A push for public oversight of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which has been embroiled in scandal, failed Tuesday.
County supervisors rejected a motion that would have created a group to study the need for an oversight committee and inspector general.
Supervisor Jose Medina, who introduced the motion, said he was concerned about the number of lawsuits against the department.
In 2022, a record 18 people died in Riverside County jails, which the sheriff’s department runs. Chad Bianco, who’s been sheriff since 2018, deflected blame for the deaths and said they’re going down. He said creating an oversight committee is “anti-law enforcement.”
Most public commenters voiced support for the motion, but supervisors voted 3-1 against it. They said an oversight committee was divisive and there’s not enough data to prove it would be effective.