Independent Office of Law etc. v. Sonoma County Sheriff's etc.

BACKGROUND

In 2016, the Board enacted an ordinance governing the newly created Independent Office. (Sonoma County Ord. No. 6174, adding former art. XXVII, § 2-392 et seq. to Sonoma County Code [adopted Sept. 13, 2016;

1 All undesignated statutory references are to the Government Code.

2 In the unpublished portion of the opinion, we reject two other claims

raised by Respondents. 3 We grant the Independent Office’s April 10, 2025, request that we

take judicial notice of a brief filed in a writ proceeding involving the County’s board of supervisors (Board) and the Sheriff, Board reports from July and August of 2020, and the ballot pamphlet for Measure P. We have considered and rejected the arguments opposing this request advanced by the Sheriff and the Union.

2 repealed by Ord. No. 6333, § 1, adopted by Sonoma County Local Ballot Measure P, Gen. Elec. (Nov. 3, 2020)].) The 2016 ordinance granted the Independent Office various powers and duties, including to “[r]eceive and review citizen complaints, and forward them to the Sheriff-Coroner for review and investigation,” and to “[a]dvise if investigations appear incomplete or otherwise deficient and recommend further review as…