San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus gave an account of the efforts the Sheriff's Office makes on behalf of the entire community, through a letter issued by social networks, where he also highlighted the importance of a profound change in the police profession.
Corpus, who took office as sheriff of San Mateo County in January of this year, said in the letter open to the public that since his arrival at the agency, progress has been made in efforts to become deeply involved with the various communities in the area.
?In the 23 years I have served in the Sheriff's Office, I have dedicated myself to finding ways to serve people beyond our initial contact. “I love our county and I care deeply about it,” Corpus said.
In addition to the creation of CARE (Community Advisors for Responsible Participation) in the North, South and Coastal areas of the county, which already has 49 volunteers, Corpus recalled the quarterly meetings to debate in depth and provide new perspectives on issues such as data collection, mental health, operations, equitable policing, homelessness, and crime trends.
?CARE was not intended to replace any ?oversight? mechanism, but rather to be a safe place where everyone is welcome and has the opportunity to ask questions, contribute ideas and offer recommendations to the Sheriff's Office. Furthermore, I share how we do things and why we do them?, he said.
However, he pointed out that, "rather than focusing on what we find problematic about some forms of oversight, I want the community to know what we support and what we are already doing without the need for formal, ineffective and costly layers of bureaucracy."
In that sense, he noted that the estimated costs associated with supervision exceed $3.2 million, which hinders the programs and resources available to the communities served by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
In that sense, he pointed out that beyond the key concepts of transparency, commitment to the community and responsibility, a change is necessary in the guts of law enforcement.
?I think the police profession needs a change. Change must come from within, and change must be led from the top and reflect input from the communities we serve. Our vision at the Sheriff's Office is a world where all humanity is valued and respected. Where everyone is heard, and everyone is treated with dignity, compassion and respect. It is my inherent duty to you to lead that effort, not only for our community but for our profession. The police profession needs a change, and it is my intention for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office to be a role model, he said.
Sheriff Corpus explained that the way forward for modern policing requires a change in culture, as well as the inculcation of a culture in which purpose goes beyond simply enforcing the law.
?Our purpose is to protect the vulnerable from harm and to do so with compassion, dignity and respect. "We cannot compromise the security of our communities," he indicated.
"I hope they understand not only what we do, but also how and why we do it," Corpus said, noting that she is willing to create and foster open lines of communication and responsibility with the community she serves.
Personnel crisis, the challenge to solve
Like many other agencies in the Bay Area and across the country, he said, staffing and retention pose significant challenges.
And the personnel crisis has become a complicated problem throughout the country for security agencies. Currently, he stressed, there are 96 agents missing to face the daily security challenges in the county.
"Only thanks to the incredible efforts, sacrifices and sense of duty of our staff can we continue to provide excellent services throughout the county," he noted.
However, he explained that by researching oversight models across the country and accessing data from the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), he was not presented with a successful oversight model that benefits the community and ensure public safety.
?Bay Area agencies with oversight models face an added burden of trying to hire the best candidates, while also facing rising crime rates and exponential added costs of reacting to demands for compliance. supervision?.
That is why, he said, he seeks to improve resources to collaborate with the community and integrate opinions into significant changes. ?I look forward to working with the county to increase resources dedicated to the community to ensure their voices and views are heard.?
Likewise, he specified that modern police knowledge is obtained through communication, contributions, compassion and attention, not supervision. ?A culture supported by those values embraces the community on a deeper level.?
?As your elected Sheriff, I leave you with our mission statement that inspires what we do and why we do it: As stewards of our community, we envision a world where all humanity is valued and respected. We recognize our role as leaders in this effort and are committed to finding creative and effective ways to work with our residents, businesses and stakeholders and listen to their needs. We do this with a passion to preserve safety for everyone who lives, visits or works in San Mateo County. The women and men that I lead in this organization choose to serve you and provide you with a sense of security, which is what we will continue to do?
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