Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe
San Diego County | District 4
COUNTY MOVES TO STRENGTHEN OVERSIGHT OF IN-CUSTODY DEATHS BY EXPANDING CLERB’S AUTHORITY
San Diego, CA (September 9, 2025) — Today, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors advanced first-in-the-nation amendment to strengthen the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB), reinforcing its role as an independent oversight body empowered to investigate in-custody deaths and other allegations of misconduct.
These reforms, originally proposed by Vice Chair Montgomery Steppe in December 2024, come in response to longstanding concerns about CLERB’s limited authority to investigate the full circumstances surrounding in-custody deaths.
“When someone dies in County custody, their family and the public deserve answers,” said Vice Chair Montgomery Steppe. “These changes ensure that CLERB can get those answers and help prevent future tragedies.”
Key Amendments of CLERB’s Expansion Include:
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Expanded Investigative Authority: CLERB will now be authorized to investigate any County employee or contractor working under the direction of the Sheriff or Probation Departments in connection with in-custody deaths, including contracted healthcare providers.
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Timely Completion of Investigations: CLERB will be required to complete all investigations within one year of discovering allegations of misconduct and must publicly report on any delays. Investigations will no longer be automatically dismissed after one year-- a practice CLERB had previously followed citing the Peace Officers Bill of Rights (POBR).
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Prioritizing In-Custody Deaths: The amendments codify CLERB’s existing practices, requiring CLERB to prioritize cases involving death over all other cases, even those classified as "natural," and reopen a closed case in narrow circumstances.
Response to Sheriff Martinez’s Concerns
In recent memos, Sheriff Martinez raised concerns about oversight of medical staff, suggesting it could have a chilling effect on the jail healthcare system and proposing an alternative “third-party administrator” (TPA) model, which she cited as existing in Los Angeles County.
However, the claims that Los Angeles County utilizes a TPA model were found to be inaccurate.
“Let me be clear: what’s being proposed today is a narrow and necessary expansion of CLERB’s jurisdiction to address the unacceptable number of in-custody deaths,” continued Vice Chair Montgomery Steppe. “We have an opportunity right now to equip our current serving CLERB members with the tools they need, and we can revisit alternative options as they arise.”
Background on In-Custody Deaths in San Diego County
The County continues to face a crisis of in-custody deaths:
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13 deaths occurred in 2023
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9 deaths in 2024
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Already 8 deaths in 2025
“CLERB can be a force for positive change,” said Vice Chair Montgomery Steppe. “We must equip it with the right tools so we can bring transparency, accountability, and safety to our jails.”
Today’s vote represented the first reading of the ordinance amendments. A second reading and final vote will take place at the next Board of Supervisors meeting on September 30 th .
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County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Highway, Rm 335
San Diego, CA, 92101
Phone:
619.531.5544
