Sheriff's Oversight Commission / AB 1185
Template Letter or Template Email
TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
In September 2020, AB 1185 – Sheriff’s Oversight Commission was signed into law. The law became effective on January 1, 2021. AB 1185 empowers California counties to institute a Sheriff Oversight Commission or Office of Inspector General, either by action of the board of supervisors or through a vote of county residents, “to assist in the board’s supervisorial duties over the sheriff.”
On June 17, 2021 the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury issued its report titled, “Justice in the Jail." In that report, the Grand Jury found numerous deficiencies in the management, resourcing, and efficient oversight of the Sheriff’s Department. It also found that more transparency of the operations of the Sheriff’s Office is needed for the public to rebuild trust between the public and the Sheriff’s Office. It pointed out that these deficiencies contributed to “inmate deaths, violence, and equipment failures at the Main Jail and criminal conduct including sexual assaults by correction officers.” Finally, the Grand Jury provided detailed explanations as to why neither the Board of Supervisors nor the Grand Jury itself possessed the level of expertise and qualitative granular oversight required by the present ongoing jail crisis.
On June 30, the local NAACP and ACLU sponsored a town hall regarding the need for accountability and transparency for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s office. It was demonstrated that there is an urgent need for an independent auditor and/or oversight board for the incredible breath of responsibilities and power enshrined in the office of Sheriff.
Currently, the County is presently facing two federal lawsuits based on jail deaths, several more from severe sexual and nonsexual injuries sustained in the jail due to institutional deficiencies and others related to excessive uses of force in general. The Grand Jury detailed several previous jail lawsuits that resulted in millions of dollars of settlements. Had there been an oversight board and/or an Inspector General, I believe that these deaths and grievous injuries could have been prevented with corrections through investigations and best practices suggested by such an oversight board or Inspector General.
Respecting the Grand Jury’s incredible amount of research, effort and their role in oversight means instituting its recommendations. I am writing to request that you immediately convene study sessions with the community to discuss how best to implement the Grand Jury’s recommendations in their June 2021 report for implementing a Sheriff’s Oversight Commission and/or Office of Inspector General in Santa Cruz County.