Sheriff's oversight is coming to Alameda County

Sunol school board may remove defiant superintendent who opposed flag policy that critics say is anti-LGBT

Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez will soon have an oversight board and inspector general keeping tab on her department.

COUNTY NEWS

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

—COUNTY WATCHDOG—The Alameda County Board of Supervisors took a step that many police accountability advocates have for years clamored for: civilian oversight of the sheriff’s department.

—The Board voted to create a seven-member Oversight Board and an Office of the Inspector General on Tuesday that was recommended in a report authored by former Alameda County Chief Probation Officer Wendy Still.

—Last month, there was significant pushback against a proposal to request a member of county counsel to serve the Oversight Board.

—Some county supervisors on Tuesday worried the proposed arrangement could undermine the Oversight Board’s independence and send a wrong message to the public.

—A separate motion on Tuesday removed from consideration, for the time being, the issue of who will serve as counsel for the future Oversight Board.

—A number of ordinances must still be created by county staff and vetted by the Board of Supervisors before the Oversight Board and Office of the Inspector General begins its work.

—There is no new funding source to be used for oversight of the sheriff’s department. Still told the Board of the Supervisors a full, 12-person Office of the Inspector General will cost $3 million a year.

—The amount will need to be carved out of the county’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 General Fund balance, said Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi.

—Alameda County supervisors will each receive an appointment to the Oversight Board, plus two at-large picks approved by the full board.

—There’s two unique aspects when it comes to who can be chosen to serve. Unlike many police oversight bodies, Alameda County’s will allow former members of law enforcement to serve.

—In addition, oversight boardmembers from outside of Alameda County can be selected, as long as they live in counties that touch Alameda County.

—The parameter will help county supervisors potentially fill areas of expertise that may be lacking among the pool of local candidates, Still said.

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