As lawsuits against Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office pile up, taxpayer insurance costs rise

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office saw a $2.7 million increase, or a 46% rise, in annual insurance premiums in 2020 following multimillion-dollar settlements stemming from excessive force claims against the department going back nearly a decade.

Five of the county’s largest settlements since 2018 ranged from $1.7 million to the record $3.8 million paid out to the family of David Ward, a Bloomfield man who died after he was shocked with a Taser and deputy put him in a neckhold.

Sonoma County is self-insured for liability and maintains a balance for potential claims during the year, according to Peter Bruland, a deputy Sonoma County administrator who serves as the county’s budget chief.

“Because the insurance is based on factors both outside and inside the county, it is not possible to say what the direct impact on future rates will be from one settlement,” Bruland said.

He said national trends and the county’s “experience” — the string of costly lawsuits and settlements — have contributed to an increase in actuarial-determined levels needed for self-insurance and to excess insurance premiums.