Mayor Matt Mahan said the city will conduct a national search for Aubrey\u2019s replacement. In the meantime, Deputy Independent Police Auditor Dwight White will oversee operations at the agency tasked with monitoring officer misconduct within the San Jose Police Department.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrust and transparency create safety \u2014 and the Independent Police Auditor helps maintain both here in San Jose,\u201d Mahan said in a statement. \u201cI want to thank Eddie Aubrey for his service to our city and urge those who care deeply about justice and accountability to apply for this important position.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aubrey\u2019s departure, which will officially take place Sept. 1, has raised eyebrows among South Bay criminal justice reform advocates, who have long called on city leaders to expand the auditor\u2019s oversight authority<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cComplete and full transparency is needed now more than ever,\u201d Richard Konda, executive director at Asian Law Alliance, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n The mayor\u2019s office did not respond to a request for comment. Aubrey could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n Aubrey took over the office<\/a> in April 2024 during a tumultuous time. He followed Shivaun Nurre, whose five years as the city\u2019s top cop watchdog came to an end in 2023 after a drunken argument<\/a> with police officers at a public festival. Just months after Nurre left, San Jose\u2019s assistant police auditor quit, leaving a scathing letter<\/a> criticizing the city for ignoring the office and its recommendations.<\/p>\n Prior to joining the office, Aubrey had already served in a series of similar police oversight roles. That included stints leading the Internal Affairs unit for the Richmond Police Department and serving as independent auditor for the Fresno Police Department.<\/p>\n White, who previously served as inspector general for Sacramento, said he will seek to maintain consistency as he assumes leadership of the office. Presently, he said the agency\u2019s focus is on delivering its annual report<\/a> on police misconduct, which is set to go before the City Council on Sept. 15.<\/p>\n \u201cMost of our recommendations are going to be community focused, community forward and trying to improve the relationship with police in the community and the respect for community members,\u201d White told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n The Office of the Independent Police Auditor, first established in 1993, is intended to provide a civilian check on SJPD\u2019s internal investigations of officer misconduct, ensuring such investigations are complete, thorough and fair. However, in recent years, the agency has become a flashpoint<\/a> in San Jose\u2019s police reform<\/a> battles, amid complaints that the office\u2019s limited investigative authority hampers its ability to provide meaningful oversight.<\/p>\n Last year, the city council rejected a proposal, supported by Aubrey, to grant the auditor the authority to review all use-of-force cases, rather than just those involving death or great bodily injury. Councilmembers also killed Aubrey\u2019s request to grant his office a higher level of investigatory access in the aftermath of officer-involved shootings.<\/p>\n They were swayed by arguments that the changes would cost too much and open hundreds of new cases up for review.<\/p>\n For some reform advocates, the latest turmoil at the auditor\u2019s office has once again underscored their longstanding frustrations over the limits placed upon the auditor\u2019s powers.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re looking for is for this office and\u00a0its mission to be taken seriously,\u201d William Armaline, a San Jose State University sociology professor who serves on the executive board of the NAACP\u2019s South Bay chapter, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThere needs to be someone viable and successful and capable in this position. It\u2019s vital for public safety. It\u2019s vital for frankly the functioning of the police department.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/interactive-321838904008.png\")
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