In the news

Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is happy to announce the receipt of a grant from the Grove Action Fund to help with operating expenses and community outreach. The Grove Action Fund, affiliated with the Grove Foundation, is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that provides financial support for organizations involved in advocacy work, consistent with the mission of the Grove Foundation.  FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence says, “We are grateful for the Grove Action Fund’s commitment to independent oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.”

The grant from the Grove Action Fund capped a great week. The highlight was the Fixin’ SMC summer celebration at the Half Moon Bay Brewery, attended by more than 60 people. The associated auction raised more than $2,500.  The celebration was co-sponsored by Abundant Grace, Puente de la Costa Sur, Coastside Families Taking Action, La Honda Indivisible, and The San Mateo County Democratic Party Farmworker Affairs Committee, along with Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose, Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez, and Councilmembers Debbie Ruddock, Harvey Rarback, and Robert Brownstone.

FxSMC is endorsed by 50 local elected officials, five city councils of East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Portola Valley, Redwood City, and San Mateo, and the North Fair Oaks Community Council, which together represent ⅓ of the county population, as well as by a coalition of 28 community organizations. In September 2022, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to research oversight models, and in November voted to move ahead with an ordinance that would incorporate both the civilian board and Inspector General that Fixin’ SMC had recommended. The County shares Fixin’s expectation to have an ordinance in place by year’s end, to be operational in 2024. 

Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is pleased to announce that FxSMC, together with representatives from four other California counties, have launched the California Coalition for Sheriff Overnight (CCSO). CCSO meets monthly with community members from Alameda, Marin, Monterey, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties, all of which are actively working to set up, or already have, oversight of the respective counties’ Sheriff’s Offices. Sacramento and Orange counties, which also already have oversight, are active as well. It is a great opportunity to share our learning and best practices in community outreach, engagement of public officials, and more. CCSO appreciates the support of the ACLU-Northern California in this effort.

FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence stated, “We are excited to be part of a cross-county learning community to help ensure effective models of oversight.”

FxSMC incorporated as a 501(c)4 nonprofit in November 2021 and launched a public advocacy campaign in March 2022. Fixin’ SMC,  endorsed by 50 elected officials, five city councils, and more than 25 community organizations, asked the Board of Supervisors to create a civilian oversight board and Inspector General’s office. In September 2022, the Board voted unanimously to create a subcommittee to begin this work by researching oversight models. That November, they voted unanimously again to move ahead with an ordinance that would incorporate both the civilian board and Inspector General that Fixin’ SMC had urged them to include. The County shares Fixin’s expectation to have an ordinance in place by year’s end, to be operationalized in 2024. 

Fixin’ San Mateo County (FxSMC) is pleased to announce that the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NorCal) has endorsed FxSMC and is partnering with them to support efforts to establish independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.  

FxSMC Board Chair Jim Lawrence stated, “We are very appreciative of the commitment by the ACLU-Northern California to support the effort for independent civilian oversight here.  We look forward to working with the ACLU as well as the Board of Supervisors and Sheriff Christina Corpus to make oversight a reality.”

ACLU-NorCal has been intentional in its efforts to support the establishment of civilian oversight of local sheriff departments, including working in collaboration with communities in Alameda and Sacramento counties. In May, the annual ACLU-NorCal conference featured a workshop on sheriff oversight, reflecting its commitment to expanding oversight as part of an effort to improve policing and public safety.  

FxSMC incorporated as a 501(c)4 nonprofit  in November 2021 and launched a public advocacy campaign in March 2022. With FxSMC  endorsements from 50 local elected officials and five city councils as well as 25 or more local organizations, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously  in September 2022 to set up a subcommittee to look at oversight models, and in November they voted unanimously to go ahead and establish oversight. Fixin’ SMC has been meeting with the Board subcommittee as they look at models. The expectation is to have an ordinance in place by year end, to be operationalized in 2024.  
In last year’s June 2022 primary election, the County also elected a new Sheriff (Christina Corpus, the first female Sheriff in the county, and one of two first Latina Sheriffs in California) who ran on a reform platform of transparency, integrity, and community engagement. Partnering with our Sheriff’s Office to create civilian oversight will provide our community an opportunity to assist the Sheriff in their mission to serve and protect public safety.

Draft Ordinance Sent to the Board of Supervisors

Thursday May 12, 2022, San Mateo County: Jim Lawrence, Board Chair of Fixin’ San Mateo County, distributed a draft ordinance to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors for a Civilian Oversight Board and Inspector General for the Sheriff’s Office. Fixin’ SMC asks the County Supervisors to review, approve, and adopt the ordinance, as permitted by AB 1185, the bill passed by the state legislature in 2020 which gives the Supervisors the legislative authority to set up such oversight with subpoena power.

As Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said, “Residents deserve an effective and responsive Sheriff’s Office that treats everyone equally and prides itself in service so much that it welcomes civilian oversight.”

On May 17 at 8:30 am, members of the community will rally, hold a press conference, and speak at the Board of Supervisors meeting during public comments, to remind the Board that public oversight should include the Sheriff, who holds one of the most powerful elected offices as the county’s highest ranking law enforcement officer. Oversight is vital to the safety of San Mateo County communities because law enforcement has the authority to detain, search, arrest, and use deadly force.

As Lawrence noted, “The time is overdue to implement checks and balances for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. The Office costs taxpayers approximately $300 million dollars annually, but lacks transparency, accountability, or any public reporting on how effectively and efficiently those funds are used, or on how the Sheriff’s Office personnel are held to professional standards of conduct.”

“Fiscal responsibility and transparency are important to the County… including independent citizen oversight.” (Drought, Wildfire and Sea Level Rise are the New Normal mailing from 400 County Center, April 2022)
Independent civilian oversight for the Sheriff’s Office has been endorsed by dozens of government, civic, faith, and community leaders countywide. For more information, please visit www.fixinsmc.org.