of a problem at the SBDF due to overcrowding and made a deliberate choice to ignore the problem or to refuse to take corrective action. Monell liability may not be imposed on the basis of this nonexistent policy. 113 Redman also failed to present evidence that the practice of placing aggressive homosexuals into the jail's general population, or the practice of housing two persons in a cell designed to hold one person, was attributable to a decision made by any policymaker. As discussed above, there is no evidence that Captain Beall was a policymaker. There also is no evidence linking Sheriff Duffy to either of the purported County policies. The record is silent as to any role played by Sheriff Duffy other than the fact that he was the head of the department. Reporter's Transcript, Vol. II, at 160. 114 In sum, there is no evidence of the existence of either County policy relied upon by the majority, nor is there any evidence that local practices at the SBDF were implemented by any policymaker. Thus, there is no basis for the imposition of liability against the County, or against any of the defendants, on the ground that a governmental policy caused the deprivation of Redman's constitutional right to personal security.