Watching the Watchers: County Claims "Oversight" After Federal Raid

Presentation by the Washoe County Public Defender and Alternate Public Defender on March 11, 2025 to the Washoe County Commission.

In a remarkable display of selective memory, a Washoe County Assistant County Manager is now assuring commissioners they're "staying on top" of the Tertiary Counsel Group program. This sudden vigilance comes due to Commissioner Mariluz Garcia's pointed questions at the March 11th meeting.

What the reassuring email conveniently omits? This is the same administrator who was supposedly "overseeing" the Alternative Sentencing/Justin Roper/Sober 24 program—you know, the one where US Marshals showed up with warrants and seized records. Apparently, federal raids fall outside Washoe County’s definition of effective oversight.

Washoe County organizational chart.

This Administrator's track record of "vigilance" also missed the near-collapse of the conflict counsel program when attorneys threatened mass resignation until compensation was increased. The county was blindsided by this "lawyer mutiny"—hardly the hallmark of someone with their finger on the pulse.

Now we're expected to believe this same administrator is meticulously monitoring program costs? Their version of "staying on top of things" has historically meant "discovering problems after they've exploded into crises."

Perhaps next time the county sends a reassuring "we've got this" email, they should include their definition of oversight. Based on recent history, it appears to mean "noticing the fire after the building has burned down."

Washoe County email sent in response to a question from Commissioner Mariluz Garcia on March 11, 2025.