Santa Barbara Grand Jury Recommends In-Custody Deaths Be Investigated by Independent Agency

The Santa Barbara Grand Jury is recommending that all deaths in custody be investigated by some independent county agency other than the Sheriff’s Office to avoid what the Grand Jury described as a “real or perceived conflict of interest.” 

Currently, all jailhouse deaths are investigated by the Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau. Since the Sheriff also runs the county jail, the Grand Jury found the idea of the Sheriff’s Office investigating such deaths problematic. In other counties, like Ventura, in-custody deaths are investigated by the Medical Examiner’s office. The grand jury concluded that this change could be implemented immediately. 

Santa Barbara County is one of 47 in the state to have a Sheriff-Coroner system. In five counties, the coroner is separate from the sheriff’s department. In the wake of the George Floyd murder — and as the number of jailhouse deaths has increased — there’s been more interest in divesting the sheriff from its customary investigation and oversight responsibility when it comes to those deaths. 

In Santa Barbara County, there have been 34 jailhouse deaths since 2006. In the 14 years between 2006 and 2020, there were 24. Since 2020, there have been 10 in three years.

Ventura County — with roughly twice as many residents as Santa Barbara County — reported 54 jailhouse deaths since 2006. San Luis Obispo — smaller than Santa Barbara — reported 21. 

Sheriff Bill Brown will issue a formal response to the Grand Jury recommendations to the county Board of Supervisors at a later date.