Santa Barbara County
status
Board of Supervisors declined · 2026-02-10
On February 10, 2026, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to reject a motion by Supervisor Joan Hartmann to create an Inspector General under AB 1185 authority to provide fiscal and administrative oversight of the Sheriff's Office. The proposal had been driven by approximately $20.4 million in annual Sheriff's Office overtime spending. The Board instead directed its auditor-controller to provide monthly oversight reports on overtime spending for six months. An earlier December 2020 BOS session on race, equity, and sheriff accountability had surfaced civilian oversight as a concept, with Sheriff Bill Brown testifying against it.
Source: County orders monthly audits of Sheriff's Office overtime use — Santa Maria Sun
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.
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| Sworn officers | 253 | (24%) |
|---|---|---|
| Custody officers | 639 | (61%) |
| Civilian staff | 160 | (15%) |
| Total | 1,052 |
| Facility | Beds |
|---|---|
| Santa Barbara County Main Jail | 696 |
| Northern Branch Jail | 344 |
| Medium Security Facility | 160 |
Civil Grand Jury investigations (47)
The Santa Barbara 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/santa-barbara.
- Potential Perceived Conflict of Interest for Death in Custody Investigations
- Wellpath Contract Services Provided to Santa Barbara County and the Sheriff’s Office
- A Look at the Overtime Issues in the Sheriff’s Office
- A Look at the Overtime Issues in the Sheriff’s Office
- Female Inmates at Santa Barbara County Jails
- Preventable Death at the Northern Branch Jail
- Another Suicide in Santa Barbara County Jail
- Fatal Head Injury at the Northern Branch Jail
- Death in Custody Report Final
- Detention Facilities in Santa Barbara County
- A Death In Custody – Lessons Learned
- Every Death In Custody Is a Failure
- Suicide in Santa Barbara County Main Jail
- Suicide in SB County Main Jail: a Challenge for Law Enforcement and Health Professionals
- Jail Diversion in Santa Barbara County: Criminal Justice Partners Are Finding Common Ground
- Deaths in Custody 2019
- Detention Facilities in Santa Barbara
- Deaths in Custody 2019
- Detention Facilities in Santa Barbara
- Detention Facilities in Santa Barbara County
- Contraband in the Main Jail
- Death in Custody / HJA
- Suicide in Custody / AB
- Deaths in Custody in 2019: Santa Barbara County
- Death in Custody of HJA
- Suicide in Custody
- Contraband in the Main Jail
- Mandatory Overtime in the Sheriff’s Office
- Detention Facilities Report Request for Response
- Santa Barbara Main Jail — An Outdated and Inefficient Facility
- Detention Facilities
- Santa Barbara County Jail
- Medical and Mental Health Care in the Main Jail: Corrections is Self-Correcting
- Santa Barbara County Jail – Intake Screening Process
- Detention Facilities
- Parking Citation Payment Problems With the Sheriff’s Office: Not an Easy Way to Pay
- Detention Facilities
- Detention Facilities Report
- Detention Facilities Report
- Northern Branch Jail Operating Cost
- Idling Sheriff’s Vehicles
- Healthy Jail Food
- Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau: The Manner of Death – a Final Diagnosis
- LAW Enforcement and Detention Facilities Report
- Sheriff-coroner’s Bureau: The Manner of Death-A Final Diagnosis
- Death in Custody
- Detention Facilities Report
Statewide oversight reports on the sheriff or jails (2)
Reports from California state-level oversight bodies — auditors, inspectors, boards, and commissions — that mention Santa Barbara County in the context of the sheriff's office, jails, custody, deputies, or use-of-force.