Accountability
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Responsabilidad
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Transparency
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Transparencia
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Oversight
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Vigilancia
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Accountability ★ Responsabilidad ★ Transparency ★ Transparencia ★ Oversight ★ Vigilancia ★
Local News
Press Democrat Candidate Forum Debate: Editorial and Responses
PD Editorial: A county oversight council shouldn’t host a candidate forum
The Press Democrat Editorial Board published an opinion piece arguing that the CAC should not host a forum for Sonoma County Board of Supervisors candidates to discuss their positions on Measure P and other law enforcement-related issues. The editorial board contends that doing so would be inappropriate for a county oversight council.
08/29/2026 - Editorial
Close to Home: The Debate Over a Candidate Forum Deserves More Facts, Not More Spin
Carl Tennenbaum, a retired San Francisco police sergeant now living in Sebastopol, wrote a letter to the editor responding to the Press Democrat's August 29 editorial on the proposed candidate forum. Tennenbaum disputes several claims made in the editorial regarding the scope of utilizing county resources, and argues that voters have a right to know where the Board of Supervisors candidates stand on sheriff-related issues, including Measure P.
08/29/2026 - Close to Home
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Close to Home: Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s ICE position deserves more than ‘common sense’
Ernesto Olivares, a retired police lieutenant and former Santa Rosa mayor, comments on the controversial take by the Farm Bureau Executive Director Dayna Ghirardelli. Ghirardelli defends the organization’s position by claiming it is just “common sense”. Olivares asks for them to back up their position with proof, as the public is owed such.
08/31/2026 - Press Democrat Article
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Sonoma County Blocks Candidate Forum on Sheriff Oversight, Advocates Cry Foul
Sonoma County's Community Advisory Council wanted to bring together four candidates running for two open Board of Supervisors seats to talk about civilian oversight of the Sheriff's Office. County lawyers said no.
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Close to Home: The court has spoken, so enforce Measure P
Why are Sonoma County supervisors considering a new law enforcement oversight measure?
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Close To Home: Law Enforcement Oversight Is A Test Of Leadership
Civilian oversight is not a threat to law enforcement. When done right, it reinforces integrity and strengthens public confidence.
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Sonoma County Sheriff Oversight IOLERO Measure P
Measure P strengthened Sonoma County’s Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO) by expanding its budget, authority to investigate complaints, and subpoena power to enhance sheriff’s office oversight. The measure, supported by the ACLU and passed by voters, faced, and still faces, legal challenges and resistance from the Sheriff’s Office.
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Appellate Court Ruling In Sonoma County Dispute Could Have Statewide Implications Enforcement Oversight
A California appellate court ruled in March 2026 that the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office must comply with subpoenas from the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO), bolstering civilian oversight power. The ruling determined that voter-approved subpoena powers are automatic and cannot be overridden by union labor agreements, establishing a significant legal precedent for law enforcement accountability statewide
3/31/26 - Press Democrat Article
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Close To Home: Sheriff Is Standing In The Way Of Transparency
Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram is blocking transparency by refusing to order deputies to cooperate with the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO), violating the spirit of the 2020 voter-approved Measure P.
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Court Sides With Sheriff’s Watchdog
A state appellate court has tentatively ruled that Sonoma County’s civilian law enforcement watchdog agency can issue subpoenas to deputies as part of its whistleblower investigations into the Sheriff’s Office.
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Julie Small of KQED News Articles
Julie Small reports on criminal justice and immigration.
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CHR Statement on Law Enforcement Oversight and Accountability
Commission on Human Rights statement on law enforcement oversight and accountability, and how it affects the community.
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Leaked Subpoenas Shed Light on Shadowy Sonoma County Sheriff Whistleblower Case
Attorneys for the deputies union accidentally released sealed subpoenas issued by the county’s independent law enforcement watchdog.
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Police Records Access Project
Search California public records about law enforcement violence and misconduct as it is your right to know this information.
