San Carlos has change into the primary metropolis in San Mateo County to name for embattled Sheriff Christina Corpus to step down after the Metropolis Council unanimously took a place of no confidence within the sheriff.
“It’s nothing less than a full spectrum failure of leadership,” mentioned Mayor John Dugan at Monday’s council assembly.
The town joined a rising record of state and native leaders urging Corpus to resign after a scathing, 400-page investigation carried out by retired Decide LaDoris Cordell was launched two weeks in the past. It contained findings of abuse of energy, retaliation, intimidation, homophobia and racism in Corpus’ workplace.
San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus. (Peninsula Press through Bay Metropolis Information)
“The findings of Judge Cordell’s report are serious and undeniable,” mentioned councilmember Ron Collins. “This is not about race, color, or gender. It’s about accountability and only that. The cost to the taxpayers of San Mateo County are mounting every day she delays stepping down. I believe it is time for her to at least acknowledge the damage that is being done to the county in terms of public safety, public trust, confidence and the county’s treasury, and resign immediately.”
San Carlos doesn’t have its personal police division. It as an alternative has relied on the Sheriff’s Workplace since 2010 to supply regulation enforcement providers within the metropolis.
“These are dedicated men and women who keep us safe every day in positions that can be very dangerous at times,” Collins mentioned. “They serve our residents, who are our constituents. So when their well-being is compromised, that becomes our business. Our primary responsibility as council members and city officials is to ensure the public safety of our residents.”
A ‘reprehensible’ scenario
The council heard feedback from two members of public earlier than agreeing to formally name for Corpus’ resignation.
One in all them was Bruce Cumming, a San Carlos resident and former police chief of Menlo Park and Morgan Hill with a 40-year profession in regulation enforcement all through the Bay Space.
“This whole situation in the Sheriff’s Office is reprehensible. Never seen anything like it,” Cumming mentioned. “Sheriff Corpus ran for office on a platform of transparency and reform … Her motto was, ‘A Sheriff you can trust.’ It turns out that none of that platform was true. I’m certain that the organization is in disarray. Morale is low. Staffing is unacceptable, with over 100 positions unfilled and the chances of recruitment to fill those positions dismal. It appears that Sheriff Corpus is over her head and is a sheriff you cannot trust.”
Since Corpus took workplace in 2023, greater than 100 sworn workers have left the Sheriff’s Workplace, together with Undersheriff Chris Hsiung and Assistant Sheriff Matthew Fox. In September, Corpus fired Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan, who participated in Cordell’s investigation, suggesting doable retaliation, county Supervisor Ray Mueller mentioned in a press release.
“At least 106 sworn staff have left the agency with approximately half of those not being retirement eligible, which is very unusual,” mentioned San Carlos administrative providers director Rebecca Mendenhall throughout her presentation to the Metropolis Council summarizing the report. “While the Sheriff’s Office has been able to maintain our staffing levels as outlined in our agreement, it’s uncertain if this will be sustainable given the staffing issues and significant turnover in leadership.”
San Carlos Metropolis Councilember Ron Collins. (Illustration by Glenn Gehlke/Native Information Issues. Picture through Metropolis of San Carlos)
The opposite individual to talk throughout public remark was Liz Lange, who urged the council to not take a place of no confidence in Corpus.
“No other cities or towns in the county have formally asked the sheriff to resign because it is not for city staff and council members to decide, but it’s for the voters of this county to take action,” Lange mentioned. “The county Board of Supervisors and county leadership are trying to remove the sheriff by themselves through a charter amendment that has a sunset clause, clearly meant as a way to circumvent the voters. This is, without a doubt, a subversion of democracy … This matter should be left solely up to the people who hired the sheriff, the voters.”
The Board of Supervisors is making an attempt to take away Corpus via adopting a constitution modification that may give them the ability to pressure the sheriff out however would expire by 2029. Nevertheless, the modification must be accredited by voters in a particular election in March.
One in all Corpus’ main critics, San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Affiliation union president Carlos Tapia , was additionally in attendance at Monday’s Metropolis Council assembly. He was happy to see the town come out and take a stand towards the sheriff.
San Carlos Mayor John Dugan speaks earlier than the council’s vote of no confidence in Sheriff Christina Corpus. “I have personally lost confidence in the sheriff and will join the call for her resignation,” Dugan mentioned. (Framegrab through Metropolis of San Carlos)
“On behalf of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, I am grateful for the support the San Carlos City Council has shown in their vote of no confidence in Sheriff Corpus,” Tapia wrote in a press release. “It’s humbling to see the concern our local leaders have for what goes in our community — examining the facts from Judge Cordell’s report and coming to their own conclusion of what they support.”
Tapia was arrested by Corpus on suspicion of felony grand theft by false pretenses. The union mentioned his arrest had “all the earmarks of whistleblower retaliation” within the wake of Cordell’s report.
“I want nothing more than for our sheriff and her team to also look at what would be best for our community going forward,” Tapia mentioned. “It’s imperative for them to consider the high standard we agreed to hold ourselves to when we were sworn in to law enforcement and how anything lower than that standard puts our officers and residents at risk.”
Corpus: ‘I will not step down’
The San Mateo County Group of Sheriff’s Sergeants, or OSS, is one other union that represents sheriff’s sergeants and lieutenants. Additionally they introduced forth on Sunday a unanimous vote of no confidence in Corpus and her high management, together with Undersheriff Dan Perea and her chief of workers Victor Aenlle. Aenlle is called all through the report and is accused of getting an inappropriate relationship with Corpus.
“We are witnessing the destruction of the Sheriff’s Office and deterioration of morale due to the corruption and lies told by Sheriff Corpus,” the union wrote in a press release. “Collectively, the members of the OSS stand united in the decision calling for Sheriff Corpus and her executive team to resign immediately.”
Corpus didn’t reply to a request for remark. Nevertheless, she did launch a press release on Tuesday reiterating her intentions to remain in workplace. She didn’t instantly deal with the San Carlos Metropolis Council’s determination.
“I will not step down nor will I allow this institution to be politicized or influenced by special interests,” she wrote. “Resigning from my position or relinquishing the independence of this Office is not the answer. Such actions would set a dangerous precedent jeopardizing the progress we’ve made and the meaningful change our voters entrusted me to deliver.”
She additionally briefly talked about making an attempt to take steps to restore relationships inside and out of doors the Sheriff’s Workplace whereas preserving her remaining management in cost.
“I am moving forward with a restructured leadership team. Assistant Sheriffs, together with Undersheriff Perea, will lead with a renewed focus on restoring internal and external relationships while driving forward our strategic initiatives,” Corpus mentioned.
However her two assistant sheriffs, Fox and Monaghan, are now not with the division. Whereas the board tried to put off Aenlle by eliminating the place of chief of workers two weeks in the past, Corpus declared she can be selling him to assistant sheriff. The board doesn’t consider Aenlle is certified to serve in that position since he isn’t a sworn officer.
San Carlos’ motion to take a place of no confidence in Corpus doesn’t truly change something. However the council is hoping that it’ll add to the mounting strain on her to resign.
Along with the decision for Corpus’ resignation, the town may even present lunch and dinner meals over the following two weeks for employees within the Sheriff’s Workplace, each sworn and civilian, who’re assigned to serve San Carlos.
“All we can do is help lend their voice another microphone and another outlet,” mentioned Metropolis Supervisor Jeff Maltbie. They “are out there every day, putting their lives on the line, risking themselves for us. They need our help. They have loudly asked for it in the only way they can.”
