Karen Devine
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – As ICE operations spark violence, protests, and political fallout nationwide, law enforcement leaders are being forced to answer hard questions about deadly force, de-escalation, and who is held accountable when civilians die.
Tonight, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco tells News Channel 3’s Karen Devine what he believes went wrong in Minnesota and what he says would not be allowed to happen here.
With federal agents under intense scrutiny, Devine pressed the sheriff on a central question: what responsibility ICE agents have before pulling the trigger.
“What responsibility do ICE agents have to de-escalate before using deadly force?” asked Devine.
“The same as what we do. I mean that is that you, you don’t automatically jump to a deadly force,” stated Sheriff Bianco.
But the sheriff says de-escalation depends on who they’re dealing with and he rejects the idea that what we’re seeing are peaceful demonstrations.
“Honestly, we have to stop calling these protests they are not. They are violent. They are. They are purposely trying to impede that is not a protest,” said Bianco.
The sheriff’s sharpest criticism is aimed at how quickly the public and other leaders draw conclusions based on partial video.
“What we see right now is we have people with cell phones that are that it almost seems like that’s everyone’s mission is to go viral with a cell phone video and now you’ve already formed your opinion,” said Bianco.
He says that rush to judgment is dangerous especially when lives are lost.
“There is nothing worse, nothing worse than the loss of human life… and I wish we could get to a point where everyone could calm their emotions and hold their emotions till we get all of the facts.”
That criticism now extends to comments made by Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills, who called federal enforcement tactics reckless and unconstitutional.
“Would you say he’s wrong?” asked Devine.
“That’s a reckless statement for a law enforcement leader to make that was not there.”
The fallout in Minnesota has also put renewed focus on now former U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino, who was temporarily assigned there and is now expected to return as chief patrol agent of the El Centro Sector.
“How do you feel about that and him being back in the sector locally?” asked Devine.
“Whether you like him or not, is irrelevant. He fits that bill, and he is very good at what he does having him come back to our sector, I think that’s a good thing,” said Bianco.
Where the sheriff draws a hard line is who controls a death investigation, criticizing the fact that federal authorities are leading the case in Minnesota and shutting out local law enforcement.
“If that happened in Riverside County, that would be my investigation.”
Instead, he says local law enforcement would lead and federal agencies would answer questions, not control the process.
And as a candidate for governor, Sheriff Bianco says he would expand Riverside County’s independent investigation model statewide requiring outside agencies, prosecutors, and DOJ investigators anytime law enforcement is involved in a civilian death.
We reached out to Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills for a response to Sheriff Bianco’s criticism and replied via text, “No response, he’s welcome to his opinion.”
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