As a long-time resident, I strongly support the establishment of a Civilian Oversight Board and Inspector General’s Office in our community. I believe that such a board would serve as an invaluable mechanism to foster trust, accountability and collaboration between law enforcement personnel and the residents they serve. I believe some of the reasons why a Civilian Oversight Board and Inspector General's Office is essential for the well-being of our county, include:
Transparency and accountability: A Civilian Oversight Board would promote transparency in law enforcement practices and ensure accountability for any misconduct or violations of policies. The presence of civilian members with diverse backgrounds and perspectives would help ensure an unbiased review of complaints, investigations and disciplinary actions, thereby fostering greater public trust in the system.
Community engagement: A board comprising of local residents would provide a platform for community members to actively engage with law enforcement agencies. This engagement can help bridge the gap between the police force and the community, allowing for a more collaborative approach to addressing public safety concerns.
Enhancing police, community relations: By facilitating open dialogue between law enforcement personnel and civilians, a Civilian Oversight Board can contribute to improved relations between these two vital components of our community. Through constructive conversations and joint initiatives, we can work toward building a safer environment for everyone.
Policy review and reform: The board could play a pivotal role in reviewing existing policies, procedures and training methods within law enforcement agencies. This can lead to the identification of areas for improvement and the implementation of necessary reforms that align with community needs and expectations.
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Impartiality and fairness: Civilian oversight ensures that decisions regarding complaints and disciplinary actions are made without any bias or conflict of interest. This approach bolsters public confidence in the fact that issues are being addressed justly and impartially.
Building trust: In times of crisis or controversy, the presence of a Civilian Oversight Board can act as a stabilizing force, helping to maintain public trust and prevent the escalation of tensions between law enforcement and residents.
Professional development: By fostering collaboration, the board can contribute to the professional development of law enforcement personnel, encouraging continuous learning and improvement to better serve the community.
Taken together, the establishment of a Civilian Oversight Board and Inspector General's Office, is a critical step toward building a safer, more accountable and harmonious community. By actively involving residents and law enforcement personnel in a structured dialogue, we can collectively work toward a future where transparency, fairness and collaboration are at the forefront of our public safety efforts.
Join me in supporting and championing the creation of oversight by contacting your representative on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and tell them you support the draft ordinance prepared by Fixin’ San Mateo County and show your commitment to ensuring the well-being and harmony of our community. Public safety is everyone's responsibility, and we should all have a voice in shaping public safety.
Jim Lawrence is board chair of Fixin’ San Mateo County.
Unfortunately, Mr. Lawrence, this letter sounds like a case of promoting us vs. them instead of unity. You’re acting as if a few bad apples in law enforcement are indicative of all law enforcement. And you’re making it sound as if civilians whose business is not law enforcement know better than law enforcement personnel. Why not take this concept and have civilian oversight boards for the medical or the law professions. Actually, Fixin’ San Mateo County should first concentrate on oversight of politicians, as many would say local and state politicians are doing much more harm to our everyday lives than law enforcement ever will. Seems to me politicians are more responsible for our rising crime rates and letting criminals back into the wild than law enforcement. Perhaps we need a Fixin’ Fixin’ San Mateo County oversight board comprised of folks whose business is not oversight, but a desire for unity.
You raise some good points. It's not likely an appointed group of folks living in our county would have sufficient knowledge and experience to provide credible oversight. Are there some bad apples out there? Yes, just like there are bad apples in every profession. Is our District Attorney capable of investigating circumstances that may involve local police departments and the excessive use of force or civil rights violations? I think so. However, if there is an issue with the county, our state attorney general can step in and inquire into such circumstances. Could an oversight board recommend changes in police officer training? Sure, however, what liabilities might be incurred if our county enacted training requirements that failed to measure up to state mandated training standards?
The guest's perspective calls for transparency in matters giving rise to controversies involving the police... and I'm guessing most folks would agree with making things transparent. The question then becomes... how can we achieve the degree of transparency most want to see? I feel the results of internal and external investigations that can be legally shared with the public should be made available... and that would include information uncovered concerning the complainants. Is it possible police officers and sheriff's deputies might refrain from taking enforcement action to avert being judged by an oversight committee? Again, I think so. We all have an interest in keeping the streets, our homes, and loved ones safe. Last question... would a police oversight board help us achieve the level of safety we would all like to see?
I'm sorry about the misunderstanding, but Fixin' SMC believes that our community deserves a voice on public safety - and independent oversight will bring residents and law enforcement together to promote public safety. It is a joint effort.
I'm not opposed to the idea of a civilian oversight board, but I am opposed to Fixin' San Mateo County's proposed makeup of that board. It looks like Fixin' wants to limit the board members to only those who have had problems with cops in the past, while banning anyone who has had any association with law enforcement. It won't be made up of people with a diversity of viewpoints. It will only be made up of people who hate cops.
