OPINION
By Dave Price
Daily Post Editor
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is in crisis, judging from a confidential memo Sheriff Christina Corpus sent her employees on Friday.
Her department has over 100 vacancies and she’s upset that many of those who remain aren’t filling the gaps by working overtime.
“We cannot continue to operate corrections (the jail) at unsafe staffing levels,” she tells her deputies in her plea to get them to sign up for more overtime.
She notes that the county’s payroll department found that “106 employees are not contributing to the minimum overtime requirements or are working substantial overtime without supporting the essential needs of corrections. This is unacceptable,” Corpus wrote.
The jail in Redwood City has become a deadly place. Since Corpus took over in January 2023, five inmates have died either of drugs or suicide, and there now are calls for an outside, independent investigation.
Corpus notes in her memo that “an employee was rushed to the hospital due to exposure to a dangerous drug, and we have an increase in confrontations with the incarcerated population.”
She says she has 60 officers in training. We’ll see how many actually get sworn in.
We should all care about jail safety. Even though most people don’t see themselves being locked up, police make mistakes and throw the wrong people in jail all the time. And what about your children or friends? Do we want to put any of them into a jail where they could die?
Dave Price’s column appears on Mondays in the Daily Post
I’m confused. I thought Christina Corpus was an experienced veteran of law enforcement. It seems like she doesn’t know what she’s doing.
She has tons of experience. She is good at doing instagram posts, firing undersheriffs and then hiring a new undersheriff that is exceptionally gifted at non law enforcement activities. The Doctor Chief of Staff can really sell a house fast. She has put together the best executive staff of people that can’t find any other jobs.
Paul K, she is also good at taking Instagram posts down if they tell the truth and don’t fit her vision. Someone should PRA this.
Looks like Corpus will never fill the vacancies since the newly hired and currently employed will leave to the other agencies who are refusing to mandate them to live in a jail.
The memo also said: “Let me be clear: I am your Sheriff. You are, first and foremost, an employee of the Sheriff’s
Office, and I am fully committed to your safety and well-being.” Just a little bit of a power trip. But again who do you think really wrote it.
I hear the sheriff wants to get dogs that can smell drugs in inmates butts. I’m sure this will stop all the drugs coming into the facility.
I’m a bit confused, I thought she was also nominated to the State Board overseeing Jails?
Too bad Corpus does not have a backbone to be present and lead her organization. Rather than turn the reins over to a weak civilian that thinks it’s cool to terrorize the staff. Too bad she doesn’t want to have a healthy environment to work in with a solid command staff. How is she selecting the right person to command the jails ? Will that be another decision by her weak inexperienced civilian boyfriend. So disappointed in her and have lost respect for her s a woman as a leader as a person. I hope her and Victor and all his uneducated corrupt new hires loose sleep for what they are doing to their staff.
Anybody watching her “run” Millbrae as “Chief” knows she’s a complete disaster. Corpus’ only concern is for Corpus.
Dean Wormer would have good advice for her, just as he told Kent Dorfman.
Let me be clear, I am your sheriff. As if no one knows she got elected? Maybe more social media images of her and doctor Vickie will help her staff know she got elected? Question? Inmate deaths and no Assistant Sheriff for Corrections for the last two years, are those two things connected? Sounds like no one is in charge, except a doctor real estate agent with the first chief of staff badge ever seen in San Mateo county?
yes, no assistant sheriff for corrections for 2 years. An executive team that has no corrections experience. Captain’s from outside agencies that have no Corrections experience. Yet they all want to tell those who work in Corrections and have that experience how to do their job. It’s fool-proof way to do business in a strenuous and dangerous line of work. Maybe the executive staff can come in and work a shift in the jail and relieve the overworked staff, well after they figure out how to work in there in the first place. She is a joke, the executive team is joke, the administration is a joke. Her Transparency is a joke. But the motto “People First – Service Above Self” is a sick joke as the employees are overworked and losing precious time with their families. She says she cares about her employees – but wants you to work more. I was sold a lemon is this election – Time for her to go!!!!!
I hear Victor applied for a entry-level officer position in the San Mateo (city) PD some years ago but didn’t get hired. Anybody know why?
Anonymous – Perhaps look at 2013 and 2014, when Victor earned $47,304 as a Deputy. Were Reserve Deputies paid at that time, or does that mean he joined the department as a full time Deputy? If he did become a full time Deputy, that relatively small amount indicates that he only worked for the Sheriff on a full time basis for a few months. Why would he leave full time employment with the department after such a short time? If he applied to San Mateo PD after he left the Sheriff’s, might his short tenure as a full time Sheriff’s employee have been associated with problems that led to his departure, and therefore made him an undesirable candidate for other departments?
