This Saturday afternoon, Christina Corpus was sworn in as the new San Mateo County Sheriff, a milestone for the daughter of immigrants from Nicaragua and Mexico, as she became the first woman and Latina to hold office in the county.
From the College of San Mateo, the current Sheriff thanked all those who voted for her and took her to the position, in addition to congratulating each of the elected officials in San Mateo County during the past elections in November to 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 achieve 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. He bravely fought off his attacker and survived. Later, Christina was 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 alter the trajectory of my life and what the profession of law enforcement is like. They showed me the power of kindness and how people can forever influence someone's life," she said.
He noted that each member of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office today is 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, due to the cost of living and housing, which 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 mentorship in our organization. We cannot ignore the difficult circumstances Sheriff's deputies and deputies face every day."
In her speech, the Sheriff noted that law enforcement responds to tragedies on a daily basis.
“The first day of our races they basically gave us a new pack and every time we respond to a critical incident we put a bad in our pack but if we don't get those rocks out the pack will get too heavy when they don't we're not going to muscular, we are human. We take these traumatic experiences home with us and with our families. We take them with us, which is why it's so imperative to change the culture around mental wellness in our profession."
“It is time to break the stigma around mental wellbeing. We can't afford it, especially after the pandemic. Mental health, the mental well-being crisis has touched us, “he added.
In that sense, he 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 scrambling for answers and to develop a better solution. We all need to work and unite."
In this regard, he said that he seeks to duplicate the model and approach to the homeless that the city of Millbrae has worked on in recent years.
“My goal is to expand this model in all 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 main mission. To keep our community safe, we must learn the challenges and concerns of each community. All neighborhoods are different and unique," he stressed.
That is why Corpus seeks that all 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 maintain the 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 his shoes. I will work hard to modernize this profession and create more opportunities for each of us."
At the beginning of the event, the president of the Colegio de San Mateo, Jennifer Taylor Mendoza, was pleased to welcome Christina Corpus, who was a student of a centennial academic institution, back to her facilities, on this occasion, to be sworn in as the new Sheriff of the county of San Mateo, and recognized the challenges in the position.
"I congratulate her on her appointment as the county's first female sheriff and the 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, and new ideas and service to our communities”, stressed 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 in the company of his father gave a Bible to Corpus, 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 necessary wisdom to run the Sheriff's Office for the next 4 years."
The US national anthem was interpreted by the young Laura Oliver, while Fiorella Arias, a student at Casa Círculo Cultural, interpreted Alma Mía by María Grever.
Elizabeth Quiroz, author of the book 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 today's Sheriff to get out of 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 suffered so much physical abuse that I was placed in a foster home. At 15, I ran away from one abusive home and went straight to another, straight into the arms of my first trafficker."
She recounted that this dealer introduced her to methamphetamine, later he was a "dealer" and was trafficking for 12 years in San Francisco and San Mateo County.
"Through the years, I've been in and out of Valley State Prison, and various correctional facilities. I was 26 years old when I was last arrested and lost custody of my son. My confidence in law enforcement was compromised at a young age. I assumed they were all bad and couldn't be trusted."
However, he explained that in his last five-year stint in the San Mateo County Jail, Officer Christina Corpus became his support system.
“Overall it helped me escape hell. She saw the good in me when I couldn't. Every time I got into a fight that placed me on maximum security, Corpus would take the time to talk to me and plant seeds of hope in me," he said.
"You will do it. You have so much potential, this is not the life for you. Without his seeds of hope I would not 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 complete a master's degree in social justice and human rights. by Arizona State University.
“Sheriff Christina Corpus helped me rebuild my trust in law enforcement and today I am proud of the strong relationships I have with them and with public servants throughout the Bay Area. I now work closely 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 the officers who work to protect the population because, he said, "when they put on their uniform in the morning and go out the front door, they have a target on their back, and when they return that target is still there."
She assured that she got involved in the Corpus campaign because she trusted that she would be a breath of fresh air and because she is a believer in the 3 R's, “responsibility, respect and reciprocity. And every time I saw her in action anywhere in this county, that exuded from her. She is authentic. It puts people above processes."
The colonel was followed by California Senator for the 13th District, 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, because it 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 think that's exactly what we need in this county. His leadership is especially important because our expectations have been growing and evolving from what we ask of our Public Safety officers and we demand a lot."
“It is incredibly difficult work, sometimes very dangerous. And even in these last two weeks, we've all been huddled at home. And during these torrents, the sheriffs are on the front lines. Helpers 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, since they must interact with the people and know their needs, especially in these times when, throughout the country, the relationship has been tense between the communities and law enforcement, so you need to build trust between both sides, something Corpus has shown throughout his career.
"I think we've heard very clearly that trust is at the core and she's 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 throughout the county."
"Let's unite around her and support her so that we can fulfill 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 San Mateo County Sheriff on the YouTube channel of Peninsula 360 Press.
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