Amid mounting pressure from a civil grand jury, civil rights groups and families of people who died in Riverside County jails, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved forming a committee to evaluate creating a civilian sheriff’s oversight body.
The board voted 4-0, with Supervisor Chuck Washington absent, to form an ad hoc committee composed of Supervisors Jose Medina and Karen Spiegel, to study oversight options for the Sheriff’s Department, including a civilian oversight commission.
The move comes amid renewed calls for greater accountability, including a scathing grand jury report released last month urging the county to create an independent oversight body for the jail system, citing persistent in-custody deaths, inadequate transparency and a lack of independent oversight as systemic accountability failures.
Medina and Spiegel will review sheriff oversight models from other jurisdictions, gather public input, evaluate costs, examine the legal and operational impacts of an oversight commission or committee, and report back to the board within 180 days
The decision came following more than two hours of comment from 58 public speakers, most who supported the proposal. They shared the same sentiment: No more discussion. No more delays. No more deaths.
Those who opposed the motion said they believe the ad hoc committee isn’t necessary and would just add another layer of bureaucratic red tape.
Anthony Noriega, director of the League of United Latin American Citizens District 5, which represents the Inland Empire region, said the ad hoc committee’s six-month review could push the issue into 2027 and undermine the urgency of the grand jury’s findings.
“There is concern that this board may be moving forward to a new process while ignoring the grand jury’s recommendation,” Noriega said during Tuesday’s meeting.
The grand jury also recommended in its a county office of inspector general, independent jail health audits, quarterly public reporting and a long-term strategic plan for jail operations. The recommendations come amid a state Attorney General’s Office civil rights investigation into alleged inmate abuse in the county jail system that began in February 2023.
Medina first proposed establishing a sheriff’s civilian oversight commission and office of inspector general last in July 2025 on behalf of civil rights groups and families whose loved ones died behind bars in the wake of a record-breaking year of inmate deaths in county jails in 2022, which hit a 15-year high of 19. His motion, however, failed to move forward due to lack of a second by a board member.
Elizabeth Ayala told supervisors that many inmates who have died in sheriff’s custody were awaiting trial. She said she feared what would happen to one of her family members should they ever wind up in a county jail.
“You have to do more to hold the department accountable. I want to spotlight the track record of the sheriff,” Ayala said.
Oversight committee opponent Jessica Christopher said her niece died in sheriff’s custody but she blamed her niece, not the Sheriff’s Department’s. She also noted that many of the jail deaths occurred during COVID.
“Come on, make a connection here,” Christopher said. “What you’re doing is political, and that’s why you’re going after our sheriff. It’s insane.” She referred to the people pushing for the oversight committee as “wackadoo crazies.”
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Jose Santos, president of the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association, told board members he was not opposed to a civilian oversight panel, but said there needs to be a legitimate process to study the cost and models from other jurisdictions. He said the integrity of the process will be measured by all voices taken into account and all options explored.
The grand jury noted in its report that implementing a civilian oversight commission would require a substantial financial investment, estimating startup costs ranging from $500,000 to $1.2 million, with annual operating expenses ranging from $2.5 million to $6.5 million, and that additional audits, reporting systems and strategic planning efforts could add several million dollars more in one-time and ongoing expenses.
Undersheriff Don Sharp told supervisors the department has roughly 4,000 employees who do a great job.
“As far as oversight goes, that’s where the five of you come in,” he said, noting that his department has always been transparent and provides whatever information elected officials and administrators want when requested.
“We are transparent and we always shave been,” Sharp said.
Sheriff Chad Bianco did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, deciding instead to attend a news conference where he announced his support for Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates in his race for state attorney general in the November general election. Bianco also announced he will be a candidate for re-election as sheriff in 2028.
Bianco has consistently pushed back against allegations that conditions in his jails are as extreme as some allege. He has called the grand jury’s findings “completely flawed,” containing “opinions” and “conclusions” not supported with facts.
Medina said the grand jury report shifted the county spotlight back on sheriff oversight.
“It’s never too late to do the right thing, and that’s where we are today,” he said. “It’s important we begin the first step, and that’s what this is today, the first step.”
Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said the issue was critical, noting that he brought up a proposal in June 2020 to review the Sheriff’s Department’s policing policies, but, like Medina last year, his motion died for lack of a second.
“Maybe I went about it all wrong, but that’s OK, because sooner or later I knew we would get here,” Perez said. “I am very happy we are here.”
Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez said that while he supports sheriff oversight, he said it must be a balanced approach, and suggested someone from law enforcement serve on the civilian commission/committee when it is formed.
Spiegel said that while she may not be in agreement, she said it is important to work together to move forward.
“I have no problem working on any topic if I disagree, because you do get to a point where you have to come to common grounds,” she said.
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