Let’s see if we have this correct: If you want to serve on San Mateo County’s new advisory commission that will monitor the activities, habits and protocols of the Sheriff’s Office, there is just one clear-cut requirement: You must actually live here.
That’s it. Other than that single proviso, the door to serve is pretty much open to anyone interested in applying by 5 p.m. Friday.
That includes individuals dwelling here without proper documentation (in other words, illegally) and those with criminal records.
Whatever happened to a strong, stated preference and desire for legal residents, law-abiding folks to volunteer their services to assist the public and their vital police agencies?
In essence, the county’s Board of Supervisors, in an effort to address the mantra of diversity and inclusion on this new body, has established a bare minimum requirement for joining its planned seven-member Civilian (not Citizen) Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office that may allow some who have broken the law to help to oversee a law enforcement agency.
If that sounds more than a bit counter-intuitive, if not positively Kafka-esque, well, it is. It’s a product of years of pressure applied by protesting activists and others in the wake of a national movement, stimulated by confirmed (and sometimes filmed) cases of police misconduct, designed to exert more influence and control over law enforcement agencies — federal, state and local.
The county’s new oversight commission comes along in the aftermath of the supervisors’ controversial 2023 decision to mandate that its sheriffs resist any significant cooperation with federal immigration officials even in cases involving serious crimes by individuals who are here without proof of legal residence in the U.S., in what amounts to a sanctuary declaration.
Recommended for you
If you want more information about applying for a commission post by this week’s deadline, you can call (650) 363-4123.
A THUMB’S-UP FOR SCIENCE: Here at Conundrum Central, we are always looking for help in the philosophical/religious realm. It’s what we do. Today, we turn our studied gaze to that legendary provider of wit, wisdom and wonder, comic writer/director/actor Mel Brooks as he pushes toward his personal centennial. Ruminating on his general philosophy of life while carefully hedging his bets, he offered this bit of sage advice in a recent published report: “I say praying is good but penicillin is better.” Something to ponder in these challenging times.
NEVER STATE THE OBVIOUS: Real estate prices in San Mateo County have dipped below their most recent peaks as higher interest rates have made borrowing costs more expensive for prospective buyers, among other issues. As a result, in some cases, asking prices have been trimmed to reflect the current environment. But real estate agents don’t like to state the obvious in overly blunt terms. One Realtor came up with this phrase to replace the stark label “price cut.” He now says it’s a “strategic price adjustment.” OK.
WOMEN’S COACHING MEETING SET: A community meeting to examine work/progress on recruiting more women to coach and administer youth sports along the Peninsula will be held from 10 a.m. to noon March 9 at the Millbrae Recreation Center. The gathering will be under the direction of the Women’s Coaching Alliance. For more information on sign-ups and the group’s aims, interested parties can contact Alliance founder Pam Baker at www.womenscoachingalliance.org. She also can be reached by phone at (415) 515-3872.
SAN MATEO MARRIOTT TO CLOSE: The Marriott Hotel-SFO in San Mateo is set to shut down this spring, according to a spokesman for the facility who stated that there is no corporate indication of a possible sale of the structure or, for that matter, the property itself. The hotel, in various ownership iterations (the Dunfey was an early version), has been a fixture on South Amphlett Boulevard near the Highway 101/92 interchange for decades. The date of the closure is reported to be May 1.
Contact John Horgan by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com or via Facebook and Instagram. His book, “Cradle of Champions — A Selected History of San Mateo County Sports,” is available via https://historysmc.org/online-store/. All proceeds benefit the San Mateo County Historical Association based in Redwood City.
(11) comments
A Sheriff’s oversight commission remains a bad idea for several reasons. Our DA is very capable of investigating and prosecuting police misconduct and has done so. There are state and federal resources available as well. Six months ago, our own AG implemented procedures for reporting police departments directly to the state. With respect to transparency, other safeguards like body cameras, are currently being used. Such a commission, according to our Sheriff, will negatively impact deputy recruiting. One more reason… it’s unlikely appointees will have sufficient knowledge and experience to provide credible oversight. However, appointees with criminal records will be very familiar with law enforcement procedures. Bad idea.
Thanks for a recap, Mr. Fowler. Methinks another purpose was for commission members to get their hands on some taxpayer money. If the state can blow $32 billion to EDD crooks, why can’t San Mateo County blow a few $million for potentially non-qualified commission members. I guess the question is whether civilian commission members will be re-categorized as public employees for the purpose of receiving their fair share of ever increasing public pensions and benefits. If not, these civilian members should ask for more do-re-mi now to be compensated for their future loss of income. It’s only equitable.
Hello, Terence
Costs to fund the commission and who benefits from those costs are an important part of this discussion. Costs could be the reason commission activists probably prefer to implement their misguided views on oversight in a piecemeal fashion.
The Sheriff's Office currently serves at least 21% of the County's 764,000 residents... folks living in unincorporated areas as well as six contract cities. The other 600,000 or so residents are largely only tangentially affected. As the County's three largest cities make up about half of the population not served directly by the County's commission... do you think those same activists have the larger cities in our county in their sights? Of course, creating oversight commissions in other cities comes with costs not currently included in city budgets. If money could not be shuffled around, a tax increase would be necessary to pay for those costs. That's probably why activists believe holding an election to create a commission is a bad idea. It's easier to be the loudest voice in the room and browbeat local pols into approving a commission.
Ray, thanks for providing some data and context and a conclusion with which I’d agree. With elections coming up, perhaps we can populate a browbeat standing (BS) index to rate our local pols. I know we’ll see plenty of letters claiming their desired candidate is the best thing since sliced bread but perhaps we need the opposite… letters highlighting the lowlights of other candidates and how they’ve worked or are working against Making (our) Area Great Again.
John speaks of the The Marriott Hotel-SFO in San Mateo shutting down and that it was named the Dunfey's at one time.
Prior to that it was the Royal Coach.
During early Super bowl years almost all the 49ers hung out there dancing and partaking in other recreational endeavors.
That was also around the time that the Sunnybrae residents got some peace and quiet as the 101 southbound exit at 16th ave - which dumped directly into neighborhoods was CLOSED for good.
I encourage folks to apply. The deadline is Friday. https://www.smcgov.org/ceo/independent-civilian-advisory-commission-sheriffs-office
Craig - do you really believe a white male has a chance? Even if chosen, he will be outnumbered by the illegals or bleeding heart crowd.
For these supervisors citizenship is meaningless. It started with driver licenses for illegals, then the motor voter law, possible elections to school boards in San Francisco by non-residents, and now having the patients running the mad house. Well, Sheriff Corpus, and everyone who voted for these lunatic supervisors, you reap what you sow.
Thanks, Mr. Horgan, for another informative contribution. Everyone, whether they wanted to admit it or not, knew this Sheriff’s Office civilian oversight committee was a political move that would make citizens less safe. Perhaps it would make non-citizens safer, but not citizens. Thanks for highlighting another anticipated consequence.
We have government by tantrum, which goes back to the '60s. Thanks, John, for keeping on top of this.
do they understand the implications of abrogating citizenship?
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.