[Comment removed — Terms of Use violation. A claim was made that cannot be verified through publicly available records.]
SMSO mission: “putting people first — service above self.”
That means having ice cream with kids and doing everything in the community that’s fun to put on social media to impress who? That’s NOT caring about the PEOPLE who work for the SMSO. Put your own people first. Stop doing what Dr. Vicky thinks is a great idea.
To the Editor,
I appreciate the Palo Alto Daily Post bringing attention to the challenges faced by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. However, it’s important to provide context to the issues raised in the recent opinion piece. The problems mentioned, including staffing shortages and overtime concerns, have been ongoing for many years. These are not new issues that suddenly emerged under Sheriff Christina Corpus’s leadership. She ran on an anti-corruption platform with a pledge to rebuild the sheriff’s office. It seems these concerns you bring up are actually difficult campaign pledges being tackled.
Sheriff Corpus has been in office for just over a year and a half, during which she has made significant strides to address these long-standing problems. Notably, she has hired over 60 new officers, with approximately 30 of them set to be deployed to the streets and jails shortly. Her memo, which was referenced in the article, addresses serious shortcomings—specifically, some employees who are cherry-picking overtime and others who are not fulfilling the mandatory overtime requirements that were in place well before her administration began.
I applaud Sheriff Corpus for her willingness to tackle these tough issues head-on. It’s clear that she is committed to improving the safety and functionality of our jails, and I wish her and the Sheriff’s Office the best of luck in these efforts.
Unfortunately, the opinion piece seems to have missed the mark by failing to delve fully into the complexities of the situation with any real depth. The personal attacks against the Sheriff and her Chief of Staff that have appeared in the comments section, posted by anonymous individuals, are particularly disheartening and serve no constructive purpose. It’s disappointing to see such immaturity and bias from those who lead us to believe them to be law enforcement professionals, and should be focused on the greater good, especially when these issues require a thoughtful and measured response.
Let’s support our public servants as they work to resolve these deep-rooted challenges, rather than rushing to judgment based on superficial analysis and obvious personal biases.
Sincerely,
James Brown, CEO
West Coast Security, Inc.
San Carlos, Ca.
Mr. Brown seems to have an eloquent and intimate knowledge of the SMSO. Interesting since he’s not employed there, and never has been. Maybe someday he’d like to try working an 18-hour shift in the jail. Then go home, (hopefully he lives within an hour of Redwood City), get less than 6 hours of sleep, get up and arrive to work again to work 12+ more hours.
Yep
Interesting that you contract with the Sheriff’s Office and have Sergeant John Hein writing glowing reviews about your company and all the work you do for the County on your website.
While it is true the staffing issue has been ongoing under peior office holders. I assure you that the shortcomings this “opinion” piece are concise and the current officers under corpus are being overworked, retaliated against if they speak out.
5 more years under corpus would be atrocious.
I’m so confused. I thought this new sheriff was transparent. That doesn’t seem to be true. The truth is two female captains left the agency, one undersheriff was fired, a new replacement undersheriff couldn’t get a job anywhere but got one at the SO. You have a real estate agent that is now number two in the agency and two new captains that came from other agencies and they were only lieutenants. This is after the sheriff interviewed like 20 people and the smart one said no thank you. Seems the current managers just needed a job and don’t even have any qualifications. I think the sheriff won’t be around very much longer since anyone with any common sense wouldn’t work for her. I am your Sheriff. No really? I thought doctor Victoria was.
Love ya Bobby
This is what happens when you elect people based on some ridiculous DEI belief. She was worthless as a deputy. Even worse as an administrator. Nobody that told you not to vote for her is surprised by the failures that she continues to allow and, frankly, directs. Much like Bell in Redwood City, another failure and utter incompetence. Bring the men back into law enforcement with the actual experience to lead.
Men like Carlos Bolanos who frequent brothels (I was sore and needed a massage!) and help fight crime like a civil dispute over a stupid Batmobile (he’s a rich guy who could help me get reelected!)? There’s a real leader. Men like Sergeant Andre Moniot who cost the County $8m because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself? There’s another real man leader for you.
