New law separates Riverside County sheriff, coroner offices

The change

A new law separates the Riverside County sheriff and coroner offices. The measure changes how the two county functions are organized, making the separation the central issue in local officials’ reactions.

The sheriff’s office and the coroner’s office handle different public responsibilities. The sheriff’s office is connected to law enforcement, while the coroner’s office handles duties involving deaths and related investigations.

Local response

Valley officials have reacted to the new law. Their response comes as Riverside County adjusts to the separation of the two offices.

The law’s effect is limited to the relationship between the sheriff and coroner offices. No candidate or election is directly connected to the change.

What comes next

The next steps concern how Riverside County puts the new structure into practice. County officials will need to operate the sheriff and coroner functions as separate offices under the new law.

The separation also places attention on how responsibilities are assigned between the two offices and how county residents receive services from each one.