Oversight commissions and the law enforcement agencies they oversee from across California are in El Segundo working on a way to improve transparency and accountability.
Oversight commissions operate under different models and have differing authorities and responsibilities, but the chair of the L.A. County Oversight Commission of the Sheriff's Department, Robert Bonner, said what they all face are legal barriers that limit their power.
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During the conference at the Magic Johnson Conference Hall, Bonner told KNX News' Karen Adams that oversight commissions are often denied access to information labeled 'protected' or 'confidential' where crucial details to their investigations could be hiding.
"It could be death review reports that people have died in custody and the like, which are protected under state law," Bonner said. "But it's important that an oversight commission be able to access that information in order to make intelligent judgments as to whether or not there have been adequate and effective investigations, and if not, why not?"
He said police unions and sometimes sheriffs interfere with the commission's ability to do their jobs, but "Now, most of the major city police chiefs and sheriffs like our current sheriff, Robert Luna, understands and values oversight, and so that's a sea change."
As for the unions, Bonner said he understands their need to protect their membership, but "our view is that it's clear that the sheriff's department can share confidential information with the oversight commission, legally without violating state law."
Bonner says commissions have subpoena power, but it's ineffective if the information they seek falls under the protected or confidential category. He said county supervisors could lift some barriers while others require changing California law.
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