Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Lazar was on duty when he was involved in a crash in San Francisco earlier this year.
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
A resident questioned a hopeful for San Mateo County Sheriff about an on duty crash, as the county’s supervisors prepare to pick a new sheriff on Wednesday.
Tonight (Nov. 11), the three finalists for sheriff laid out their plans for their first 90 days in office and answered questions from residents.
But at least 30 people from San Francisco appeared at tonight’s meeting, all urging the supervisors to support Former San Francisco Assistant Police Chief David Lazar.
San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safai talked about working with Lazar. Safai said he could call Lazar at any moment he had questions about policies and would tell him when he was wrong.
CEO of the Union Square Alliance, Marisa Rodriquez, said that Lazar is missed by many community members after he retired. Lazar retired in May from SFPD.
“I will say that about 800,000 people in San Francisco are jealous of this opportunity you have before you,” Rodriquez said.
Lazar helped the city during the pandemic and worked together with Rodriguez to address crime issues, leading to a decrease, she said, offering the data to the supervisors.
Belmont resident Beth Von Emster said she was concerned with the amount of San Francisco input overpowering the thoughts of San Mateo residents. Emster also questioned Lazar about an incident where he turned on the lights of his car to get through traffic while on duty to go to a Lunar New Year’s event earlier this year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“I shouldn’t have done it and I should have been a little more patient,” Lazar told the Post. “I’m not bringing my diving skills to San Mateo County. I’ll probably have to drive with someone else. I’ll sit in the passenger seat.”
Lazar’s first 90 days
As for his first 90 days, Lazar said that in his first 48 hours, he will sit down with the deputies’ and sergeants’ unions to develop a plan on how to move forward rebuilding the sheriff’s office. He said Undersheriff Dan Perea should retire based on what he’s read about fired Sheriff Christina Corpus’ office. Perea spent his career at SFPD before joining Corpus’s executive team last year.
“It’s not about the work we did before. It’s about what has happened here in San Mateo County. He’s in the Cordell Report with a lot of bad behavior,” Lazar said.
Perea “needs to leave” because deputies have no confidence in him, Lazar told the Post.
Lazar said during the meeting he would want to have an audit of the organization’s polices and procedures. He said he will also look into the cases where deputies were transferred or placed on leave.
“Within those 90 days, we need to restore trust,” Lazar said.
Binder’s plan
Former Santa Clara County Undersheriff Ken Binder said in his first 90 days, he plans to have a new executive team that has the respect and trust of the organization. Binder said previously he would want to have former Undersheriff Chris Hsiung and former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monghan as part of this team. His brother is Palo Alto’s police chief, Andrew Binder.
Binder said he would fill vacancies and has a list of promotions to make if appointed. He also said he wanted to review the standing polices to make sure they are in alignment with the community’s expectations and internal affairs investigations.
Even though the sheriff’s office is understaffed, Binder said he still wants to hold every deputy to the highest hiring standards.
“All of our employees are reflecting upon all of us in law enforcement and we can’t have a few bad people spoil it for the rest of us,” Binder said. “There’s not going to be a sheriff’s friend (who) gets promoted just because their friend or some good old boy network. We’re gonna get rid of all of that.”
Travis’ plans
Police Chief for Solano Community College District Brian Wynn Huynh Travis said he would also have a new executive team and ask the unions for their input. He wants to make sure anyone who joins his team has integrity, is credible and is not promoted based on politics.
At the community college district where he works, Travis said he has learned how to work with different communities to make sure they are heard and safe.
Travis said he has spent the last couple of weeks in the county’s two jails speaking to employees there.
“The last couple of years have really taken a toll on their site. Promotional opportunities have been taken away from them. It’s not about merit. It’s about who you know for the last couple of years,” Travis said.
Travis said he wants to give everyone a fair opportunity to get promotions within the organization.
Supervisors will be appointing a sheriff on Wednesday. The position pays just under $362,000 a year.
Lazar took over the meeting in the end and made the entire thing about him by asking 20+ speakers to come. Followers from San Francisco discussing all of the things Lazar will be bringing with him to the “San Mateo” Sheriff office. Everything Lazar discussed was about SF and all of his ideas started with I did this in SF and it worked and ended with I will implement this same thing in San Mateo Lazar said this wouldn’t be a SFPD 2.0 San Mateo Sheriff BUT it sure sounds like 2.0 – that’s all Lazar knows. Even the public speakers called Lazar’s spectacle narcissistic . This position should be about the people in the county and the employees.
Bring us Binder. He seems the most experienced (and only one) with the sheriff office career, first hand knowledge and experience in the peninsula and the only one with corrections experience- not someone who just has detained a few people in a police department cell saying that is the same thing…
Last night was a red flag for the board of supervisors that Lazar dan take over ANY meeting if he is Sheriff. Or perhaps cause head on collisions whenever he needs to bend rules for himself.
It’s gotta be Binder. Travis, unfortunately, is out of his depth, and Lazar, having his SF friends infiltrate the San Mateo County Board session last night, reeks of narcissism and ego. The Sheriff’s Office just barely survived that kind of “leadership.” Binder is the most qualified and the most measured. That’s what the Sheriff’s Office needs, a measured, calm, and unbiased leader who isn’t in this for their own glory. Lazar is only about Lazar. BOS…do the right thing please.
Bad form on Lazar’s part, packing the crowd with SF loyalists. This isn’t SF, and we don’t need another high-ranking SF cop up on the Third Floor at the Sheriff’s Office. We need a Sheriff! This spectacle poses a big red flag for Lazar. Travis seems well-meaning enough, but he lacks Binder’s deep and broad operational experience. I’m entirely sure about Hsiung, but bringing Monaghan will be popular with the rank and file. Binder is “The Guy” at this point.
San Mateo County residents got a taste of San Francisco politics, it’s a blood sport! Lazar supporters packed the chambers and took over public comment, basically boxing out the other two candidates. A couple of Lazar supporters even asked how the Board of Supervisors were scoring the candidates. Total press play by San Francisco voters. The pressure is now on the Board of Supervisors. Pick the right candidate or go with the San Francisco machine to save their political careers.
Ken Binder is a man of character. In a recent public setting the District Attorney stated that during a difficult and consequential investigation that Ken Binder spoke the truth without reservation. The DA went on to thank him for his credibility and speaking the truth under difficult circumstances. The DA’s comments revealed honesty and integrity which is the foundation for any law enforcement officer especially in a leadership position. Real leadership starts with the truth. Truth creates trust which improves morale especially when you’re understaffed and everyone needs to do a little extra for the organization. It appears to me that this is exactly what San Mateo County needs right now.