San Mateo County’s new Sheriff Ken Binder appointed a familiar face as undersheriff, the Sheriff’s Office said today (Nov. 24).
Binder is following through on a promise he made before being appointed, that he would bring back former Undersheriff Chris Hsiung, who resigned in June 2024 while he was fired sheriff Christina Corpus’ undersheriff.
After quitting as Corpus’ undersheriff, Hsiung co-founded a nonprofit called The Curve, which promotes changing police culture. He is taking a leave of absence to serve as Binder’s undersheriff.
“I’m thrilled that Chris Hsiung is coming back to serve as Undersheriff,” said Binder in a statement released by his office. “Not only is Undersheriff Hsiung a respected law enforcement leader, but he brings a deep understanding of the Sheriff’s Office and a genuine commitment to the men and women who work here.”
Hsiung will start immediately and serve for approximately eight months, the Sheriff’s Office said, during which he will focus on organizational healing and leadership development.
Binder hopes Hsiung will help the office move forward after the ousting of Corpus after more than a year of scandals.
San Mateo County Supervisors decided to appoint Binder to serve the remainder of Corpus’ term, which ends in January 2029. The appointment of a new sheriff earlier this month comes exactly one year after an independent investigation was released containing allegations that Corpus had an inappropriate relationship with her chief of staff and fostered a culture of intimidation and retaliation in the Sheriff’s Office.
Hsiung said coming back to help the embattled office is an “honor” and he hopes to help set it up for long-term success. Binder believes that Hsiung will be able to step in and immediately stabilize an office that he is already familiar with.
Binder has previously said he would like to bring back former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan into the fold. Monaghan was fired by Corpus after he sat for an interview with retired Judge LaDoris Cordell when she was investigating HR complaints about Corpus and her then-chief of staff, Victor Aenlle. —From wire and staff reports
