Man Who Oversees Sonoma County Jails Subject of Personnel Investigation

The man charged with overseeing Sonoma County's jail system is the subject of an undisclosed personnel investigation. However, the Sheriff's Office won't reveal why Assistant Sheriff Randall Walker was placed on administrative leave on April 4.

Walker is a 26-year veteran of the sheriff's office and has been in his current role for the past five years.

While Sheriff Rob Giordano says that he's barred from sharing any details about the current case, he remains upbeat about Walker.

"Randall Walker is an extremely talented employee. He's done amazing things for the county," says Giordano. "He's been a real asset to the agency."

Giordano says that the reasons behind many personnel investigations would surprise people.

"The things that result in these investigations most people consider minor," says Giordano. "But minor things in our business are important because we work for the public, and we take that very seriously."

Giordano says many of the office's 60 such investigations each year concern minor policy violations, but they also include more serious offenses, such as excessive use of force.

He declined to say how or when the allegations against Walker came to his attention, but says he took immediate steps to take Walker off his post.

Walker will earn a salary of nearly $190,000 a year until the investigation concludes, which could be as early as next month.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors declined to comment on the case.