2 in running for San Mateo County sheriff

Bolanos began as a patrol officer in 1979 in Palo Alto before becoming a police captain in Salinas in 1991. He became police chief for Redwood City in 1994 for 13 years and served as undersheriff from 2007 to 2016. He was appointed to the sheriff position by the Board of Supervisors after then-Sheriff Greg Munks stepped down. He won his first election in 2018 and has over 40 years of experience in law enforcement. The son of Nicaraguan immigrants, he grew up in the Bay Area. He has a wife, three children and three grandchildren. Bolanos has a degree in economics from the University of San Francisco and a master’s degree in public administration from Cal State East Bay.

Corpus’ campaign prioritizes change, transparency, integrity and stakeholder engagement to rebuild trust. Ahead of the June 7 election, she championed a forward-thinking Sheriff’s Office that embraces the 21st century and public demands for change.

“We have to look at traditions that we have carried on and be OK with saying that’s not working, and we have to look at different ways that we are serving our communities,” Corpus said.

Bolanos highlighted his effective leadership and experience of over 40 years of law enforcement in updating programs and policies. Bolanos pointed to his extensive work in addressing mental health through an Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team program that trains deputies on better responses to crises. Half Moon Bay has partnered with the Sheriff’s Office to form the CARES community mental health responder program that started March 16. Unarmed mental health professionals now respond to 911 mental health crisis calls on the coast. Both Bolanos and Corpus prioritized addressing mental health in the county jail.

“It’s a sad commentary, but it’s true. Our county jails have become the mental hospitals of our society,” Bolanos said.

Corpus suggested revamped mental health programs to reduce deputy involvement in crisis incidents. She advocated for balancing the county’s current programs and the CAHOOTS mental health crisis program from Eugene, Oregon.

“We have to think about other ways we serve our communities. Just because it worked 20 years ago doesn’t mean it works well today in our environment,” Corpus said.

Bolanos said the Sheriff’s Office worked with the American Civil Liberties Union on a policy to minimize the use of force and emphasizes de-escalation. The Sheriff’s Office also developed a public data transparency page on staff demographics, calls for service, internal investigation numbers and arrests from July to September 2021. The page is updated every three months with data. Bolanos will add traffic stop data mandated by California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015, designed to improve racial and identity awareness in law enforcement. The Sheriff’s Office has also embarked on an equity assessment program with the Center for Policing Equity on areas for data improvement. Bolanos also implemented a body-worn camera program for all sworn staff.

Corpus has formed a Women in Law Enforcement Boot Camp and Symposium to mentor and train women seeking a career in law enforcement. She also championed Project Guardian, which helps officers receive special training and a system of advisory alerts if they meet someone on the autistic spectrum. She has implemented community feedback surveys of deputies and other community programs.

Staffing, stakeholders

In the future, Bolanos wants to work to address low deputy staffing levels to address public safety concerns. There are around 100 positions unfilled, with 73 full-time vacancies. Low staffing forces deputies to work more overtime to ensure adequate staffing levels and cover, hurting morale and adding extra stressors. Deputy vacancies typically average around 30 in previous years but have spiked in the two years during the pandemic. Programs like new hiring bonuses are underway.

Corpus said more needs to be done to address public safety risks from understaffing, noting the 100 vacancies did not happen overnight. She called new hiring bonuses to entice hires a Band-Aid approach, arguing for a focus on more intensive methods. Deputies have been without a new contract from the county for more than a year, and she believes Bolanos should have done earlier advocacy.

“As long as you have a toxic work environment, you are going to continue to lose people, which will end up costing the county more money,” Corpus said.

She called for more openness and dialogue about the use of force reform. Advisory boards would be established on the coast and in other county areas comprised of community stakeholders who meet quarterly to discuss local community issues. Corpus suggested looking less at upgrading the latest weapons and more to programs to improve deputies’ mental health and wellness. She made an analogy that the constant calls for service and trauma add more rocks to an officer’s backpack and can overwhelm them.

“We need to look at shifting from a warrior mentality to a guardian mentality. A guardian is someone who takes care of everybody,” Corpus said.

ICE

In November, Bolanos announced his office would not transfer any inmate into federal custody following a meeting with residents at the annual TRUTH Act Forum, a special meeting required when local law enforcement has given ICE access. He plans to continue that plan indefinitely.

“I have no plans to change it. If something terrible were to happen and the community felt I should revisit that decision, I would certainly listen, but as of today, I have no plans to change that policy,” Bolanos said.

Corpus was critical of the November timing, noting that it could have happened a long time ago to prevent additional suffering. Instead, it took place during an election year. She also would not cooperate with ICE transfers unless required, she said..

In regards to her husband’s blacked-out Confederate flag tattoo he got at 16, she said he regretted it and called the smear campaign about the subject dirty politics orchestrated by Bolanos’ camp. Bolanos said he had no idea what she was talking about.

Corpus’ endorsements include Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, Burlingame Councilmember Emily Beach, San Mateo Mayor Rick Bonilla, South San Francisco Mayor Mark Nagales, San Bruno Vice Mayor Linda Mason and San Mateo County Democrats. Bolanos has endorsements from San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, San Mateo County Superintendent Nancy Magee, San Mateo Deputy Mayor Diane Papan, and county supervisors David Canepa, Dave Pine, Don Horsley and Warren Slocum.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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