Gregory (Greg) Munks is the former sheriff of San Mateo County in California. Active in his community, Sheriff Greg Munks has served on the board of directors of numerous organizations, including the Service League of San Mateo County.
Serving inmates and their families throughout San Mateo County, the Service League of San Mateo County accomplishes its mission through several programs and activities, including the Jail Library, which allows inmates to access legal information and forms. The library also features a number of books and magazines, including spiritual and educational reading materials. The Service League of San Mateo County also provides post-release services to help inmates navigate the reentry process. These vital services alleviate common issues, including housing, substance abuse, and mental and physical health problems. The Service League gives all former inmates an emergency food kit and donated clothing upon their release and helps find affordable transitional housing throughout Redwood City. To learn more about the vital work of Service League of San Mateo County, visit ServiceLeague.org.
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Fresh out of college in 1977, Gregory “Greg” Munks joined the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy at the county jail. Since then, he’s served in numerous capacities in law enforcement, including homicide detective and patrol lieutenant. He also spent 3 years as a human resources officer for the City of Palo Alto. Named Undersheriff of San Mateo County in 1993, Gregory “Greg” Munks was elected sheriff in 2006, and voters returned him to the position in 2010 and 2014. Among his many accomplishments as the county’s chief law enforcement officer, he overhauled the county’s correction system and instituted programming to counter recidivism.
One of the programs Sheriff Greg Munks introduced to the county’s jails was TAILS: Transitioning Animals Into Loving Situations. A project of the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, this initiative pairs shelter dogs with minimum-security inmates for 8-week sessions to prepare the dogs for adoption into forever homes, and to train inmates in marketable skills. The dogs considered for enrollment in TAILS are “of limited adoption potential,” and have displayed behavior that could develop into more serious issues if not addressed. The shelter’s strained resources make it impossible to give these dogs the individual attention they need, a problem solved by TAILS. During their sessions, the dogs receive weekly, professional obedience training and live full-time with the inmates, who are responsible for the dogs’ care, grooming, housetraining, and socialization. More information on TAILS is available at the society’s website at https://phs-spca.org/tails/. After a career spanning nearly 40 years in public service (most of them in law enforcement), San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks retired in May 2016. Gregory “Greg” Monks was first elected to the post in 2006 after he served 13 years as undersheriff. Voters then returned him to office in 2010 and 2014. Very active in community affairs, Mr. Munks has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including the San Francisco YMCA’s Camp Jones Gulch and Rebuilding Together, and the San Mateo County Historical Association. Located just south of San Francisco, San Mateo County is home to countless sites of historical interest. The historical society was founded in 1935 with three main objectives: - To preserve historical sites in the county - To develop an archive to store the county’s historical documents - To create a museum for the preservation and display of artifacts and other memorabilia from the county’s past Today, the association maintains and operates several sites, most notably the Historical Museum in Redland City. Located in a county courthouse built in 1910, the museum gives visitors an interactive experience discovering the rich history of the county and the lives of its original inhabitants, as well as the waves of settlers who flocked there from all points. Exhibits show the continuing interrelationship between the county and the world around it. The San Mateo County Historical Association has been accredited since 1972 by the American Alliance of Museums, a distinction held by fewer than 5 percent of American museums. More information about the association is available on its website at historysmc.org 6/24/2019 0 Comments The 2019 IACP Annual ConferenceGregory "Greg" Munks' long career in law enforcement led him to serve as sheriff of San Mateo County in California. He previously served as an officer with the Palo Alto Police Department and was San Mateo County undersheriff. Greg Munks has also held memberships in several law enforcement organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Law enforcement leaders from around the world can now register for the 2019 IACP Annual Conference and Exhibition, which will be held October 26-29 in Chicago. Each year, about 16,000 people attend the event to network, meet with vendors, and learn about the latest techniques and developments in the public safety industry. In 2019, the IACP Annual Conference will feature over 200 educational workshops led by police veterans and the nation's top law enforcement experts. The wide range of topics to be covered will include violent crime, use of force, and drugs and their impact on the community. The program will also explore police recruitment and retention, officer safety, police morale, and other topics related to police department management and improvement. Alongside the educational programming, the four-day IACP Annual Conference will feature several special events, including the IACP Annual Banquet and IACP's Chief's Night at the Museum of Science and Industry. More information is available at www.theiacpconference.org. A law enforcement professional with over 40 years of experience, Gregory "Greg" Munks served as sheriff of California's San Mateo County for nearly a decade. During his time as the county's chief law enforcement officer, Greg Munks led several programs to help reduce recidivism rates among inmates in the San Mateo County jails. One such program paired inmates with shelter dogs in need of training for adoption.
