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Residents urge Sonoma County supervisors to fully enforce Measure P and protect civilian oversight
Summary
During public comment at the April 7 Board meeting, scores of residents and advocates pressed supervisors to uphold Measure P and resist efforts by the sheriff'9s office to weaken IOLERO, citing past deaths, lawsuits and a history of delayed oversight.
Dozens of residents used public comment time at the April 7 Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting to demand full enforcement of Measure P and stronger civilian oversight of the sheriff's office (IOLERO).
Speakers included Susan McDonough, who said Measure P passed by nearly 70% and accused the sheriff's office of repeated attempts to "nullify and weaken" the measure; Paul Lieber urged the Board not to "weaken IOLERO under the guise of fixing Measure P" and said voters deserve reliable information; Jim Duffy reviewed the ordinance'9s lengthy community process and warned against backroom changes ahead of the 2026 ballot.
Why it matters: Measure P establishes independent civilian review powers over the sheriff and was passed overwhelmingly in 2020. Commenters said local leaders owe voters enforcement of the measure rather than incremental or legalistic rollbacks, especially in light of litigation and settlement costs cited as draining county resources.
What residents asked for: Several commenters requested the Board resist requests to fund outside legal defense for the sheriff's office, demand full cooperation with IOLERO investigations (including compelled testimony where appropriate), and avoid crafting "sleazy backroom" ordinances that would subvert the voters' intent.
Board response: The Chair and several supervisors thanked speakers for their advocacy. County staff later reported closed-session matters relating to ongoing litigation involving IOLERO and the sheriff, and the Board said direction was provided to counsel with no reportable action.
Next steps: Public advocacy on this issue is likely to continue; items tied to Measure P and IOLERO were discussed in closed session during the meeting but no reportable decisions were announced.
