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DATE: |
September 30, 2025 |
19 |
SUBJECT
Title
RECEIVE THE CITIZENS’ LAW ENFORCEMENT REVIEW BOARD (CLERB) ANNUAL REPORT (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
San Diego County voters established the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board (“CLERB”) in 1990 to provide independent investigation and oversight of the Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department. CLERB is composed of eleven volunteer board members nominated by the County of San Diego's (“County”) Chief Administrative Officer and appointed by the Board of Supervisors. In addition to the volunteer board members, at this time nine County employees support CLERB: an executive officer, a chief deputy, a supervising investigator, six investigators, and an administrative professional. CLERB has the power to subpoena witnesses and evidence for use in its investigations and employs its own independent investigators.
The San Diego County Code of Administrative Ordinances (Section 340.9(d)) requires that CLERB prepare and present an annual report to the Board of Supervisors (“Board”) that summarizes the activities and recommendations of CLERB during the reporting period including the cases investigated, the findings made and tracking of the types of complaints received. Today’s recommendation is for the Board to receive the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board Annual Report which summarizes actions from 2022 through 2024.
RECOMMENDATION
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Receive the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board Annual Report.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The requested action supports the County’s Strategic Initiatives of Community and Justice, by protecting San Diegans, especially those disproportionately at risk of law enforcement interaction, which increase transparency and accessibility in civilian law enforcement oversight and fostering better relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The proposed action supports the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Goal #2 of providing just and equitable access to County services, by using data-driven and analytical analysis of civilian oversight to not only protect the health and well-being of our incarcerated community, but to protect the economic sustainability of the County.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
The Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board reviewed and approved the CLERB Annual Report at the August 7, 2025, CLERB meeting.
BACKGROUND
San Diego County voters established the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board (“CLERB”) in 1990 to provide independent investigation and oversight of the Sheriff’s Office and Probation Department. CLERB is composed of eleven volunteer board members nominated the County of San Diego's (“County”) Chief Administrative Officer and appointed by the Board of Supervisors (“Board”). In addition to the volunteer board members, nine County employees support CLERB: an executive officer, a chief deputy, a supervising investigator, six investigators, and an administrative professional. CLERB has the power to subpoena witnesses and evidence for use in its investigations and employs its own independent investigators.
The County Charter authorizes CLERB to receive, review and investigate a wide variety of complaints regarding the conduct of peace officers or custodial officers employed by the County Sheriff’s Office or the Probation Department. The San Diego County Code of Administrative Ordinances (“Admin Code”) Section 340.9 also grants CLERB the authority to investigate, without a complaint, deaths related to the activities of these sworn officers, the discharge of firearms, uses of force resulting in great bodily injury, and uses of force at protests or other events protected by the First Amendment. CLERB is also authorized to conduct annual inspections of County adult detention facilities.
Admin Code Section 340.9(d) requires that CLERB prepare an annual report for the Board, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Sheriff, and the Chief Probation Officer that summarizes the activities and recommendations of CLERB. This report must include the tracking and identification of trends with respect to all complaints received and investigated during the reporting period. It must be presented to the Board within 60 days of its adoption by CLERB.
CLERB’s 2022-2024 Annual Report (Attachment A) was published in August 2025 and adopted by CLERB on August 7, 2025. It can be found online at: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/clerb/
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action supports the Community Strategic Initiative in the County of San Diego’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan with its focus on opportunities of engagement and safety by increasing public confidence in government and the accountability of law enforcement by conducting impartial and independent investigations of citizen complaints of misconduct concerning Sheriff’s Deputies and Probation Officers employed by the County of San Diego and by making meaningful policy recommendations to reduce misconduct which ultimately reduces the risk to San Diego County.
Respectfully submitted,
ebony n. shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A- Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board 2024 Annual Report