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Joint Statement on Pelaez-Chavez killing
Open Letter from CLEAN & NAACP 11/20/2023
11/20/2023 - Joint Statement on Pelaez-Chavez Killing -
10 Years , Interview with Filmmaker
Interview with Documentary filmmaker about 3 Seconds in October, 10 years after the shooting of Andy Lopez
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Disturbing video with retired Deputy Gelhaus:
Disturbing video with retired Deputy Gelhaus dated 12/09/2022
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Systemic Sadism at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office
Systemic Sadism at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office
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3 Seconds in October
3 Seconds in October - 28 minute Documentary Film about the Shooting of Andy Lopez (2021)
Emmy Award Winning Documentary Film
Resources
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IOLERO
IOLERO Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach
File a Complaint about the Sheriff’s Office
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File a Complaint in California
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ABLE Project
ABLE is a national hub for training, technical assistance, and research, all with the aim of creating a police culture in which officers routinely intervene—and accept interventions—as necessary to:
Prevent misconduct,
Avoid police mistakes, and
Promote officer health and wellness
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Prosecutorial Performance Indicators
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The Marshall Project
The Marshall Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system. We have an impact on the system through journalism, rendering it more fair, effective, transparent and humane.
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End Qualified Immunity
A coalition beyond partisan divisions, partnering with groups across the country to end qualified immunity.
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A Road Map for Getting Rid of Racist Cops
Read about how former public defender, Vida Johnson’s, ideas for how to purge police departments of white supremacists.
Mother Jones 01/28/2021
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Alec Karakatsanis - Media Perpetuating Copaganda | The Daily Show
Alec Karakatsanis - Media Perpetuating Copaganda | The Daily Show
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4 Reasons We Should Worry About Missing Crime Data
4 Reasons We Should Worry About Missing Crime Data
The FBI’s crime data is still incomplete — and politicians are taking advantage
The Marshall Project 07/13/2023
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Youth Curfews
Youth curfews do not reduce crime
A Dozen Cities Set Youth Curfews This Year, Even Though They Don’t Reduce Crime
Texas recently banned juvenile curfews, while cities like Baltimore and Memphis have doubled-down on them.
The Marshall Project 06/29/23
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The Stanford Open Policing Project
The Stanford Open Policing Project
On a typical day in the United States, police officers make more than 50,000 traffic stops. Our team is gathering, analyzing, and releasing records from millions of traffic stops by law enforcement agencies across the country. Our goal is to help researchers, journalists, and policymakers investigate and improve interactions between police and the public.
Ongoing
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CLEAN Intereviews with Rebel Fagin
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California Coalition for Sherriff Oversight CCSO Public Launch
Balancing Power with Responsibility
The California Coalition for Sheriff Oversight was created in 2023 to support community members and county-based coalitions that want to establish or improve civilian sheriff oversight.
Communications
Letter
Mon, Aug 31, 2026
To the Press Democrat:
I take strong issue with your editorial of August 29, 2026, both for its gross factual errors and its laughable recommendation.
First, the Community Advisory Council (CAC) does not “oversee difficult cases involving the Sheriff’s Office…” as you wrongly assert. The CAC was in fact established by Measure P to … "engage the public to better understand the role of IOLERO and of the sheriff-coroner.” A candidates’ forum on the views of civilian oversight fits perfectly within the purpose of the CAC.
Second, the CAC did not agree to “use public resources” to put on the candidates’ forum. The CAC voted unanimously to host the candidates’ forum without the use of government resources,” which should put to rest any legal concerns (whether valid or not, and I am not sure they are valid).
Finally, your editorial suggests the CAC “invite the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriff’s Association (DSA) and the Deputy Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Management Unit" to co-sponsor the event. That, indeed, would create the indelible stench of bias you claim the forum creates, given that the DSA has endorsed two of the four candidates for district elections, and its PAC has donated at least $7600 to each of them, as well.
Your editorial board needs to do its homework before impugning the decisions of the Community Advisory Council. The CAC is doing its job and should be commended for doing so.
Nancy Pemberton
Santa Rosa
September 24, 2025
Response to DSA’s Harassment Complaint Against IOLERO
October 22, 2025
Response to Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Press Release from 9-23-25