The San Diego County Board of Supervisors will consider Tuesday a proposal to greatly strengthen civilian oversight of law enforcement in the county, including in cases of in-custody death.
Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe announced her intent to bolster the San Diego County Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board last week by granting it authority to conduct investigations of law enforcement agencies.
"It is no longer business as usual while our civilian oversight board lacks the tools to effectively and efficiently investigate cases of jail deaths," she said. "My primary goal is to address the concerns of transparency while prioritizing the accountability that has been historically absent in our current systems. By expanding CLERB's investigatory powers, we are ensuring our residents have a stronger voice that remains central to reimagining public safety."
According to the San Diego County Sheriff's own reporting, there have been seven in-custody deaths this year, the most recent being in July. This is well behind 2022's 19 in-custody deaths but far too many for the proponents of Tuesday's proposal.
"The top priority for every member of our board is to work with the sheriff to curb deaths in county detention facilities," said MaryAnne Pintar, the chair of CLERB. "These deaths have involved people who are detained but not yet convicted, are suffering from severe mental illness, or are ill and require health care support."
According to Montgomery Steppe, the proposal would expand CLERB's jurisdiction to: "investigate any employee or contractor working under the direction of the Sheriff or Probation, including contracted healthcare providers," in cases of in-custody death.
Additionally, it would require CLERB complete investigations within one year, must report to the board of supervisors in case an investigation is not completed in that time frame and would require the review board to investigate all deaths, even those deemed "natural."
"With these new authorities, we will continue independent, thorough, and impartial investigations to enhance protections of all San Diegans while working with the sheriff and probation chief to make our detention facilities the safest possible," said Brett Kalina, executive officer of the review board. "CLERB staff is also enthusiastic about the tools and resources that will be provided to CLERB to make the new cases successful."
