Sonoma County in early September will launch a nationwide recruitment to select the next director of the county’s Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach. Before the search begins, county officials want to allow the public the opportunity to provide input that will help frame the recruitment process.
“The IOLERO director plays a critical role in strengthening civilian oversight, accountability, and public trust in Sonoma County,” said Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “As we search for our next director, it is important that the community has a voice in shaping the future leadership of this office. I encourage our community to share their perspectives to help us identify the right person to lead the IOLERO department which is integral to ensuring transparency and accountability in our community.”
The county, in collaboration with a subcommittee of IOLERO’s Community Advisory Council, has developed a survey to solicit community feedback on the work performed by the office and the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and expertise the county is seeking in the next director.
The information collected from the survey will be used by the county and the recruitment firm to communicate key information about the position in the recruitment brochure and advertising, as well as the assessment of candidates in areas that are of high importance in the selection process.
The IOLERO director position became vacant in May 2026 when former director, John Alden, was selected by Marin County to lead their law enforcement oversight office. The board appointed Matthew Chavez in June to serve as interim director.
The office was established by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 2015 and is an independent, non-police county agency. IOLERO’s mission is to strengthen the relationship between the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and the community it serves, and its primary functions include reviewing complaints against the Sheriff’s Office, community outreach, and making policy recommendations to the Sheriff’s Office.
Members of the public are invited to provide responses to a short survey that will inform the recruitment process. The survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Survey responses are due by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 30. The survey is available in both English and Spanish through the links below.
· Director, IOLERO Survey (English)
· Director, IOLERO Survey (Spanish)
More information about IOLERO and the Community Advisory Committee can be found here. The recruitment process for the permanent director of IOLERO is slated to begin in September and an appointment is expected in February.
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