Sonoma County Measure P Strengthening Oversight Of Sheriff's Office Headed For Passage
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A Sonoma County measure to strengthen the office that oversees the Sheriff's Office seemed on the way to approval based on the unofficial vote tally from county elections officials Tuesday night.
At about 12:45 a.m. Wednesday, with 487 of 668 precincts reporting, 66 percent of voters had cast their ballots in favor of Measure P.
ELECTION RESULTS - SONOMA COUNTY
The measure grants the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach, IOLERO, increased access to Sheriff's Office personnel records and body camera footage during investigations involving deputies' use of force, alleged bias, sexual harassment and assault, among other things.
Supporters hailed the measure as an important step in ensuring accountability and transparency from the county's law enforcement officials by giving IOLERO the staff and budget it needs to property fulfill its intended function.
"Oh man, I couldn't be more excited," said Sonoma County Board of Education Member Herman Hernandez, on of the measure's main backers.
"Since the George Floyd tragedy there has been an uprising of communities saying we need change, we need more transparency we need to collaborate with the community and I think Sonoma County spoke strongly with their vote," Hernandez said.
Measure P also authorizes IOLERO to receive whistleblower complaints and audit racial profiling data and would give it the authority to independently review all "sources of investigative evidence, directly contact complainants and witnesses, contact custodians of evidence, and independently subpoena records or testimony," according to an analysis from the county counsel's office.
Measure P also sets IOLERO's annual budget at 1 percent of the Sheriff's Office budget.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to place the measure the ballot over the objections of Sheriff Mark Essick and the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs' Association.
Neither Essick nor SCDSA President Michael Vail responded to requests for comment but both submitted arguments against Measure P in the county's voter information guide saying, in part, that it creates unnecessary
red tape and was placed on the ballot without input from law enforcement.
© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
