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HMB City Councilmember Rarback Asks to Agendize Possible Endorsement of “Fixin’ San Mateo County’s” Citizen Oversight Commission for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office

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VIDEO. From the Half Moon Bay City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022 at 7:00pm by Zoom.

Councilmember Harvey Rarback would like to agendize the endorsement of Fixin’ San Mateo County  a local grassroots organization working to enact effective civilian oversight of the County Sheriff’s Office and the creation of an Inspector General in San Mateo County.

 

 

From the Fixin’ San Mateo County website.

Your lawyer has oversight; shouldn’t your Sheriff?

Other public offices have external checks and balances to monitor, advise, and guide their actions and to ensure accountability and transparency. Congress provides checks and balances to the president, and the State Legislature does the same for the governor. Local police departments have the city manager and city councils to oversee their work. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has none.

Your doctor is subject to the oversight of the Medical Board of California; your attorney’s conduct is subject to review by the State Bar of California. If you have an issue with a doctor or lawyer, there is a formal process of reviewing those complaints. There is no such process for the county Sheriff’s Office; the only oversight a county resident can exercise is one vote every four years. Voters are often given little insight into the inner workings of the Sheriff’s Office. Civilian oversight seeks to improve accountability and transparency while improving trust between law enforcement and the community they serve.

 

Our county is not yet equal before the law

Our county’s ethnic mix is changing rapidly, with Latinos being our fastest-growing population group. If we do not address the issue of inequitable treatment of people of color, it will become worse.

People of color are at mortal risk. In our five local counties, Black people are less than 7% of the population, but make up 27% of people killed by police between 2015 and 2020 1. Law enforcement officers in San Mateo County used tasers to kill three unarmed people of color in 2018 alone 2.

Despite 19 use-of-force deaths, no law enforcement officers in San Mateo County have been charged for a lethal use of force during District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe’s 11 years in office 3.

People of color are at higher risk of arrest. Black people are nine times more likely to be arrested in San Mateo County than White people, and Hispanic people are twice as likely to be arrested as White people 4.

Is this evidence of systemic bias? Without independent review, we cannot rule it out. We need oversight to restore confidence in law enforcement, but more importantly, we need it to ensure that our county government is respecting the rights of all residents.

What are the benefits of civilian oversight?

What are the limits of oversight?

Read more about oversight

FxSMC maintains a list of useful references to legislation, media articles, and more related to law enforcement oversight. See the resource list.

Citations

  1. Exclusive: Blacks are only 7% of the Bay Area, but 27% of those killed by police: San Jose Mercury News
  2. Calls for video release mount after California county’s third Taser-related death: CBS News
  3. Fewer than 10 percent of San Mateo County police use-of-force cases end in jury trial. Here’s why: Half Moon Bay Review
  4. New Insights into California Arrests: Trends, Disparities, and County Differences: Public Policy Institute of California

 

Endorsements

“The people of San Mateo County deserve the best law enforcement. The efforts of Fixin’ San Mateo County to establish a Civilian Oversight Commission and Inspector General with subpoena power for the Sheriff’s Office will ensure transparency and accountability for citizens. I support the initiative and look forward to its implementation.”

— Congresswoman Anna Eshoo

See more endorsements

 

City Council of Half Moon Bay Meets ~ 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 7:00pm

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The New Now ~ Virtual Remote Public Agency Meetings

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The meeting will be held at the Adcock Community Center for any members of the public who wish to speak in person, though we do encourage all members to participate remotely.
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to [email protected] prior to or during the meeting, via Facebook live during the meeting, and via two phone lines during the meeting – (650) 477-4963 (English) and (650) 445-3090 (Spanish).
The City Clerk will read all comments into the record.

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Contact Us

    1. Robert Brownstone

      Mayor
      [email protected]
      Phone: 650-726-8250 (leave message with Clerk’s office)

    2. Debbie Ruddock

      Vice Mayor
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      Phone: 650-726

    3. Deborah Penrose

      Council Member
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      Phone: 650-726-8250 (leave message with Clerk’s office)

    4. Harvey Rarback

      Council Member
      [email protected]
      Phone: 650-726-8250 (leave message with Clerk’s office)

    5. Joaquin Jimenez

      Council Member
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      Phone: 650-726-8250 (leave message with Clerk’s office)

The City Council of Half Moon Bay

The City Council of Half Moon Bay is the City’s governing body, and consists of five elected members. The Council sets priorities and policies, makes final decisions on all major City matters, adopts ordinances and resolutions, appoints the City Manager and City Attorney, and approves the annual budget.

City Council members are elected at-large to four-year, overlapping terms. There are no term limits in Half Moon Bay. The City Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and one to serve as Vice Mayor, on an annual basis.

The Half Moon Bay City Council typically meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month starting at 7 pm at the Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Avenue.

Meetings and Agendas

The City Council typically meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at 7 pm, at Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Avenue. City Council meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, and videos are available online. Planning on attending a City Council Meeting? Please visit our “Commenting at a City Council Meeting” information page. You can also learn about City Council Procedures and Decorum.

Strategic Elements

The City Council develops Strategic Elements to help focus the City’s actions and work plans on its key priorities. The Strategic Elements are aimed at providing high quality public services and facilities in a fiscally sustainable, responsive, and friendly manner, which fosters a safe, healthy, and thriving community.

 

Half Moon Bay City Council Subcommittees

  • CSFA Grant Selection
  • Education
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Finance
  • Human Resources
  • Legislative Affairs
  • Mobility
  • Redistricting
  • Public Safety Sub-Committee
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