Board of Supervisors weighs risk, cost of how to find San Mateo County’s next sheriff

Although the board is cautiously weighing which avenue to pursue, it seems agreeable that there is a level of urgency needed to move forward, due to both county law and the needs of the employees of the Sheriff’s Office. 

The Sheriff’s Office is currently operating under the leadership of Undersheriff Dan Perea, who is discharging the duties of a sheriff. Since Corpus hired Perea, there is concern that her legacy remains in control. 

Supervisor Jackie Speier and David Canepa, president of the Board of Supervisors, shared their desire to call for a special election at a press conference immediately following the board’s decision to oust Corpus Oct. 14. They both reiterated their desire at the board meeting Tuesday. 

Should the board opt to proceed with a special election, it could choose to have it at the earliest in February or March 2026, which could have a price tag of approximately $3.2 million, according to County Attorney John Nibbelin. Alternatively, the board could also opt to wait until June 2026 to have a consolidated election that would basically be free. 

Canepa shared his desire to hold a special election as soon as possible, rather than wait until June. 

“We have a department reeling, in crisis,” Canepa said. “I think the immediacy of this is so important. … This is the cost of democracy.” 

Supervisor Lisa Gauthier said a rushed election limits the candidates to those with abundant resources to immediately launch into a campaign. 

For Speier, the fact that the county recently took stronger oversight of the Sheriff’s Office spending provides a level of comfort. However, the day-to-day operations, hiring and promotions, and other decisions still remain at Perea’s will. 

“We have a level of accountability there that we didn’t have before,” Speier said. “One thing we have to wrestle with is the other functions in the Sheriff’s Office.” 

Supervisor Noelia Corzo, on the other hand, shared her strong opinion that an appointment allows the most immediate resolution to the mess left behind by Corpus. Although she acknowledged appointments can be viewed as a decision that is not responsive to community wants, Corzo maintained her opinion. 

Whether it is seen to appeal to both sides, or skirt the constraints of the approved county charter, Supervisor Ray Mueller proposed a third option. 

Mueller proposed the board appoint the next sheriff as someone who “we can trust” and would agree to signing resignation papers immediately upon being hired. 

County charter allows any elected official to resign as they please, and once a resignation letter is submitted, it is irrevocable but could be delayed for approximately six months.

The idea, Mueller said, would be to, in effect, appoint someone to take care of the Sheriff’s Office for the next six months or so, and then leave a vacancy that would need to be filled with a special election. The intent would be to buy the Sheriff’s Office and county time to find a qualified long-term solution while still addressing the urgent need. 

Should the county opt for a special election, the county charter states that it would be a “winner takes all” election, meaning whoever has the most votes wins, regardless of whether that is a majority of the votes. 

In the most drastic scenario, someone could technically receive the most votes compared to other candidates, but only receive 10% of the votes casted, which Mueller said was concerning. So, Mueller’s proposal could allow candidates the time to establish strong campaigns.

Corzo responded, and said appointing the next sheriff would eliminate any possibility of Mueller’s plan going awry and causing yet another scandal regarding the Sheriff’s Office. 

“We need to take decisive action,” Corzo said. “We need to move on, we need to heal.” 

Who should be next?

There were no names thrown into the mix for who the supervisors would like to see as the next sheriff, except for one — Michael Callagy, the county executive.

Callagy’s name was brought up by Canepa, who proposed Callagy as someone with law enforcement experience that could provide oversight until a special election occur. However, Nibbelin noted the limitations for the county executive to oversee day-to-day operations of a department.

Canepa’s suggestion was met with a level of laughter from the board members and audience at the board meeting, calling into to question the viability of the proposal. 

Corzo immediately struck down the suggestion, stating that such a move would “play into some of those lies that our county executive has been secretly plotting to over take the Sheriff’s Office.” 

Although Mueller agreed he would not be interested in making Callagy the sheriff, he also noted that he was not interested in paying attention to the false narratives made by Corpus. 

Speier was reminded of the various roles U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio currently deploys, which “speaks to the absurdity” of the suggestions, she said.  

On a more serious note, at the forefront of Corzo’s mind — and likely of many in the community — is making sure the next sheriff maintains the county’s policy to not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

“I personally feel a lot of pressure to make sure that we are protecting our undocumented community because they are very very vulnerable right now,” Corzo said. “When we have someone to fill the role of sheriff in the county it’s going to be really critical.” 

Community input

Prior to the board’s discussion, the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office gave a presentation that said whichever avenue the board takes, it needs to involve community stakeholders. Chair Kalimah Salahuddin said the only way to move forward is with everyone’s input in consideration. 

“Restoring trust requires more than a procedural vote that you will take,” Salahuddin said to the board. “It demands a commitment to inclusive dialogue, multilingual outreach and a public facing road map that ensures every resident understands what comes next and how they can participate.”

The board made no formal decision at its meeting Tuesday. Instead, it said a meeting will be held next Tuesday, Oct. 28, in the evening to collect community input and perhaps a recommendation from personnel within the Sheriff’s Office. 

The board then intends to make a decision as to which avenue it will pursue at its next regularly scheduled board meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 4.