Nope, not cowards like them either. Men with integrity and honor, aren’t many left in Bay Area agencies with the constant sucking up and boot licking to the leftist ideas and failed policies. She’s destroying the SO. Leadership is by example. Maybe she should try resigning, but I’m guessing “Doctor Vicky” won’t let her. Power hungry cowards that couldn’t walk a beat on any shift, let alone support valid use of force incidents from the Deputies on the job. Pull her stats from when she was a deputy, my guess, you could count her felony arrests on one hand, with the exception of when she was on FTO and babysat by a real Deputy.
Then there’s the good doctor, from an online university, hahahahahaha
[Portion removed — Terms of Use violation. If you have proof of this statement, please submit it to the Post. We’ve tried to get such a document and our records request was rejected.]
Here’s the real problem, the good guys in the Lieutenant and Captain ranks that should run for Sheriff are afraid that the liberal lunatics that get people elected in San Mateo County won’t support them. Then, like the all too many who have suffered this fate already, those that run against her and lose would pay the ultimate career ending price.
Voting wealthy elites, time your calls for service responses, my guess is you’d be extremely upset with the delays. Not to mention the mediocre ability of those responding due to being overworked and held down by a guy who doesn’t know what it means to be a Deputy and a Sheriff so out of touch she relies on that same guy for guidance. If this were the businesses you grew and ran that got you to your status you’d have fired her month one and Victor wouldn’t have even passed the resume screening.
James did Victor type that for you? You are also as transparent her. You failed to mention you have several lucrative contracts with the sheriffs office. As a Marine you should be embarrassed to be associated with this administration especially the good doctor.
Thank you for your response. I need you to stand corrected on your false statement that I have several lucrative contracts with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. The truth is, I have no lucrative contracts with the Sheriff’s Office. While my firm does have a few very small contracts, the sum total annually is certainly less than the monthly salary of an entry-level deputy.
Additionally, it’s important to understand that I am bound by confidentiality agreements and cannot publicly discuss or divulge the details of our clients’ security systems. So not including that in a public comment is not a lack of transparency, but rather due process. Furthermore, I recently had the opportunity to bid on a potentially lucrative contract with the Sheriff’s Office, but my firm submitted a “NO BID” response, as it was not the right fit for us.
Regarding your concern about the authenticity of my correspondence, I assure you that I do not allow others to draft or submit messages, emails, or letters on my behalf. I take full responsibility for my words and stand by them, using my real name rather than hiding behind anonymity or pseudonyms, as others have done with their comments here. If you want your comments to have weight, put your full name out there. Why hide who you are, especially when making inflammatory comments?
You mentioned how I should feel as a Marine. I am proud of my service and am not embarrassed, as you say I should be, to be affiliated with any public agency or administration, including the current or previous one. Even though the prior administration had its share of corruption issues, such as the “Bat Mobile” and Barbara Bonilla incidents, these do not reflect on me as a vendor, nor the many dedicated individuals working in the county.
As a concerned citizen, I have an interest in ensuring that our public servants put forth their best efforts at all times. A few bad apples should not represent an entire organization, and I firmly believe in supporting those who are committed to positive change. San Mateo County needs change, in and out of the Sheriff’s Office. I’d like to see what she can get done, and I plan on giving her some time to do just that. I see the hiring taking place, and I see the recruitment efforts in the community.
Thank you for engaging in this discussion. I value transparency and accountability, and I hope this clarifies my stance. You seem to know who I am, feel free to call me if you want to chat, I’m always open to hearing from others.
So wait. Now I am so confused. James Brown just admitted to having contracts with the Sheriffs Office and isn’t he on the San Mateo county sheriffs activities league board with doctor vicky? Man, that sounds like a conflict of interest. Maybe James Brown shouldn’t be so transparent. You have to assume that anyone that is associated to someone that calls themselves a doctor for some internet degree and makes everyone call him doctor, probably should just sit on the sidelines and not comment on things that they have zero knowledge of. But a guess a respected marine should know about stolen valor. Stolen valor is having a chief of staff badge and uniform [Portion removed — Terms of Use Violation, statement hasn’t been verified]. Careful who you defend. But maybe impersonating a police officer is ok with James brown.
James. Where did you go? SAL Board Meeting? Lunch with DR Victoria?
We miss your eloquent pontifications. Please come back and tell us we are all wrong.
