Riverside County Group Pushes Ballot Measure To Increase Oversight Of Sheriff’s Department

A major community push is underway to add a new level of oversight to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department after a rise in inmate deaths and longstanding concerns about conditions inside county jails. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Accountability Coalition is now petitioning to place the proposal of a civilian oversight committee directly in the hands of voters by adding it to the 2026 ballot.

For five years, community members have asked the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to establish a formal civilian oversight panel. They argue such a body is necessary to improve transparency, address misconduct complaints, and increase public trust. The petition would create a new civilian-led committee with the power to investigate complaints, review and recommend policy changes, issue subpoenas for documents, and hire independent legal counsel. It would also allow the committee to appoint an Inspector General.

Members of the coalition, including organizations such as Riverside All of Us or None, say the community has waited long enough. They cite unanswered questions surrounding in-custody deaths, investigations into jail conditions, and lawsuits filed in recent years. They say an independent oversight body would give families clarity and ensure accountability, adding that public review is essential to restoring trust.

But Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco strongly disagrees, calling the proposal misleading and unnecessary. He says the department already operates under extensive oversight from multiple county and state entities, as well as an existing citizens committee that reports directly to him. According to Bianco, that committee has spent significant time inside the department’s units, teams, and jails, and maintains a thorough understanding of operations and policies. He argues the proposed oversight panel would be costly, duplicative, and driven by political activists.

The petition is now circulating and requires 35,000 signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot. The coalition has until April to meet that threshold. NBC Palm Springs will continue following the petition drive and provide the latest updates as the effort progresses.

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