San Mateo County sheriff’s former chief of staff seeks $15M

“I want to set this record straight,” Aenlle said. “I want the people who colluded against me revealed. I want our county government to follow their own rules and guidelines.”

Aenlle previously held a high-ranking civilian position on Corpus’ executive team, officially titled executive director of administration. 

When concerns over Aenlle’s conduct in the Sheriff’s Office snowballed into allegations over abuse of power, retaliation and an inappropriate relationship with Corpus, efforts were made by the county to remove him from a position of power, which Aenlle is arguing was wrongful. 

The claim states that an investigation into Aenlle and Corpus was a “coordinated and calculated effort to discredit the Sheriff Corpus leadership team,” conspired by Callagy. It alleges that the fact-finding investigation, and that action taken to reprimand Corpus and Aenlle since, has been racially motivated. 

“White executive staff who reported directly to Sheriff Corpus were not publicly maligned, barred from County facilities, or subjected to retaliatory enforcement actions, like Mr. Aenlle was,” the claim reads. 

Corpus has made similar claims that she has been discriminated against and targeted because she is a Latina. 

The Board of Supervisors will consider the claim at a future meeting as is normal process, but the county’s Chief Communications Officer Michelle Durand noted it is “rife with mistakes and apparent disinformation” including the misrepresentation for the investigation into Corpus and Aenlle. 

Retired Judge LaDoris Cordell was retained by the County Attorney’s Office to conduct a “fact-finding” investigation into Corpus and her executive team following unprecedented amounts of complaints. Cordell’s investigation resulted in more than 400 pages of detailed findings that concluded with her stating “nothing short of new leadership can save this organization that is in turmoil, and its personnel demoralized.” 

“I want to restore my reputation,” Aenlle said. “They demeaned me and dragged me through the mud. All I did was improve the Sheriff’s Office.” 

Cordell’s report was made public Nov. 12, and on Nov. 13, the Board of Supervisors zeroed out the budget for Aenlle’s position, effectively revoking his status as a paid employee. Aenlle maintains he is still a Designated Level I reserve deputy.  He was reinstated as a reserve deputy working in the Concealed Carry Weapon Unit last month.

Aenlle denies he is culpable for any turmoil in the Sheriff’s Office, and believes he and Corpus are being wrongfully targeted. 

Aenlle also claimed that the county has specifically targeted his property on the coastside. He has received ongoing citations for continuing to have a unpermitted development on the property, which he believes is “unfounded retaliatory code enforcement,” the claim alleges.

The county refuted the claim, assuring that his property was not treated any differently than others. A county-led farmworker housing task force found Aenlle’s property as one of over 50 properties out of compliance.

“I’ve been targeted from day one and persecuted,” Aenlle said. “I’m going to win that case.”