Issues in the Sheriff’s Office

Thanks for your letter, Mr. Haesloop, but I disagree. The underlying issue is one related to the Sheriff’s chief of staff. If that issue weren’t there, the Board of Supervisors wouldn’t have, in your words, “inserted themselves into the negotiation.” It is an easy matter to quantify the scope – the 96% no confidence vote. As for the other issues you describe, do you really think this current hullabaloo is going to help staffing in San Mateo County? I’d expect prospective recruits will think twice before applying in San Mateo County. And existing employees may be questioning whether they want to continue working with San Mateo County. Why would staff and deputies want to work for someone who doesn’t have their back and instead supports someone with a 96% no confidence vote?

Hello, Mark

It's good to hear your past experience in reviewing our county's deputies was positive. They do a job most people would refuse to do, and they do it well.

I'm not sure a Civil Grand Jury inquiry into the current situation involving the Sheriff and County Executive would be a productive use of the Jury's time. As you know, the Jury's recommendations would be nonbinding. While it's also true Judge Cordell's recommendations and the recommendations from an independent investigation ordered by the Board of Supervisors would also be nonbinding, it may be better to have investigators with experience outside our county evaluate the claims made by the involved parties.

I'm still scratching my head over the Sheriff's claims the county has inserted itself inappropriately into contract negotiations. The county negotiates with the unions... not the Sheriff. She cannot demand a place at the bargaining table. I think her insights and inputs would be helpful to negotiators on both sides, but such insights and inputs are not required. I think this dispute pivots around whether the Sheriff's second in command was fired in retaliation for participating in an investigation into a claim of unfair labor practices brought by the deputies, whether the Sheriff's chief of staff engaged in any unionbusting, and whether the County Executive crossed a boundary with respect to the Sheriff's personal relationship with the chief of staff hired by her. We'll see.