Merrick Bobb, the individual responsible for managing Seattle's police consent decree, has passed away

Merrick Bobb, Pioneer in Police Oversight, Passes Away at 79

Merrick Bobb, a key figure in the modern police oversight movement, has died at the age of 79. Bobb, who was a resident of Los Feliz for over 40 years, was known for his work in law enforcement oversight and his advocacy for civilian oversight of police departments.

Bobb began his career in 1968, graduating from Dartmouth College, and went on to receive his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1971. Between 1973 and 1996, he worked for private law firms, before focusing on his law enforcement oversight work.

In 1991, the Christopher Commission published a sweeping report that called on then-LAPD Chief Daryl Gates to step down and found the department had a persistent and pervasive problem with excessive use of force. Bobb served as deputy general counsel for the Christopher Commission, which examined use of force within the Los Angeles Police Department in the wake of the 1991 beating of Rodney King.

In 2001, Bobb founded the Police Assessment Resource Center, a nonprofit that provides independent, evidence-based counsel on effective, respectful, and publicly accountable policing. He was respected as one of the earliest champions of civilian oversight of law enforcement.

In 2012, Bobb was appointed as the independent monitor of the Seattle Police Department's consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. However, he resigned from his position in 2020, in protest of the department's use of force and crowd control weapons against protesters.

Throughout his career, Bobb was a resident of Los Feliz and was fluent in several languages. He is survived by his children and grandchildren, his ex-wife Aviva Koenigsberg Bobb, his sister Gloria Kern, and his longtime assistant and caretaker, Jeffrey Yanson.

Bobbs' kindness was noted by many people he met, according to his sons. His funeral will take place at Mount Sinai Hollywood Hills on September 5, 2025.

There is no information available on the location or date of the grave of Connor Sheets, the former president of the Police Assessment Resource Centers and pioneer of the police oversight movement in Seattle, Los Angeles, and other cities.

For two decades, Bobb served as special counsel to the L.A. County board of supervisors. In 2014, the L.A. County board created the Office of Inspector General and dismissed Bobb from his role with the county.

Bobb's legacy will continue to influence the field of police oversight and accountability for years to come. His work has set a standard for independent, evidence-based counsel on effective, respectful, and publicly accountable policing.