A claim against San Mateo County by Victor Aenlle, a focal point in the Sheriff’s Office saga, that alleged the county did not provide him with legal counsel in a 2024 lawsuit was denied by the County Attorney’s Office. Officially filed with the county Feb. 18, the claim alleged Aenlle had the right to legal representation by the county, which they denied providing. The county was found non-culpable by the County Attorney’s Office, and was approved by the Board of Supervisors on consent at its Board of Supervisors’ meeting March 25.
Aenlle alleged in the claim he was entitled to such representation because he was an employee with the Sheriff’s Office at the time of the relevant incident — February 2023 — but he was not. He was hired by Sheriff Christina Corpus as an employee in July 2023; prior, he was an independent contractor. The lawsuit was from the former head of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association claiming retaliation.
“The county does not provide reasons for denying a claim,” Communication Director Michelle Durand said. “However, we believe what Mr. Aenlle is doing is extremely inappropriate.”
The claim comes amid a slew of legal action taken in regards to the Sheriff’s Office in recent months. Both Aenlle and Corpus are at the center of what has become a countywide effort to remove the sheriff from office after evidence has been found of misconduct and mismanagement of the office.
Aenlle’s paid position with the Sheriff’s Office was zeroed-out by the Board of Supervisors in November, shortly after the publicizing of an investigation conducted by former Judge LaDoris Cordell that found evidence of corruption and an inappropriate relation between him and the sheriff.
The investigation resulted in a more-than-400-page investigation that captured the concerns of a workforce operating under fear of retaliation, neglect and a major staffing shortage crisis.
Last month, former sheriff’s Capt. Brian Philip, who resigned from the office in November, filed a lawsuit against San Mateo County alleging whistleblower retaliation, wrongful termination, gender discrimination and workplace violations under Corpus’ administration. Carlos Tapia — the Deputy Sheriff’s Association president and key whistleblower of the administration — filed a complaint Feb. 21 for similar reasons. Tapia was arrested without warrant for felony charges of time card fraud, though District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe previously said the arrest was wrongful and unnecessary.
Aenlle could not be reached for comment.
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