The Board of Supervisors voted to let county voters decide to give the board the power to fire Sheriff Christina Corpus.
The board introduced the ordinance that will bring that decision to the voters in March.
"Our sheriff was elected by the people, and the people will make the ultimate decision here," Noelia Corzo, San Mateo County Supervisor said.
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Emotions ran high from both the public and officials at Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting.
All of the comment led up to the board's unanimous decision to introduce an ordinance that would send a ballot measure to voters.
"To go ahead and put a charter amendment in front of the voters of San Mateo County to go ahead and ask them if they'll give the board authority to remove a sheriff under specific circumstances as delineated in the charter," Supervisor Ray Mueller told ABC7 News just after the decision was made.
All of this coming after an independent audit found the sheriff had an inappropriate relationship with an employee and created a culture of intimidation and retaliation within her department.
Allegations the sheriff says are not true.
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ABC7 News reached out to the sheriff's office for comment on the Tuesday decision and received a statement, which reads in part:
"It is a mean-spirited political scheme. This charter amendment with sunset language that only applies to me is an effort to go around the voters to try to unseat me. I will fight it tooth and nail. I am not going anywhere."
In exclusive interview with I-Team's Dan Noyes Monday, she had this to say:
"I have done nothing wrong. This is an attack. It's a coup that has been in place for a while by the county executives and the Board of Supervisors."
Several people in public comment spoke in the Sheriff's favor, including Redwood City native Brian Howell who said he believes details in the report still need to be verified.
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"Who knows what's real, what's not real. I just know Sheriff Christina as a person and she is a good person," Howell said.
Several in public comment said that the report intentionally did not take in interviews from people who would have supported Corpus.
Supervisor Ray Mueller said that it was an independent human resources report that investigated allegations from those who complained.
He said that people who want to come forward to speak now can, but that it doesn't undo the allegations and evidence found against Corpus.
"It's kind of like saying we have someone who's presenting evidence of wrongdoing and someone else is upset because they weren't able to provide a reference check that she's a nice person. It still doesn't undo the wrongdoing," Mueller said.
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Mueller said one person who did not speak under sworn deposition was Corpus herself, something he's still asking her to do.
"We want her to come in under penalty of perjury, respond to the allegations, and be held accountable for the words with which she responds to them," he said.
The charter amendment that the board approved Tuesday would sunset after the year 2028.
Now that the ordinance has been introduced, the board will officially vote to adopt it in two weeks.
Tuesday afternoon, the California Sheriff's Association shared a letter it sent to the Board of Supervisors. It said in part that it dilutes the voice of voters and may alter how future sheriffs undertake obligations.
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Full statement from Sheriff Christina Corpus:
"Today's vote by the Board of Supervisors was wrongheaded and anti-democratic.
It is a mean-spirited political scheme. This charter amendment with sunset language that only applies to me is an effort to go around the voters to try to unseat me. I will fight it tooth and nail. I am not going anywhere.
The supervisors do not control the Sheriff's Office. They don't like that one bit and they never have. This is a shameful attempt at a takeover of this office so they can pick and choose who will serve as Sheriff now and into the future based on their own personal and political whims.
If you want a Sheriff out, you hold a recall. This is a blatant attempt to go around the voters. They don't want a recall vote because they know they will lose.
To the people of San Mateo County, I want you to know I will not be distracted. My priority is public safety and that will not change. So far this year, there have been no homicides in the Sheriff's Office jurisdiction and the crime rate has significantly declined. That is no accident. It is a tribute to the women and men of this office who work hard every day to keep you safe.
I also intend to continue to change the culture of the office, a major reason you elected me Sheriff. Among the programs I have brought forward in recent months:
- Wellness: Our health, fitness and nutrition programs for employees are in place. All sworn and professional staff now have access to a licensed therapist 24/7.
- Correctional programs: The conditions of the correctional facilities have vastly improved. We are providing much-needed mental health and rehabilitation to make sure the public is safe when incarcerated persons return to society.
- Recruitment: There are now just over 40 sworn vacancies following a peak of about 100 sworn vacancies earlier this year. After inheriting a significant staffing crisis, we have greatly improved our staffing levels.
I am undeterred. Our work will continue. The 'Good Ol' Boy' system has met its match in me. I will not back down."