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On Monday, the Redwood City Council adopted a resolution supporting San Mateo County’s Measure A, which grants the board of supervisors the power to remove Sheriff Christina Corpus from office.
“This unprecedented crisis that has enveloped the sheriff’s office due to Sheriff Corpus’s leadership jeopardizes our community’s safety and it corrodes the community’s trust in law enforcement,” said Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos.
The resolution passed with a 6-0-1 vote, with Council Member Jeff Gee recusing himself from the vote. Gee is a governing board member of a nonprofit that has held contracts with the sheriff’s office for many years.
The Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance on Dec. 3 to initiate a special election in March 2025. If passed, Measure A would amend the county charter to allow the board to remove Corpus.
The board currently has no authority to remove a sheriff or any elected official from their post.
At the council meeting, the resolution was introduced by Martínez Saballos. He provided city staff with information about the investigative findings in retired Judge LaDoris H. Cordell’s 408-page report that accuses the sheriff of abuses of power, retaliation and fostering a culture of intimidation. The report also outlines an affair between Corpus and her former Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle, and his alleged improper access to weapons, unapproved outside employment and threats against employees.
Martínez Saballos pointed out that while the city operates its own police department, it regularly collaborates with the sheriff’s office on regional law enforcement efforts, narcotics task force and emergency response coordination.
Redwood City is home to Maguire Correctional Facility, the county jail, and neighbors North Fair Oaks, an unincorporated community that relies on the Sheriff’s Office for public safety.
“So although we might not pay and rely on the sheriff’s office for policing services, we are absolutely dependent on them,” Martínez Saballos added.
There were nine public comments at the meeting, eight of which supported the measure.
Several supporters of Corpus who previously worked on her campaign urged the council to support Measure A because Corpus’s actions pose financial risks to taxpayers due to potential lawsuits. They expressed disappointment in her leadership and what they said was her failure to deliver on promises of transparency and change.
“And let’s be clear, this is not just mismanagement, it’s dangerous, it’s unlawful, and it’s unsustainable,” said Desiree Green, a representative from the San Mateo Labor Council.
Sean Harper, a sergeant with the sheriff’s office, said that the arrest of Deputy Sheriff’s Association President Carlos Tapia was highly questionable, particularly given its timing—occurring just before the release of Judge Cordell’s report.
“Anyone can see that this was Corpus’ attempt to silence an outspoken critic,” Harper said.
Drew Lobo, another speaker, questioned the validity of the independent investigation. He raised concerns about civil liberties, self-incrimination and due process, arguing that the report was conducted unprofessionally and should not be the basis for decisions.
In her emailed public comment, Nancy Goodban expressed hope that Redwood City would join other cities— including Millbrae, San Carlos and San Mateo—that have already passed votes of no confidence.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, Belmont and South San Francisco became the latest cities to support Measure A.
As for Corpus, she thinks that city councils should not be taking official stances on matters at the county level, she wrote in a statement. “While collaboration between city and county leadership is essential to our shared success, it is both inappropriate and counterproductive for city officials to engage in politically motivated attacks on county matters—particularly against the highest elected law enforcement official in the county,” Corpus said.
Council members Isabella Chu and Marcella Padilla said they struggled with this decision because they do not take overriding the outcome of an election lightly and firmly believe in democratic principles.
“But after hearing the evidence and seeing who talked were not just people from the sheriff’s department, but people who had robustly supported her election, who had wanted her to win, who had believed in her, I think it’s become very clear that there has been an incredible amount of misconduct,” Chu added.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