Fixin' is a very broad coalition of community organizations and represents a very broad swath of perspectives. Including those of us with a lot of understanding of how difficult the jobs of the deputies and who want them to have the protections that independent oversight would offer. In the past, Sheriff deputies who saw problems with corruption within the organization, lack of training opportunities, or saw gaps in how the community was being served had no place to take their concerns. Their only option was to shut up or quit.
To clarify a couple of things about what Fixin' SMC recommends - (1) the Board of Supervisors would appoint the members (2) it is not limited, it is not people with an ax to grind. Fixin' SMC supports the Sheriff's Office and law enforcement - we all have a role in defining public safety and the goal is so the community is and feels safe for all, the same goal as the Sheriff's Office has. Fixin' recommends people representing the diversity of the county.
You make excellent points, Mr. Lawrence. I'd also add that the sheriff's office budget is over $300M, a staggering expenditure over which currently there is no independent oversight. That sum doesn't include the millions in settlements the county has paid out in recent years due to incidents involving deputies.
In other counties that have oversight, those commissioners and inspectors are chosen by the Board of Supervisors, so I would expect that to happen in our county as well. As elected officials whom the public has entrusted to work for the betterment of our community, it is reasonable to expect them to make thoughtful decisions in their selections.
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(10) comments
This LTE appears to have been mostly written by ChatGPT/AI. The way ChatGPT compiles language is pretty telling.
Unfortunately, Mr. Lawrence, this letter sounds like a case of promoting us vs. them instead of unity. You’re acting as if a few bad apples in law enforcement are indicative of all law enforcement. And you’re making it sound as if civilians whose business is not law enforcement know better than law enforcement personnel. Why not take this concept and have civilian oversight boards for the medical or the law professions. Actually, Fixin’ San Mateo County should first concentrate on oversight of politicians, as many would say local and state politicians are doing much more harm to our everyday lives than law enforcement ever will. Seems to me politicians are more responsible for our rising crime rates and letting criminals back into the wild than law enforcement. Perhaps we need a Fixin’ Fixin’ San Mateo County oversight board comprised of folks whose business is not oversight, but a desire for unity.
Hi, Terence
You raise some good points. It's not likely an appointed group of folks living in our county would have sufficient knowledge and experience to provide credible oversight. Are there some bad apples out there? Yes, just like there are bad apples in every profession. Is our District Attorney capable of investigating circumstances that may involve local police departments and the excessive use of force or civil rights violations? I think so. However, if there is an issue with the county, our state attorney general can step in and inquire into such circumstances. Could an oversight board recommend changes in police officer training? Sure, however, what liabilities might be incurred if our county enacted training requirements that failed to measure up to state mandated training standards?
The guest's perspective calls for transparency in matters giving rise to controversies involving the police... and I'm guessing most folks would agree with making things transparent. The question then becomes... how can we achieve the degree of transparency most want to see? I feel the results of internal and external investigations that can be legally shared with the public should be made available... and that would include information uncovered concerning the complainants. Is it possible police officers and sheriff's deputies might refrain from taking enforcement action to avert being judged by an oversight committee? Again, I think so. We all have an interest in keeping the streets, our homes, and loved ones safe. Last question... would a police oversight board help us achieve the level of safety we would all like to see?
I'm sorry about the misunderstanding, but Fixin' SMC believes that our community deserves a voice on public safety - and independent oversight will bring residents and law enforcement together to promote public safety. It is a joint effort.
I'm not opposed to the idea of a civilian oversight board, but I am opposed to Fixin' San Mateo County's proposed makeup of that board. It looks like Fixin' wants to limit the board members to only those who have had problems with cops in the past, while banning anyone who has had any association with law enforcement. It won't be made up of people with a diversity of viewpoints. It will only be made up of people who hate cops.
Sounds like "Police Unions".
Are you saying a police oversight board with a range of viewpoints is like a police union? If so, why?
Fixin' is a very broad coalition of community organizations and represents a very broad swath of perspectives. Including those of us with a lot of understanding of how difficult the jobs of the deputies and who want them to have the protections that independent oversight would offer. In the past, Sheriff deputies who saw problems with corruption within the organization, lack of training opportunities, or saw gaps in how the community was being served had no place to take their concerns. Their only option was to shut up or quit.
To clarify a couple of things about what Fixin' SMC recommends - (1) the Board of Supervisors would appoint the members (2) it is not limited, it is not people with an ax to grind. Fixin' SMC supports the Sheriff's Office and law enforcement - we all have a role in defining public safety and the goal is so the community is and feels safe for all, the same goal as the Sheriff's Office has. Fixin' recommends people representing the diversity of the county.
You make excellent points, Mr. Lawrence. I'd also add that the sheriff's office budget is over $300M, a staggering expenditure over which currently there is no independent oversight. That sum doesn't include the millions in settlements the county has paid out in recent years due to incidents involving deputies.
In other counties that have oversight, those commissioners and inspectors are chosen by the Board of Supervisors, so I would expect that to happen in our county as well. As elected officials whom the public has entrusted to work for the betterment of our community, it is reasonable to expect them to make thoughtful decisions in their selections.
Welcome to the discussion.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.