Sacramento Sheriff Calls New Independent Review Board 'A Flawed System'

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones rejected the notion of an independent review board during an interview on Thursday.

"It's a flawed system," said Jones, "It makes people happy, makes people think there is some sort of extra accountability."

Jones didn't hold back when talking about the Sacramento City Council's decision to overhaul the Community Police Commission earlier this week.

"It's foolish for a city council that knows nothing about law enforcement to try and substitute their judgment for that of the profession of law enforcement," Jones explained.

The City Council passed an ordinance that creates a 100 percent independent commission to oversee police work. Current and former law enforcement officials are banned from being appointed.

"What the city council did is simply make a difficult job of being a Sacramento police officer that much harder," said Jones.

Jones says the council's decision is misguided and an emotional response to police shootings like that of Joseph Mann earlier this year.

"You can't let a particular incident or set of facts develop policy and that's what the city council is doing," explained Jones.

The Sheriff's Department is a bit different. It has an inspector general who answers to the board of supervisors and can investigate incidents or complaints. The inspector general is former Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel. He can investigate incidents in real time. He can also request information from the Sheriff's Department, but there is no binding law that they have to turn it over to them.

During a phone conversation on Thursday, Braziel said he has never been denied access to information that he has requested in the year that he's been the IG. Braziel writes an annual report making policy and procedure recommendations. He also puts his findings and case specific reports online.

There is also a Sheriff's advisory board that can record testimony and ask questions of the department.

"I think that we can always look at ourselves for improvement," said Patrick Kennedy, a County Supervisor.

He says changes can be made to the board to increase their oversight abilities.

"Is that board truly transparent? Is it truly independent? Does it have the opportunity to interact with the inspector general?" said Kennedy.

Currently, the board is made up of appointees from supervisors, and the sheriff himself, who says hes the first line of accountability.

"I challenge the narrative that's trying to be created in advance that says there is this huge chasm between police and community relations," said Jones.

On a national level, a recent Gallup poll found that Americans with a great deal of respect fro law enforcement was at 76% compared to 64% last year.

Still changes to the Sheriff's Advisory Board could be made. The Board of Supervisors will have that discussion on Dec. 13.