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.
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.
‘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.
White House to issue policing order on anniversary of Floyd’s death
President Biden is expected to sign an executive order Wednesday aimed at bolstering police accountability… Biden will call for the creation of national standards for the accreditation of police departments and a national database of officers with substantiated complaints and disciplinary records, including those fired for misconduct.
Fixin’ the Sheriff’s Office? Does the county’s top cop need civilian oversight?
This local grassroots organization wants to install an inspector general to ensure transparency and accountability. During the board meeting, members of the public spoke emphatically about the need for greater transparency, accountability and public trust in local law enforcement.
One year after a deputy’s second controversial killing, what’s actually changed in this Bay Area town?
The Sheriff’s Office still provides police services to the town. Sheriff David Livingston still investigates his own agency’s use-of-force incidents. The sheriff continues to defend Hall even after a jury found him guilty of assault in the 2018 shooting death of Laudemer Arboleda.
The hidden billion-dollar cost of repeated police misconduct
More than $1.5 billion has been spent to settle claims of police misconduct involving thousands of officers repeatedly accused of wrongdoing.
Jury transcripts shed light on Santa Clara County sheriff corruption accusations
Thousands of pages of testimony portray Laurie Smith as willing to bend and defy laws to defend her agency and practices.
Legal Questions Mount Amid San Francisco Rape Kit DNA Case
[T]his week’s revelation that the San Francisco police crime lab used a sexual assault victim’s DNA against her in an unrelated property crime case — and the allegation that it may be a common practice in California — has prompted a national outcry among law enforcement, legal experts, lawmakers and advocates.