On Saturday afternoon, Christina Corpus was sworn in as the new Sheriff of San Mateo County, a milestone for the daughter of immigrants from Nicaragua and Mexico, as she became the first woman and Latina to hold the position in the county.
From San Mateo College, the current Sheriff thanked all those who voted for her and brought her to office, in addition to congratulating each of the officials elected in San Mateo County during the last elections in November and all the mayors and police chiefs of each of the cities that make up the county.
"I learned that nothing is impossible when people come together. This community can accomplish so much more when we put our minds to it," Corpus said after being sworn in by Elizabeth K. Lee, presiding judge of the San Mateo County Superior Court.
Corpus recalled that when she was sixteen, she was attacked in a violent carjacking attempt at the Tanforan mall. She bravely fought off her attacker and survived. Christina was later helped by police officers who treated her with empathy and respect.
“I was treated with respect and compassion, with empathy and with dignity, which forever altered the trajectory of my life and what the law enforcement profession is like. I was shown the power of kindness and how people can forever impact someone’s life,” he said.
He noted that each member of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is currently deeply committed to the community, but one of the biggest challenges is the difficulty in retaining and hiring qualified candidates on the peninsula. In particular, the cost of living and housing have had an impact on recruitment and retention efforts.
“One of my top priorities will be to implement new incentives to improve working conditions and instill a culture of support and mentoring in our organization. We cannot ignore the difficult circumstances that Sheriff’s deputies and officers face every day.”
In her speech, the Sheriff highlighted that law enforcement responds to tragedies on a daily basis.
“On the first day of our careers we were basically given a new backpack and every time we respond to a critical incident, we put a bad thing in our backpack, but if we don’t take those stones out, the backpack is going to get too heavy when they don’t, we’re not going to muscle in, we’re human. We take these traumatic experiences home and we take them to our families. We take them with us, which is why it’s so imperative to change the culture around mental wellbeing in our profession.”
“It’s time to break the stigma around mental wellbeing. We can’t afford to do that, especially after the pandemic. Mental health, the mental wellbeing crisis has hit us,” she added.
In that regard, she explained that in many areas of our county, one of the most intractable problems is the mental health crisis and its nexus with homelessness. “It has left our community struggling for answers and to develop a better solution. We all need to work together and come together.”
In that regard, he said he is looking to duplicate the model and approach to homeless people that the city of Millbrae has worked on in recent years.
“My goal is to expand this model across all of the communities we serve in this great work. That includes how we respond to calls for service in relation to those experiencing mental health crises.”
“Safety is and always will be my primary mission. To keep our community safe, we must learn the challenges and concerns of each community. Every neighborhood is different and unique,” he stressed.
That is why Corpus seeks to have each of the parts of the law work together to foster trust and transparency with the community, while strengthening public safety, to "make our communities safer" and keep weapons out of the hands of those who should not possess them.
“As I always say, ‘fear is the devil’s courage.’ Like many women in law enforcement, I have walked in your shoes. I will work tenaciously to modernize this profession and create more opportunities for each of us.”
At the start of the event, San Mateo College President Jennifer Taylor Mendoza was pleased to welcome back to her facilities Christina Corpus, who was a student of the century-old academic institution, on this occasion, to be sworn in as the new Sheriff of San Mateo County, and acknowledged the challenges of the position.
“I congratulate her on her appointment as the county’s first female sheriff and first Latina. I understand, female leaders, unique challenges, but even more importantly, I know that the beneficial opportunities that arise from those challenges allow us to bring new perspectives, new ideas and service to our communities,” said Taylor Mendoza.
At the time, Pastor Josh Arias offered a prayer to bless the Corpus administration and the members of the entire San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
In his prayers, the pastor, who along with his father gave Corpus a Bible, prayed for every man and woman in uniform who risk their lives every day to protect the community. He also asked for the safety of the town, and for the Sheriff to have “the wisdom necessary to manage the Sheriff’s Office for the next 4 years.”