I am a little confused here, I follow the Sheriff’s Office on social media and I see the chief of staff in uniform, wearing a gun and badge, but on his bio for the sheriff’s webpage, he is in a suit / tie, while everyone else is in uniform. Is he a sworn peace officer or what does his badge say? Why wouldn’t he be in uniform on the website like the San Francisco County Sheriff Chief of Staff? Does anyone know why?
I’m also curious. If he’s a Chief of STAFF, why is he out in public all the time? Does he ever let the Sheriff out of his sight/reach? Shouldn’t he be at work doing paperwork things and making sure people call him DOCTOR, not handing out lollipops and stickers to children? If he has so much free time to be out of the office, maybe he could go to the jail instead and help out there too.
Sheriff Corpus would do herself a favor if she stopped posting happy photos of herself on social media. The sheriff’s office is in crisis mode. The deputies have no confidence in her. God help us if she has to take charge during an emergency. The all-smiles social media opens her up to criticism that she’s a lightweight who is in over her head.
recently lost my position there after dealing with having the stress of mandatory ot put on all of us because the sheriff can’t properly staff the jails… praying for my brothers n sisters still in there.. ALL of em
No one loses their cop job “dealing with stress”. Either you cpuldnt do the job there, you went out on disability or you quit. The SMSO is so short staffed they wouldn’t get rid of anyone.
hope you’re being sarcastic lol.. otherwise you got no idea wtf you’re talking about
I know exactly what I’m talking about. Government employees don’t get fired for being stressed. They get paid disability which they’ll milk until they can get some help and come back to work. If you’re not fixable after a year of milking the system, you’ll still get paid or you’ll get a workers comp lawyer to get you a chunk of money for being forced to work, as you describe.
I wish my dad would be able to come home and spend time with me but he works all the time at the jail on top of his job…
Concerned Child, the sheriff would tell you to check your tone and then remind you she is the sheriff.
I’m pretty certain that everyone at the SMSO has buyers remorse and wish that Bolanos was still their Sheriff. Too bad there is no lemon law. Sorry Carlos.
Seriously. Does anyone know what happened to James Brown? He helped us understand we were all wrong until someone started talking about he was on SAL board with Dr Victoria. I for one was delighted to learn more about him. Please come back James Brown we need you just like the SO need a short pint real estate agent who gets leases for the SO for $30,000 per month for ten years and it’s not xonef for a day care. You can all read up on it. Board of supervisors signed off on the lease. Building is still empty. Taxpayers still paying. Yes James Brown. Give her a chance. lol.
At the core of the many problems facing the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is blatant corruption by Sheriff Corpus and her Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle. Like many law enforcement agencies, the SO has struggled with staffing problems, but this has been exacerbated by the executive staff’s total lack of respect and disregard for the health and well-being of the hardworking and dedicated professionals that work at sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Corpus hired Aenlle as her Chief of Staff when his only qualifications were serving for a short time as a Deputy Sheriff, not even completing his probationary employment period. Aenlle worked on her campaign and is a close friend. [Portion removed — Terms of Use violation. If you can provide proof of this statement, please submit it to the Daily Post, but we can’t publish rumors.]
The Sheriff went outside the agency to hire Chris Hsiung as her Undersheriff and Ryan Monaghan as an Assistant Sheriff. She then went outside to hire Captain Fox, the husband of her campaign lawyer and Captain Phillips, her friend, and police academy classmate. She has since fired Hsiung and hired another outsider, Dan Perea as her new Undersheriff. Aenlle, Hsiung, Monaghan, Fox, Phillips and Perea. That is six outsiders hired, none of whom had experience in an agency with the diversity of missions that San Mateo SO has, especially in correctional law enforcement. That was six management and executive promotions denied to long serving, loyal and qualified employees of the sheriff’s office. And those denied opportunities stretch all the way down to the correctional officer and deputy level because with each promotion, opportunities exist at the lower ranks to move up in the SO. [Portion removed] The staffing at the jail and elsewhere in the agency is dangerously low. The mandatory overtime policies are dramatically impacting the morale, physical and mental health of staff. One position that has never been filled by Sheriff Corpus is the vacant Assistant Sheriff for Corrections. If she really cares about safety in the jails, why is that critical executive position vacant?
The brave and dedicated staff at the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office deserve better. They deserve a safe and healthy career that includes opportunities for promotion in an environment that respects them. Sadly, Corpus and Aenlle have instilled a culture of paranoia and retribution and have stolen promotional opportunities in favor of hiring unqualified outsiders. Why does the County Board of Supervisors, County Counsel Niblin, County Executive Officer Callagy, and District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe stand by and allow these corrupt and unethical practices by the failed leadership at the Sheriff’s Office. Don’t we all deserve better.
