Following persistent demands from the community for increased oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, the County’s Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the formation of a civilian advisory commission last week… Still, activist Nancy Goodban, Fixin’ San Mateo County executive director, said the resolution lacks two critical factors: a full-time inspector general and the ability to ask questions and obtain answers.
In the news
This page contains news article for those interested in all facets of law enforcement oversight and reform. These articles span all states and cover police departments as well as Sheriff's departments. We're providing this information for those who wish to better understand why oversight is needed, the challenges it faces, and where and how it has improved the communities that have adopted it. News articles from external sources will open in a new tab.
Why Every County Needs Civilian Oversight of its Local Sheriff’s Department
Sheriffs hold massive power in California counties over jails, law enforcement, emergency services, court-ordered evictions, and more. They are elected officials who must be accountable to the public that they serve.
SMC Supervisors Strike a Balance on Sheriff Oversight
Following hours of expert, staff and public input on Sheriff’s Office oversight, San Mateo County supervisors backed a model that creates a civilian advisory body, reinstates a public safety and social justice subcommittee, and contracts an inspector general on an as-needed basis.
Media Advisory: Board Of Supervisors To Discuss The Future Of Sheriff Oversight In San Mateo County
WHAT
In November 2022, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for a model of independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office that included a civilian board and an inspector general. For the first time in a year, the County will hear from the Board of Supervisors their position on oversight. The agenda is at https://sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will hold a public Study Session exclusively focused on Sheriff Oversight and Engagement. The Coalition for a Safer San Mateo County is on the agenda, and will be represented by Fixin’ San Mateo County Board Chair Jim Lawrence in support of independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.
Representatives of the Coalition, including Mr. Lawrence, will be available for press comment after the meeting.
WHO
The Coalition for a Safer San Mateo County is composed of 37 San Mateo County community organizations with an estimated combined membership of 5,000, which are advocating for an independent civilian oversight board and an Inspector General.
WHEN
The Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9:00 am on October 24.
WHERE
Hall of Justice Plaza, 400 County Center, Redwood City. It is a hybrid meeting, including Zoom.
WHY
Organized by Fixin’ San Mateo County, the push for oversight comes after multiple incidents of police brutality and over-policing that disproportionately impact communities of color. Five years ago this month, Chinedu Okobi, a 36-year-old Black resident of San Mateo, was killed by police after they attempted to stop him while allegedly jaywalking.
Mr. Okobi’s sister, Ekene Okobi, says, “A Black person in San Mateo County is 17 times more likely than a White person to be killed by law enforcement. Public oversight is absolutely essential for institutions and organizations that have repeatedly harmed the most marginalized members of our communities. The public should be privy to all the details behind situations that turn deadly. Most of all, there should be accountability for any members of law enforcement who abuse their power.”
Assembly Bill 1185 authorizes a county to establish a sheriff oversight board, either by action of the board of supervisors or through a vote of county residents. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to research oversight models and, last November, voted to move ahead with creating an ordinance that would incorporate both the civilian board and Inspector General that Fixin’ SMC had recommended.
Sheriff’s oversight is coming to Alameda County
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors took a step that many police accountability advocates have for years clamored for: civilian oversight of the sheriff’s department. The Board voted to create a seven-member Oversight Board and an Office of the Inspector General on Tuesday that was recommended in a report authored by former Alameda County Chief Probation Officer Wendy Still.
Media Advisory: Press Conference and Rally for Oversight, September 12
WHAT
The Coalition for a Safer San Mateo County is holding a press conference and rally to support independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office. The rally will be headlined by Redwood City Vice Mayor Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, South San Francisco City Councilmember James Coleman, and Fixin’ San Mateo County Board Chair Jim Lawrence, together with a prayer led by the Reverend Penny Nixon of the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort. The Raging Grannies Action League will perform and lead the group in chants and music.
WHO
The Coalition for a Safer San Mateo County is composed of 33 San Mateo County organizations with an estimated combined membership of 5,000, which are advocating for an independent civilian oversight board and an Inspector General.
WHEN
The events will be held at 8:30 am on September 12th
WHERE
Hall of Justice Plaza, 400 County Center, Redwood City
WHY
Lígia Andráde Zúñiga, President of the LatinX Democratic Club of San Mateo County, said, “In order for our communities across San Mateo County to be safe, we need accountability and transparency that only comes with oversight. Our county must provide the same protection and policing for all its residents.”
Organized by Fixin’ San Mateo County, the push for oversight comes after many incidents of police brutality and over-policing disproportionately impact communities of color. More specifically, Chinedu Okobi, a 36-year-old Black resident of San Mateo, was killed by police after they attempted to stop him while jaywalking. Assembly Bill 1185 authorizes a county to establish a sheriff oversight board, either by action of the board of supervisors or through a vote of county residents.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to research oversight models, and in November, voted to move ahead with the creation of an ordinance that would incorporate both the civilian board and Inspector General that Fixin’ SMC had recommended.
San Jose poised to settle lawsuit over 2020 protests
Michael Acosta, who lost his eye after being shot with a hard projectile by San Jose police during protests following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, is set to receive millions in a city settlement. The $3 million payout is part of a $3.35 million total settlement the city is weighing for Acosta and a group of people who also sued the city over violent police tactics and weapons used at the local protests.
Fixin’ San Mateo County receives grant from Grove Action Fund
Fixin’ San Mateo County says that the grant funding will help it with both its operating costs and community outreach efforts. “We are grateful for the Grove Action Fund’s commitment to independent oversight of the Sheriff’s Office,” said FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence.
Grove Action Fund Awards Grant to Fixin’ San Mateo County
Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is happy to announce the receipt of a grant from the Grove Action Fund to help with operating expenses and community outreach. The Grove Action Fund, affiliated with the Grove Foundation, is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that provides financial support for organizations involved in advocacy work, consistent with the mission of the Grove Foundation. FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence says, “We are grateful for the Grove Action Fund’s commitment to independent oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.”
The grant from the Grove Action Fund capped a great week. The highlight was the Fixin’ SMC summer celebration at the Half Moon Bay Brewery, attended by more than 60 people. The associated auction raised more than $2,500. The celebration was co-sponsored by Abundant Grace, Puente de la Costa Sur, Coastside Families Taking Action, La Honda Indivisible, and The San Mateo County Democratic Party Farmworker Affairs Committee, along with Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose, Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez, and Councilmembers Debbie Ruddock, Harvey Rarback, and Robert Brownstone.
FxSMC is endorsed by 50 local elected officials, five city councils of East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Portola Valley, Redwood City, and San Mateo, and the North Fair Oaks Community Council, which together represent ⅓ of the county population, as well as by a coalition of 28 community organizations. In September 2022, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to research oversight models, and in November voted to move ahead with an ordinance that would incorporate both the civilian board and Inspector General that Fixin’ SMC had recommended. The County shares Fixin’s expectation to have an ordinance in place by year’s end, to be operational in 2024.
Oversight board investigating after Dallas PD officers laugh at vet forced to soil himself
A police oversight committee in Dallas is investigating four police officers after video shows them laughing at a disabled veteran that urinated on himself. The committee watched police body cam footage on August 8 that took place after two off-duty police officers at a Dallas restaurant denied him use of the bathrooms.