Civilian Review

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Advisory and Review Board

BCSO SOARB

32/100

Summary

The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office Advisory and Review Board (SOARB) was established by county ordinance in September 2020 and has met monthly since November 2020. Nine civilian members — five appointed by individual county commissioners, four drawn from community applicants — advise the county commission and sheriff on BCSO policies, practices, procedures, discipline, and accountability. The board holds no binding authority and no subpoena power; its function is advisory and community-engagement oriented. It is the only identified county-level sheriff oversight body in New Mexico.

Independence Scorecard

Independence Score: 32/100 (weak)
32/100
Weak
Methodology v0.1
AppointmentMixed (multi-branch)
Term length4 years
Removal standardFor cause only
Budget independenceExecutive discretion
Subpoena powerNo
Compel testimonyNo
Records accessRestricted
Public reports requiredNo
Pre-publication reviewExecutive review

Statute

Name
Bernalillo County Ordinance (September 2020)
Citation
Bernalillo County Ordinance (Sept. 2020)
Full text
Full text of law →

Jurisdiction scope

Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office policies, practices, procedures, internal discipline, accountability