This is spot on. I voted for her because it was time for some change at the SMSO. Time to move on from old school cronyism and nepotism, but now it’s no different. And instead of moving forward into the future, everything is a MESS. The SMSO used to be the most respected LE agency in the County. It’s a shame what’s happened. Well the dogs are cute. I don’t blame them. They’re just doing their job. Although I’m not sure what it is.
It was so disheartening to see Chris Hsuing leave the Sheriff’s Office. It was clearly a decision made by Sheriff Corpus’ appointee, Victor Aenlle, Executive Director of Administration / Chief of Staff, who himself failed to become a Deputy Sheriff two times. Hsuing’ separation may have been a result of Aenlle’s jealousy of the bond Hsuing had with line staff that Aenlle can never enjoy.
[Portion removed — Terms of Use violation.]
He is at every gathering, every photo op, every opportunity to be seen next to Corpus on TV, newspapers, Facebook or Instagram. As Corpus’ Campaign Manager, he miraculously became “Chief” — not a position that ever existed by any sworn or civilian staff, and certainly not one offered for promotions by far more qualified law enforcement officers from within. The public should be aware that Little Man Victor, as he is unfavorably called by the employees, is now in charge of the Sheriff’s Forensic/Crime Lab, Concealed Weapons Permits, Sheriff’s Records, Sheriff’s Property, Sheriff’s Contracts and City Contracts (Millbrae, San Carlos, Half Moon Bay) any and all administrative division and decisions, all without any evidence of law enforcement or administrative experience to lead. If you can call monitoring real estate contracts administrative experience, that’s a stretch. As the county website shows, for Corpus to be crying at the Board of Supervisor meeting of February 2023 and begging people to continue to believe in her has fallen on deaf ears. It is safe to say not many left believing in you now. Employees are jumping ship at an alarming rate, leaving a shell of a department as a result of her and Aenlle’s leadership. What Corpus has done has destroyed the morale and reputation of what was once one of the most highly respected departments in the state. The question is, how is the County Manager allowing this to happen? How are any and all county administrators allowing putting a volunteer reserve realtor in charge of all of administration an acceptable choice? It is safe to say when Corpus was elected, not one experienced manager remained as she replaced everyone with outsiders that had no knowledge of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, especially Corrections, where inmates are dying.
[Portion removed — Terms of Use violation.]
This is a horseless carriage leading what was once a respected department. Corpus should be recalled.
Don’t forget that she created the Chief of Staff position specifically for little man Victor. Never before in any administration has there been a San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff. So why doesn’t she take his 6=figure salary from a tight budget and put it too some good use for the organization instead of his pockets. Underqualified but is involved in every decision. A recipe for disaster that needs to be mitigated now. When will she come down from her ivory tower and address the stressed out and overworked employees? Before her next Instagram post or on the way to a ice cream social with a fluffy dog? Probably won’t happen.
When I left the mandatory minimum was 24 hours every 2 weeks. A normal shift is 84 hours every 2 weeks .
Add commuting on top of 12-18 hour shift. Because face it, loving in the Bay Area is near impossible unless you’re wealthy, live with parents, or inherited property.
The office did provide housing so you could stay..,and never go home.
While you’re working those 12 hours, there’s rarely staff to provide a break, you must announce on the radio you need the restroom and hope someone breaks you in time to get there.
Eat? Ya, eat on the go and while inmates stare at you.
Beautiful gym was built in this new jail… for command staff because they’re the only ones with time & energy.
Old WCC may have had its issues but it was hands down the BEST ever!
I’m have much sympathy for the great co-workers I left behind.
I wish them the best and hope they stay healthy enough to make & enjoy retirement.
The answer is not more overtime & less family time. It destroys families!
The commute can be deadly!
Best of luck to the COs & Deputies. There are many more options for employment in LE. Ones that allow you to do something besides work 24/7.
All these comments must be driving the doctor crazy. He’s probably screaming at Borat and the sheriff.
To the hardworking men and women of the Sheriff’s Office – not the executive team – only line level Correctional Officers, Deputies and Sergeants,
We support you and wish you all healthy careers and to make it home to your family after each shift. We are sorry we voted in this monstrosity of a Sheriff to lead you. We have a serious case of buyer’s remorse.
Please continue to work hard and keep us safe each night, we do appreciate it immensely!!
Sincerely,
The General Public