The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last week to appoint Supervisors Dave Pine and Warren Slocum to an ad hoc committee that will research and report on the possibility of civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.
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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.
County officials take next steps towards establishing civilian oversight of the sheriff’s office
The establishment of civilian oversight over the San Mateo County County Sheriff’s Office seems increasingly likely after receiving strong support from the Board of Supervisors this week.
The board voted unanimously on Tuesday to create an ad hoc committee that will research and report on potential civilian oversight. Supervisors Dave Pine and Warren Slocum were appointed to the committee.
Batmobile raid: CA attorney general declines to investigate San Mateo Co. sheriff’s actions
The California Attorney General’s Office has declined to get involved in the Batmobile raid saga. The attorney general will not investigate, telling the county, “Although your letter identifies notable concerns, it does not allege that the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office committed a crime.”
Fixin’ San Mateo County Thanks Board of Supervisors for Creating Committee to Evaluate Civilian Oversight of Sheriff
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.”
San Mateo County supervisors co-sign Sheriff’s Office oversight
San Mateo County supervisors expressed their support for establishing a civilian oversight board charged with monitoring the Sheriff’s Office and formed an ad hoc committee to look into the issue. Both board President Don Horsley, a former county sheriff, and Supervisor Carole Groom said they were initially against an oversight board but community input swayed them to change their mind.
A grassroots organization is collecting endorsements for a sheriff’s office oversight committee
Members of the local grassroots organization, Fixin’ San Mateo County, gave a presentation to the [North Fair Oaks Community Council] during Thursday’s meeting and asked them to send a letter of support for the group to the Board of Supervisors. The council voted unanimously to pass a resolution to send the letter endorsing Fixin’ SMC, which would ask the board to consider establishing a county civilian oversight board and an inspector general with subpoena power to address complaints, investigate issues and make policy suggestions.
San Mateo County launches probe in Batmobile raid
San Mateo County has hired a former Alameda County Superior Court judge to conduct an independent investigation into the handling of the raid of an Indiana specialty car shop by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies involving a custom Batmobile. The county has hired Winifred Smith, who spent 21 years as a judge and 26 years as deputy attorney general in California. Don Horsley, president of the Board of Supervisors said the county picked someone who had no connection to the board or the Sheriff’s Office to avoid conflicts of interest and to reassure residents.
‘Are the police capable of changing?’: Data on racial profiling in California shows the problem is only getting worse
Despite being stopped and searched far more often than white people, Black people were less likely to be found carrying contraband, the data shows. They were, however, more likely to have force used against them.
Marin County grand jury finds ‘the time is now’ for independent oversight of sheriff’s office
“While boards of supervisors have a general responsibility to supervise sheriffs, their ability to do so is limited and they lack subpoena power over the office of sheriff,” reads the jury’s report. “The office of sheriff thus combines enormous power with little accountability.”
Group asks for civilian oversight of county Sheriff’s Office
There was a consistent theme to the public comments at the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors meeting on the morning of May 24. It all revolved around the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and a growing effort to enact civilian oversight over the institution.