Humboldt County, California
status
Pending Board of Supervisors action · 2026-05-12
On April 28, 2026 and May 12, 2026, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to direct an ad hoc committee (Supervisors Bushnell and Arroyo with county staff) to draft a civilian oversight ordinance for the Sheriff's Office, including an independent policy-and-practice board with subpoena power and an Inspector General. A first session was redone on May 12 after a likely Brown Act defect at the prior meeting. The draft ordinance is scheduled to return to the Board in September 2026; estimated cost is up to $750,000.
Expected operational: 2026-09-01
Source: TODAY in SUPES: Proposal for Civilian Oversight of Sheriff's Office Advanced Again
What is AB 1185?
AB 1185 (2020) added California Government Code § 25303.7. It lets a California county establish civilian oversight of its sheriff (a sheriff oversight board, an Office of Inspector General, or both) either by action of the Board of Supervisors or by a vote of county residents.
The law is permissive, not a mandate: each county decides whether to create one. Where a county does, the Board of Supervisors may grant the body subpoena power.
More
| Sworn officers | 115 | (37%) |
|---|---|---|
| Custody officers | 112 | (36%) |
| Civilian staff | 84 | (27%) |
| Total | 311 |
| Facility | Beds |
|---|---|
| Humboldt Co. Corr. Facility | 417 |
Civil Grand Jury investigations (35)
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury is required by Penal Code §919(b) to inquire annually into the condition of county jails, which the sheriff operates. Reports below investigate the sheriff's office, jails, deaths in custody, deputy conduct, or related matters. Sourced from civilgrandjury.org/humboldt.
- Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office - Coroner: Serving the Community, Involving the Community(opens in a new tab)
- Custody & Correction
- Sheriff’s Office Oversight
- Humboldt County Custody and Corrections Facilities: Annual Inspections
- Custody and Corrections and Other Humboldt County Facilities
- Custody, Corrections, and other County Facilities
- Inspections of Custody and Corrections Facilities in Humboldt County
- Jails and Facilities
- Jails and Law Enforcement Facilities
- Jails and Law Enforcement Facilities
- Humboldt County Jails Sites Visits
- Consolidation of Sheriff and Coroner-PA
- Humboldt County Jails Site Visit Report
- 40 Hoopa and Garberville Sheriff’s Substations
- 41 Jails and Holding Facilities
- 2008-jl-08 Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department: Garberville Station
- 2008-jl-06 Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department: McKinleyville Station
- Humboldt County Sheriff's Department: Garberville Station
- Arcata Jail and Holding Facility
- 2006-jl-11 Sheriff’s McKinleyville Substation
- 2006-jl-12 Hoopa Sheriff’s Substation and Holding Facility
- 2006-jl-13 Sheriff’s Garberville Substation
- 2006-jl-15 Sheriff’s Evidence Room
- Humboldt County's Jails and Holding Facilities
- Sheriff's Work Alternative Program (swap) Woodlot
- 2004-LJ-02...Humboldt County Sheriff’s Storage Yard
- 03-jl-01 Sheriff’s Boats
- 03-jl-02 Fortuna City Jail
- 03-jl-03 Arcata City Jail
- 03-jl-04 Sheriff’s Agricultural Farm
- 03-jl-05 Hoopa Sheriff’s Substation
- 03-jl-06 Sheriff’s Garberville Substation
- 03-jl-07 Eureka City Jail
- Jail Facilities
- Sheriff's Farm
Statewide oversight reports on the sheriff or jails (1)
Reports from California state-level oversight bodies (auditors, inspectors, boards, and commissions) that mention Humboldt County in the context of the sheriff's office, jails, custody, deputies, or use-of-force.