Local & Community
Riverside County to split sheriff and coroner offices under new state law
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday requiring Riverside County to separate its sheriff and coroner offices.
SB 1379, written by Senator Sabrina Cervantes and coauthored by Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins, gives the Riverside County Board of Supervisors until July 1, 2027, to set up an independent medical examiner's office. That office will take over death investigations, the work of determining how and why someone died, which is currently handled by the sheriff's department. Only the medical examiner will be allowed to sign death certificates and autopsy reports.
The law also requires the county to post information about people who die in custody on its website. That includes an initial report within 24 hours of a death, a preliminary report within 72 hours, and a public database showing deaths by jail, causes of death and how long it took medical staff to respond. The county must also tell families the cause of death within 72 hours of when it is determined.
Supporters of the law have pointed to the county's record of in-custody deaths. According to the bill, Riverside County makes up about 6% of California's population but accounts for about 10% of the state's in-custody deaths. A New York Times investigation found the county's jail system was "the second deadliest in the nation" from 2020 to 2023, and lawsuits over in-custody deaths cost county taxpayers nearly $100 million in settlements from 2014 to 2024.
Sheriff Chad Bianco has opposed separating the offices, saying the change could increase costs and reduce county services.
Both Coachella Valley Assemblymembers, Jeff Gonzalez and Greg Wallis, voted against the bill.
By: NBC Palm Springs
October 1, 2026
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