Unanimous Vote by the Board of Supervisors
Thursday, September 15, 2022, San Mateo County: Jim Lawrence, Board Chair of Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC), thanked the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors for its unanimous vote to create a committee to research and report on potential civilian oversight during its regularly scheduled meeting on September 13. The California State Legislature passed AB 1185 in 2020, providing County Supervisors legislative authority to set up such oversight with subpoena power over the Sheriff’s Office.
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. A broad array of community members spoke at the Board of Supervisors meeting during public comment to support the proposal by Board President Don Horsley, and asked that members of Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) be represented on the committee, and that an ordinance be passed by the end of the year.
As Lawrence noted, “The time is overdue to implement checks and balances for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. This office costs the taxpayers of this county over $300 million dollars annually, but lacks transparency, accountability, or any public reporting on how effectively and efficiently these funds are used, or on how the Sheriff’s Office personnel are held to professional standards of conduct.”
Independent civilian oversight has been endorsed by dozens of government, civic, faith, and community leaders countywide. 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.”
