A new sheriff means new hope for safer community | Editorial

What is going to it imply to have a brand new sheriff in San Mateo County?

At this writing, challenger Christina Corpus was main incumbent Carlos Bolanos by 11 share factors, separated by greater than 12,000 votes, within the two-person race for San Mateo County Sheriff. Greater than every week after the polls closed, the tally is probably not full. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of votes have been counted — together with all by-mail ballots and vote heart ballots. All that continues to be, in accordance with county elections officers, are conditional and provisional ballots. Extra could trickle in, however there don’t look like almost sufficient hanging within the steadiness to overturn the early outcomes. And, although this was a major election, the outcomes of this one will resolve who holds this countywide workplace.

The first attracted fewer than 1 in 3 eligible California voters. That’s unlucky. Whereas the presidential election all the time attracts consideration, there’s a method through which smaller races have a much bigger impression in a given locale. Nationwide coverage can appear distant to our lives, however all of us encounter sheriff’s deputies recurrently on the coast.

And these days, legislation enforcement has been a major concern. Many — maybe most of us — have favored some police reforms within the lengthy months for the reason that homicide of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter motion. It’s not laborious to grasp why meaningless phrases like “defund the police” have alarmed legislation enforcement officers. A few of the criticism has been unfair, an insult to the tough and sometimes thankless work of {many professional} cops, and sometimes comes on the identical time People bemoan a perceived spike in crime. We’re humbled by the selfless efforts of Capitol Law enforcement officials to defend the hallowed halls of our democracy and damage to study of lethal delays storming Robb Elementary College as a killer mowed down kids. We now have a sophisticated relationship with our cops.

What most of us really need is to not defund police, per se, however moderately redirect some cash into social providers and psychological well being care and housing applications and academic alternatives that, taken as an entire, will create a stronger, more healthy and in the end much less lawless society. It will take a visionary sheriff to grasp that, and it stays to be seen whether or not Corpus shall be that form of sheriff.

In her marketing campaign supplies, she says she stands for “transparency,” “integrity” and “neighborhood engagement.” We could study that Corpus, who has mentioned that misogyny she skilled whereas a corrections officer knowledgeable her later years on the drive, attaches actual that means to these buzzwords. Corpus comes from contained in the division, however claims an out of doors perspective on issues like use-of-force insurance policies and the best way Tasers are deployed. She says she’s going to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement solely on a case-by-case foundation. These seem to be child steps moderately than large strides towards extra cooperative relationships with the communities the sheriff serves. Time will inform.

One factor is definite: Bolanos wasn’t notably fascinated about any of it. He’s resisted the institution of a residents oversight committee, declined to honor town of Half Moon Bay’s request that each one Coastside deputies be vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, shrugged off a reform proposal from two Metropolis Council members, waited for an election yr to find transparency, and has usually taken a paternal stance towards any public request for larger accountability.

Immediately we’ve hope {that a} new sheriff means a renewed Sheriff’s Workplace. Even Bolanos admits that morale is low and recruiting extra individuals to serve and shield is harder than ever. Maybe the election of Corpus will assist change that and extra.

— Clay Lambert