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.
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.
California counties team up to push for sheriff’s oversight
The newly formed “California Coalition for Sheriff’s Oversight” brings together counties actively working on or already have oversight systems, including Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Mateo and Santa Cruz. A notable voice in this movement is Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC), a local entity advocating for civilian oversight to introduce a balanced approach to county law enforcement.
New! California Coalition for Sheriff Oversight
Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is pleased to announce that FxSMC, together with representatives from four other California counties, have launched the California Coalition for Sheriff Overnight (CCSO). CCSO meets monthly with community members from Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties, all of which are actively working to set up, or already have, oversight of the respective counties’ Sheriff’s Offices. Sacramento and Orange counties, which also already have oversight, are active as well. It is a great opportunity to share our learning and best practices in community outreach, engagement of public officials, and more. CCSO appreciates the support of the ACLU-Northern California in this effort.
FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence stated, “We are excited to be part of a cross-county learning community to help ensure effective models of oversight.”
FxSMC incorporated as a 501(c)4 nonprofit in November 2021 and launched a public advocacy campaign in March 2022. Fixin’ SMC, endorsed by 50 elected officials, five city councils, and more than 25 community organizations, asked the Board of Supervisors to create a civilian oversight board and Inspector General’s office. In September 2022, the Board voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to begin this work by researching oversight models. That November, they voted unanimously again to move ahead with an ordinance that would incorporate both the civilian board and Inspector General that Fixin’ SMC had urged them to include. The County shares Fixin’s expectation to have an ordinance in place by year’s end, to be operationalized in 2024.
ACLU of Northern California Endorses Sheriff Oversight in San Mateo County
Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is pleased to announce that the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NorCal) has endorsed FxSMC, and is partnering with them to support efforts to establish independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.
Fixin’ SMC endorsed by ACLU-Norcal
The effort to launch an independent oversight group of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has received a new supporter. The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California has endorsed the effort by Fixin’ San Mateo County to establish such a group.
ACLU of Northern California endorses Sheriff Oversight in San Mateo County
Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is pleased to announce that the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NorCal) has endorsed FxSMC and is partnering with them to support efforts to establish independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.
FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence stated, “We are very appreciative of the commitment by the ACLU-Northern California to support the effort for independent civilian oversight here. We look forward to working with the ACLU as well as the Board of Supervisors and Sheriff Christina Corpus to make oversight a reality.”
ACLU-NorCal has been intentional in its efforts to support the establishment of civilian oversight of local sheriff departments, including working in collaboration with communities in Alameda and Sacramento counties. In May, the annual ACLU-NorCal conference featured a workshop on sheriff oversight, reflecting its commitment to expanding oversight as part of an effort to improve policing and public safety.
FxSMC incorporated as a 501(c)4 nonprofit in November 2021 and launched a public advocacy campaign in March 2022. With FxSMC endorsements from 50 local elected officials and five city councils as well as 25 or more local organizations, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in September 2022 to set up a subcommittee to look at oversight models, and in November they voted unanimously to go ahead and establish oversight. Fixin’ SMC has been meeting with the Board subcommittee as they look at models. The expectation is to have an ordinance in place by year end, to be operationalized in 2024.
In last year’s June 2022 primary election, the County also elected a new Sheriff (Christina Corpus, the first female Sheriff in the county, and one of two first Latina Sheriffs in California) who ran on a reform platform of transparency, integrity, and community engagement. Partnering with our Sheriff’s Office to create civilian oversight will provide our community an opportunity to assist the Sheriff in their mission to serve and protect public safety.
Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) Releases Draft Ordinance for Civilian Oversight of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office
Draft Ordinance Sent to the Board of Supervisors
Thursday May 12, 2022, San Mateo County: Jim Lawrence, Board Chair of Fixin’ San Mateo County, distributed a draft ordinance to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors for a Civilian Oversight Board and Inspector General for the Sheriff’s Office. Fixin’ SMC asks the County Supervisors to review, approve, and adopt the ordinance, as permitted by AB 1185, the bill passed by the state legislature in 2020 which gives the Supervisors the legislative authority to set up such oversight with subpoena power.
As Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said, “Residents deserve an effective and responsive Sheriff’s Office that treats everyone equally and prides itself in service so much that it welcomes civilian oversight.”
On May 17 at 8:30 am, members of the community will rally, hold a press conference, and speak at the Board of Supervisors meeting during public comments, to remind the Board that public oversight should include the Sheriff, who holds one of the most powerful elected offices as the county’s highest ranking law enforcement officer. Oversight is vital to the safety of San Mateo County communities because law enforcement has the authority to detain, search, arrest, and use deadly force.
As Lawrence noted, “The time is overdue to implement checks and balances for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. The Office costs taxpayers approximately $300 million dollars annually, but lacks transparency, accountability, or any public reporting on how effectively and efficiently those funds are used, or on how the Sheriff’s Office personnel are held to professional standards of conduct.”
“Fiscal responsibility and transparency are important to the County… including independent citizen oversight.” (Drought, Wildfire and Sea Level Rise are the New Normal mailing from 400 County Center, April 2022)
Independent civilian oversight for the Sheriff’s Office has been endorsed by dozens of government, civic, faith, and community leaders countywide. For more information, please visit www.fixinsmc.org.
The case for independent sheriff oversight
By the reverends Penny Nixon, Marlyn Bussey and Tovis Page
Oversight of the Sheriff’s Office through a community board shows a commitment to lifting up the leadership of those most affected by systemic racism and building unity across divisions. Creating oversight is an opportunity to dismantle unjust criminalization systems that target people of color and exploit poor communities to transform those systems into ones that value all humanity. Empowering people to participate in and engage with local systems and structures in our community can lead to meaningful and long-lasting change.
Watching the Watchmen
Too many Americans today live in fear that they may suffer abuse or excessive force at the hands of police officers who are sworn to protect them.
To keep Americans safer, the federal government and state and local governments need to match continued investments in policing with reforms that make law enforcement agencies as a whole — as well as individual officers — more accountable to the communities that they serve.
Cities need to establish clear and consistent procedures for the independent review of the use of force by law enforcement officers.
California County Agrees to Pay $4.5 Million in Death of Man Stunned With Taser
The man, Chinedu V. Okobi, 36, died in 2018 after a deputy repeatedly used a Taser on him in a struggle that began when law enforcement officers saw him jaywalking in Millbrae, Calif.