In 2018 and 2019, laws like AB 392, Use of Deadly Force Implementation, and AB 1185, Sheriff Oversight and Accountability, became necessary to protect the public’s interests, given the growing distrust and harms members of the public had to endure during law enforcement actions, which often resulted in injury or loss of life.

The 2022 election year has resulted in California counties welcoming new sheriffs and district attorneys in January 2023. Hopefully, these changes will be the beginning of much-needed criminal justice reform to keep both the public and law enforcement officers safe but, more importantly, to reduce recidivism and disproportionate incarceration rates in California.

The LWVC Criminal Justice Committee is now known as the Criminal Justice Interest Group, the same group that worked with the LWVC and community partners to facilitate getting certain criminal justice reform laws adopted into law. It has had a long-standing desire to facilitate a process to support local Leagues with tools to ensure implementation of these criminal justice laws in the spirit intended as well as to the letter of the law. There was previously a statewide ACLU group that some Leagues used to follow AB 392. However, we had not focused on sheriff oversight and accountability, which was of statewide interest. Thus, late this summer discussions commenced to start a subgroup to focus on sheriff oversight and accountability. Our first meeting in 2023 will include a guest speaker who will do a presentation on navigating the sheriff transition process.

We need your help! All LWV-PA members are invited to join the new Sheriff Oversight Interest Sub-Group for education and advocacy. This group is currently co-chaired by Norma Nelson, of the Sacramento County League, and Veronica Jones, of LWV-PA. Our goal is to have at least one volunteer from each local League join our committee and represent the local service area to help us complete our research. We will provide tools for local Leagues to facilitate accountability, transparency, and local oversight of California’s sheriff’s departments—including full compliance with League-supported laws related to criminal justice and policing. We aim to identify best practices for local boards of supervisors and sheriff’s departments as well as specific areas of statewide public concern.

For example, we have begun to prioritize such issues and projects as deaths in jails, state legislative compliance, use of AB 109 realignment funds, and effective reduction of recidivism and incarceration rates. As we continue our research into oversight and operations, we may identify additional priorities.

So, interested LWV-PA members, please step up! Our LWVC committee meets on the third Monday of each month from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email criminaljustice [at] lwvc.org to learn more.

—Veronica Jones and Kris Ockershauser