Soap Opera at the Sheriff's Office

Some soap operas air weekly, but the one down at the Sheriff's office is running daily at this point and is it ever well-written--if you like soap operas.  Personally, I don't.  Especially when it involves the operation of the largest and perhaps most critical department in the County.  I have had reservations about Sheriff Corpus' management skills from the get-go--two and a half years ago as noted here.  The Daily Post has led the way tracking Corpus' leadership as noted here and in the subsequent comments.  The Daily Journal has focused in on the "chaos" lately here and here as has the SF Chronicle on the front page here.

As various reporters dig into the 400-page investigative report by the retired judge the Supes hired, more details are revealed that caused the Supes to unanimously ask for Corpus' resignation and to abolish her chief of staff's position; right before she showed up at the meeting and promoted him to Assistant Sheriff live during public comment.  As Mark Simon noted in his DJ column opener in the print edition: "It appears that getting rid of a sheriff is going to be a lot more difficult than electing one."  The on-line version relies on poet Dylan Thomas' verse.  There is plenty of nitty-gritty in the column for a civics lesson on the legal wranglings ahead.

One thing that hasn't been noted in the reporting is Corpus' compensation.  Per transparentcalifornia.com, her total pay is $466K per year plus benefits that take total comp to $701K per year.  That is a 42% bump from getting elected sheriff (verses her captain's comp running the Millbrae force that the sheriff's office contracts).  The step up in responsibility and visibility was much higher--as she is now finding out.  With one senior person who was vocal about some of the problems under arrest and two, or is it three, recent resignations, one could question how the ship is being steered at the moment.  It all goes to a key point that a very smart B'game city councilor made years ago when we were considering merging BPD with the San Mateo PD to save money.  She was vehemently opposed to giving up local control and managed to convince the other councilors---a big win for B'game.  It also avoids this mess.

 

Comments

[JP]

Accounts of foot rubbing, a peck on the lips in Corpus’ office, intimately feeding one another and text messages of endearment between the two show an ongoing cozy relationship.

In one instance, Aenlle and Corpus went to the firing range at Coyote Point for a private session to qualify the sheriff, who was documented wearing a knee-length dress and high heels. Aenlle ordered the only other employee on-site to leave, so the pair remained alone at the range. No one was there to observe the qualification.

[Phinancier]

Aside from the hanky-panky bits, the real estate shenanigans will likely get them both. I'm not sure if it rises to criminal but it is certainly unethical.

[Joe]

The soap opera continues, from the Merc:

San Mateo supervisors approve election measure to remove sheriff from office

The ordinance calls for a March special election to amend the charter, allowing supervisors to remove a sheriff for misconduct or corruption

If approved by voters, according to the ordinance, the measure would “grant the board authority to remove an elected Sheriff from office, for cause, with a four-fifths vote, after written notice and an opportunity to be heard.” The measure will appear on the ballot during a special election on March 4 next year.
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That sounds expensive. Let's see if the pressure causes her to resign so the supes can just put this on the next regular election ballot........