On Nov. 12, Kenneth Binder was appointed as the San Mateo County Sheriff by the San Mateo Board of Supervisors. Binder’s appointment came after former Sheriff Christina Corpus was removed from office by the board in October after allegations of misconduct, nepotism, corruption and retaliation. The removal of an elected sheriff by a county was a first for California.
In late October, the Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 to appoint a sheriff for the remainder of Corpus’ term rather than have voters decide on a candidate through a special election. Supervisors Noelia Corzo, Lisa Gauthier and Ray Mueller voted for the appointment of the sheriff, while Supervisors David Canepa and Jackie Speier voted against it.
“It is not healthy for any organization to be in crisis and instability,” Corzo said. “We completed our appointment process in about two weeks, and it did not come at the cost of the community having the opportunity to provide input. We actually made sure that we allowed community members full transparency into the decision making … [and the process was] very public. [The appointment] has allowed us to bring stability to the sheriff’s office and to the community.”
Julie Lind, head of the San Mateo County Central Labor Council, agrees with Corzo. The Labor Council is affiliated with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Organization of Sheriff Sergeants and other labor unions.
“What you have to do to run for sheriff is not the same as the temperament, skill set and background you need to have to serve as sheriff, especially now,” Lind said. “The voters chose overwhelmingly to support Measure A, a mandate empowering the Board of Supervisors to remove the sheriff … The public had given the board the authority to make that happen, and [this appointment] was a piece of making that happen.”
On Oct. 21, the Board of Supervisors allotted time during their regular meeting for public comment on the method of choosing the new sheriff. San Mateo County residents have differing opinions about the public’s participation with the appointment.
“I like that it was more open to the public,” said junior Victoria Salto Lopez. “[People] were able to give out their own opinions.”
Others felt they were more neglected by the appointment process.
“If they were really listening to what the people had to say, then they would have made it more publicized, because a lot of people aren’t aware of [the appointment],” said San Mateo High School sophomore Savera Munugala. ”They could have involved the people a little bit more.
Sheriff Binder has a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from San Jose State University and graduated from the FBI National Academy. He has been involved in law enforcement for 27 years, previously serving in the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office as Chief of Police of Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Altos and later serving as undersheriff. Immediately before being appointed as San Mateo County’s sheriff, he served as the Interim Chief of Police for the city of Gilroy.
Binder has emphasized neutrality and peace for the department in recent statements, hoping to increase diversity and reform the San Mateo County jails. During the past several years, the county’s jails had five deaths, inmate fights, undelivered mail and broken elevators, all issues which Sheriff Binder hopes to resolve. As a former Undersheriff of Santa Clara County, he also has experience with the Santa Clara County jails, which are larger and more complex than the San Mateo County jails.
“[Sheriff Binder’s] information and experience can help not just Sheriff’s Office employees and correctional officers, but also the incarcerated people who are living in the jails and deserve to have dignity in that experience,” Corzo said.
Some people hope to see positive changes in the Sheriff’s Office as a result of Binder’s appointment.
“Integrity, not being corrupt and wanting what’s best for the people [is important],” Munugala said.
Lind hopes to see a turnaround from Corpus’ leadership of the organization.
“A standard of communication, collaboration and respect [has] been missing from that office for so many years,” Lind said. “Going into a room and wanting to listen and wanting to learn and wanting to move forward as a team is going to be [Binder’s] biggest asset.”