One of the first modern dog training programs for inmate rehabilitation was launched by Sister Pauline Quinn in the early 1980s. Since then, prisons and jails across the country have partnered with local animal services organizations on similar programs. While the details of each program may vary, most follow a common pattern. Typically, the dogs used have behavioral issues that need to be corrected in order for them to be ready for adoption. They are sent to live with qualified inmates for several weeks. The inmates, who qualify for the program by their good behavior, walk, feed, and play with the dogs as well as teach them basic commands. These types of rehabilitation programs have been shown to be beneficial for both the canine and inmate participants. They help prepare dogs for adoption when they may have otherwise been euthanized. For inmates, the programs have proved to improve behavior and mental health. Studies have also shown that the programs can boost physical health while helping inmates to improve communication and develop a deeper sense of responsibility and trust. Elected as Sheriff of San Mateo County, California in 2006, Gregory "Greg" Munks was initially brought in as undersheriff, to bring a fresh perspective to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Greg Munks initiated the process towards the construction of the $165 million Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City. Unveiled in early 2016, the facility serves as a model for compassionate correction. It is designed to lift the spirits of everyone inside and those visiting the facility so that the atmosphere is more conducive to a productive reform. The 832-bed center has a total floor area of 257,000-square feet and is three stories high. Located on a 4.3-acre property, it boasts of ample natural lighting, radiant floor heating, a computer lab, and a Zen Garden. The facility's large area provides opportunities for inmates to learn skills that they can use when they return to the community, which helps reduce recidivism. It replaces the crowded women's jail and houses low-risk male prisoners of the county. 5/8/2019 0 Comments TAILS Program Helps PrisonersGregory “Greg” Munks served as the sheriff of San Mateo County, California, for almost 10 years. During his term, Sheriff Greg Munks received a commendation for his assistance to the TAILS program of the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA (PHS/SPCA). TAILS stands for Transitioning Animals Into Loving Situations, a partnership with the Sheriff’s Office that allows minimum-security jail inmates to improve their chances of returning to free society. Since 2009, the PHS/SPCA has selected dogs with behavioral issues that would present problems to potential adopters. The canines live with the inmates, who take responsibility for the animals’ care, grooming, housetraining, exercising, and socializing each dog. In addition to giving the inmates new skills, the program relieves overcrowding at the animal shelter. A PHS staff person visits every week during the eight-week program to run an obedience class. He or she refreshes the inmates on dog-obedience techniques while observing their progress. When eight weeks are up, the prisoners return the dogs, which are ready for adoption to permanent homes. Sheriff Greg Munks of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has been providing protection and support to the community, while working to improve the prison system, for over 30 years. During his career, Sheriff Greg Munks has helped initiate a number of projects, the creation of a new task force, the Coastside Neighborhood Response Team (CNRT), geared toward suppressing gang activity in the coastal communities of San Mateo County.
The Response Team works to monitor local gang members who have been previously identified and verified by the Team. It also provides the Sherriff’s Patrol and Investigations divisions with support and assistance in gang-related investigations. The decision to create the CNRT was brought upon by the increase in gang activity that had been occurring during the previous years. The Team comprises deputies who have current relationships within the Coastside communities and are knowledgeable about the area. Since its creation, the Coastside Neighborhood Response Team has verified over 120 gang members and has documented more than 75 affiliations. The Team verifies gang members through successful identification of gang-related symbols or an individual’s admittance to affiliation with a gang. With the information that the CNRT collects about gang members and affiliations, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office helps create various programs directed toward further stopped gang activities. These programs focus on the long-term gang prevention, intervention, and education, while striving to create safer communities that provide a higher quality of life. |