BY AMELIA BISCARDI
Daily Post Staff Writer
Redwood City Council tonight (Feb. 10) endorsed a measure that could lead to the removal of San Mateo County Sheriff Corpus.
The council voted 6-0, with Councilman Jeff Gee recusing himself, to endorse Measure A, which could give the countys’s supervisors the power to remove Corpus from office.
Measure A is a response to a 400-page report by retired Judge LaDoris Cordell, which was requested by county officials. Cordell’s report concluded that “lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interests and abuses of authority are the hallmarks of the Corpus administration.”
“I actually really wrestled with this decision, and my default position is that when someone different comes into an organization, especially like the sheriff’s (office), there’s going to be a natural disruption,” Councilwoman Isabella Chu said. “After hearing the evidence and seeing who talked (tonight), not just people from the sheriff’s department but people who robustly supported her election … I think it’s become very clear that there has been an incredible amount of misconduct.”
Both of the sheriff’s unions are campaigning against Corpus and have said they have no confidence in her leadership. One union leader, Detective Eliot Storch, said she is an “absentee leader.”
With ballots due on March 4, most mailed out last week, the council agreed they needed to vote to endorse the measure now.
Mayor Elmer Martinez Saballos, who requested the item, said the police department often works with the sheriff’s office and that Corpus’ actions are a concern for public safety.
“We might not pay and rely on the sheriff’s office for policing services, but we’re absolutely dependent on them,” Martinez Saballos said.
Between interagency task forces, assisting with Redwood City’s narcotics task force and managing crimes that happen in and on trains and buses, Martinez Saballos said the city needs the sheriff’s department. He said he sees Measure A as a way to end the “active damage” being done by Corpus.
San Mateo, Millbrae and San Carlos’ councils have all held votes of no-confidence in Corpus. Redwood City is the first city to endorse the measure that could lead to her ouster.
San Carlos and Millbrae both have contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for policing.
Belmont will vote to endorse the measure tomorrow (Feb. 11).
Corpus, who took office in January 2023, has faced growing calls to resign from her sergeants, lieutenants and captains, and federal and state representatives. Cordell’s bombshell report on Nov. 12 named Corpus’ chief of staff Victor Aenlle throughout the report as having an inappropriate relationship with Corpus. Both have denied any such relationship.
Aenlle has shown a paranoid obsession with loyalty and made unilateral decisions that violated county policies and potentially broke the law, Cordell said.
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