San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus removed from office following final vote by supervisors

By Carlos E. Castañeda

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday removed Sheriff Christina Corpus from office in a final vote following a year-long scandal surrounding the Sheriff’s Office. 

Tuesday’s vote, effective immediately, came a week after an independent retired judge found multiple causes to remove Corpus from her post following an unprecedented two-week hearing to decide her fate. The hearing was made possible after voters in March overwhelmingly approved Measure A, a charter amendment granting the supervisors temporary power to remove the sheriff on grounds of misconduct.

Before the vote, Corpus addressed the supervisors and again said she was innocent of any wrongdoing and didn’t deserve to be fired.

“If I lose my position today, I will walk out with my head held very high, because I never betrayed the people who trusted me,” Corpus said.

She added, “I was offered the chance to walk away quietly, to take a payout and disappear. I refused.” 

Later, Corpus told reporters outside board chambers that she plans to continue battling to clear her name.

“I don’t regret anything that I’ve done because I’ve done nothing wrong,” said Corpus. “We are going to fight this to the end. It’s unconstitutional what they’re doing to me.”

CBS News Bay Area confirmed that after Corpus was removed, she used a county policy to retire, which will allow her to keep her benefits. According to the policy, she had 24 hours after the board action to use the county policy.

The unanimous 5-0 vote was the first time in California history that a board of supervisors has removed a sitting sheriff. In 2012, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors attempted to remove Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, but the vote failed 7-4. In 2022, voters in Los Angeles County passed an amendment allowing the county’s Board of Supervisors to remove former Sheriff Alex Villanueva, but he lost his re-election campaign before the process was initiated.

Last week, retired Superior Court Judge James Emerson, the independent hearing officer during the August proceedings, issued an opinion concluding that Corpus violated laws related to her official duties by engaging in conflicts of interest and acts of retaliation. Emerson found that Corpus allegedly used her position to benefit former chief-of-staff Victor Aenlle, with whom she has a close personal relationship outside the boundaries of a professional working relationship, despite both of their denials, the opinion said. 

The opinion stated that Corpus “elevated her own interest in the close personal relationship she held with Mr. Aenlle above her obligation to appoint, recruit, select, and/or retain based upon merit.”

One of the people Corpus was accused of retaliating against was San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association president Carlos Tapia, whom she ordered to be arrested. Tapia was ultimately never charged with a crime.  

Corpus steadfastly refused to step down from her position following a scathing review of the sheriff’s office issued in November 2024, which accused Corpus of using racial and homophobic slurs to degrade colleagues, harassing perceived enemies, and engaging in an inappropriate relationship with Aenlle, her former campaign manager.

In April, Corpus released her own report rebutting the investigation that led to the March special election, with her lawyers calling the investigation “fundamentally flawed.” In May, an independent investigation by a San Francisco law firm found evidence of alleged conflicts of interest, misuse of authority, and retaliation by the Sheriff against employees within the Sheriff’s Office. Following the findings, supervisors voted 5-0 in June to initiate formal removal proceedings under Measure A.

“This removal process had been based on fair procedures and evidence,” said Supervisor Noelia Corzo in a prepared statement. “Christina Corpus and her legal representatives have had more than enough time and opportunity to speak their piece. What they have been unable to provide is anything beyond empty words. They have only continued delaying, deflecting and denying … To everyone who has been harmed, please know my heart goes out to you.”

“Judge Emerson believes violations have been committed by Sheriff Corpus. I agree,” said Supervisor Jackie Speier in a statement. “In my view, Sheriff Corpus lost her sense of purpose and put Mr. Aenlle above the vocal opposition to him among the ranks of her deputies and in so doing permanently damaged her relationships with those she was charged to lead. A tragedy.”

A statement from the county said Undersheriff Dan Perea would assume the duties of sheriff, and that supervisors would act within 30 days to fill the vacancy or call for a special election. 

Board of Supervisors president David Canepa said he was in favor of voters naming the next sheriff in a special election.

“I am in no way in favor of appointing the next Sheriff, whether on an interim basis or not,” Canepa said in a statement. “I am calling for a special election as soon as our charter allows to have the voters decide who should lead the office out of the public safety crisis we are currently in.”

The San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association released a statement saying it was pleased with the results of Tuesday’s vote.

“The DSA is also extremely thankful for the leadership of President Carlos Tapia,” the statement said. “Despite being the victim of an unlawful arrest, he has led this union with honor, class, and dignity. Amid the chaos and fear, the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office have continued to serve the residents of this County with pride and professionalism. Carlos’ steady hand and guidance led the way. We eagerly await the day when those who committed this crime against him are brought to justice. “