The U.S. national anthem was performed by young Laura Oliver, while Fiorella Arias, a student at Casa Círculo Cultural, performed Alma Mía by María Grever.
Elizabeth Quiroz, author of Purified in the Flame, co-founder of Redemption House of the Bay Area, and survivor of human trafficking, gave an emotional testimony of how she was supported by the current Sheriff to escape a world of abuse and drugs.
“I am a survivor of human trafficking because I decided that I would not become a statistic as a result of adversity. My name is Elizabeth Quiroz and I have overcome addiction, human trafficking and incarceration,” she said.
“I grew up in a family of gang members, alcoholics, and drug addicts. As a child, I was so physically abused that I was placed in foster care. At 15, I ran away from one abusive home and went straight to another, straight into the arms of my first trafficker.”
She said that this trafficker introduced her to methamphetamine, then became a dealer and was trafficking for 12 years in San Francisco and San Mateo County.
“Over the years, I was in and out of Valley State Prison, and various correctional facilities. I was 26 when I was last arrested and lost custody of my son. My trust in law enforcement was compromised at an early age. I assumed everyone was bad and could not be trusted.”
However, he explained that during his last five-year stint in the San Mateo County Jail, Officer Christina Corpus became his support system.
“Overall she helped me escape hell. She saw the good in me when I couldn’t. Every time I got into a fight that put me in maximum security, Corpus would take the time to talk to me and plant seeds of hope in me,” he said.
“You will. You have so much potential, this is not the life for you. Without your seeds of hope I wouldn’t have been able to get to where I am today,” said Elizabeth, who has been sober for 11 years, regained custody of her son in December 2020 and is about to finish a master’s degree in social justice and human rights from Arizona State University.
“Sheriff Christina Corpus helped me regain trust in law enforcement, and today I am proud of the strong relationships I have with them and public servants throughout the Bay Area. I now work side-by-side with law enforcement to raise awareness about human trafficking and have the opportunity to work with amazing law enforcement officers.”
Colonel William Peacock asked for a round of applause for all officers who work to protect the population because, he said, "when they put on their uniform in the morning and walk out the front door, they have a target on their back, and when they come back, that target is still there."
She said she got involved in Corpus’ campaign because she was confident she would be a breath of fresh air and because she is a believer in the 3 Rs, “responsibility, respect and reciprocity. And every time I saw her in action anywhere in this county, that exuded from her. She is authentic. She puts people over processes.”
The colonel was followed by California Senator for District 13, Josh Becker, who noted that Christina Corpus inspires people, and that while this new beginning marks new adventures and opportunities, it is important not to put all the burden on Corpus, as she cannot solve all the problems of our time.
“I am proud to have been one of the first to support Christina and her commitment to transparency and integrity on behalf of all residents. I believe that is exactly what we need in this county. Her leadership is especially important because our expectations have been growing and evolving in what we ask of our Public Safety officers and we demand a lot.”
“It’s an incredibly difficult job, sometimes very dangerous. And even these last two weeks, we’ve all been hunkered down at home. And during these torrents, sheriffs are on the front lines. Deputies are on the front lines helping those in our communities,” he stressed.
The senator recalled that the work of the Sheriff and his team is not easy, as they must interact with people and understand their needs, especially in these times when, throughout the country, the relationship has been tense between communities and law enforcement, so it is necessary to promote trust between both sides, something that Corpus has shown throughout his career.
“I think we’ve heard very clearly that trust is at the core and she is the perfect person to do that. She also understands how important it is to recruit and retain great talent, while also looking at areas to improve practices across the county.”
“Let us unite around her and support her so that we can make real this promise and the hope that we all feel today and that is embodied in our new Sheriff, Christina Corpus.”
You can watch the ceremony where Christina Corpus was sworn in as the new Sheriff of San Mateo County on the YouTube channel of Peninsula 360 Press.
You may be interested in: Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller sworn in as new San Mateo County supervisors
