(This story was updated with new information.)
Amid an ongoing civil rights investigation into record numbers of deaths in Riverside County jails, a recent grand jury report found “systemic deficiencies” and called for independent oversight of the county sheriff’s department.
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury launched its investigation in response to “persistent concerns” regarding in-custody deaths, internal investigative practices, and the absence of comprehensive independent oversight of the sheriff, according to the report, which was made public Friday, June 12.
One of its main recommendations is to establish an independent, civilian oversight body over the sheriff, something that most county supervisors refused to even consider when it was proposed last year. Civil grand jury reports are advisory, so the report does not compel the sheriff or the county to make any changes, although by law they do have to submit written responses, which will be made public.
Asked by The Desert Sun about the grand jury’s findings, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco disputed the report and said he was “very disappointed” after reading it.
“The grand jury’s report is completely flawed, and contains ‘opinions’ and ‘conclusions’ not supported with fact or that contradict facts,” Bianco said in an emailed statement. “We will have our required response to the grand jury presented to them soon.”
The report was issued more than three years after California Attorney General Rob Bonta launched an investigation into the department, citing a sharp and “disturbing” rise in deaths in the county’s jails, as well as allegations of excessive force and other misconduct.
Bianco — a Republican who recently failed to advance to the general election in his campaign for governor — has criticized Bonta’s investigation as politically motivated. Bonta, a Democrat, has said the investigation stems from the facts and seeks only to uncover the truth.
The grand jury’s report follows years of investigations by The Desert Sun, some in partnership with The New York Times, which found that detainees were ignored by deputies soon before they died by suicide and that the majority of staff at one jail were not trained properly to do safety checks required by law.
Existing oversight does little good, report finds
The grand jury’s report was produced after interviews with sheriff’s deputies, including those responsible for jail operations and internal investigations, and it also involved document reviews and site visits to all five county jails.
Among the report’s findings are that internal investigations of in-custody deaths “lack structural independence and publicly accessible reporting,” while public data on jail operations is “limited and inconsistent.”
“Despite years of public concern, repeated findings from prior Grand Jury reports, and ongoing scrutiny related to in-custody deaths and internal investigative practices, the county has not implemented the structural reforms necessary to ensure safe, accountable, and constitutionally compliant jail operations,” the grand jury report states.
The report includes several recommendations, including for the county’s elected board of supervisors to establish an independent civilian oversight body for the sheriff’s department. The absence of such an entity “remains a crucial gap,” according to the report. The sheriff is independently elected, and county supervisors and appointed official have little oversight over the sheriff’s department except when it comes to its budget.
The grand jury also calls for the dissolvement of the Sheriff’s Advisory Committee, which includes members appointed by the board of supervisors. During interviews with the grand jury, its members “were unable to articulate any significant, formal accomplishments,” and the committee does not publish meeting minutes, findings or recommendations, according to the report.
“Existing oversight mechanisms are fragmented, limited in scope, and largely internal to the RCSO’s chain of command,” the report found. “This structural design restricts independent review of critical incidents, constrains systemic risk analysis, and limits public transparency.”
The report says an oversight body must have subpoena authority to ensure it can independently review sheriff’s department records and that the department can’t deny access.
Some residents have unsuccessfully called for an independent oversight panel for the sheriff’s office. In July 2025, county supervisors rejected a proposal to study creating such a panel, with Supervisor Jose Medina the only member of the five-person board to support the move.
“Leadership at (the sheriff’s office) has stated that such oversight could become an anti-law-enforcement activist committee rather than an objective accountability entity,” the new grand jury report states.
The grand jury also recommended the sheriff’s department conduct an independent audit of its intake, supervision and emergency protocols related to in-custody deaths, and it called for the sheriff’s department to create a public dashboard updated quarterly with information on in-custody deaths, use-of-force incidents, staffing levels and other trends.
“Independent oversight is not premised on an assumption of misconduct,” the report concluded. “Rather, it is a governance best practice recognized nationally as a means of strengthening institutional integrity, promoting transparency, identifying systemic risk, and improving public confidence in law enforcement operations.”
Report: Lack of oversight puts county at risk
The grand jury found the failure to implement independent oversight and operational reforms exposes the county to “significant civil liability,” with the report noting Riverside County has paid millions of dollars in individual settlements related to jail deaths.
The grand jury specifically noted the death of Christopher Zumwalt, a 39-year-old who died in custody in October 2020, a few days after sheriff’s deputies burst into his cell while he was having delusions and resisting medical care, then restrained and repeatedly shocked him, according to prior reporting by The Desert Sun.
The county agreed in December 2023 to pay $7.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Zumwalt’s family.
“The implementation of a civilian oversight entity with improved reporting and independent review processes may reduce these liabilities by demonstrating compliance, transparency, and corrective action,” the report states.
The grand jury report requires responses from Bianco and the sheriff’s department within 60 days of the its release, while the county must respond within 90 days.
Tom Coulter covers local government and politics for The Desert Sun. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Oversight needed after Riverside County jail deaths, grand jury finds
Reporting by Tom Coulter, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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By Tom Coulter, Palm Springs Desert Sun | USA TODAY Network
