San Mateo Sheriff Wants $4.2M for Radios - and Maybe a Few Massage Chairs Too

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is raising eyebrows over spending in the Sheriff's Office, particularly regarding Sheriff Christina Corpus's request for millions to upgrade radio equipment. Interestingly, Corpus was a no-show at the meeting where these concerns were discussed.

During the meeting, the Board was set to vote on a hefty $4.2 million allocation aimed at updating and replacing outdated radio equipment. This expenditure was not linked to the Board's potential proceedings to remove Corpus from her position. Just last month, voters passed Measure A, which grants the Board temporary authority to oust the sheriff following a damning 400-page investigation into alleged misconduct involving Corpus.

What was initially expected to be a straightforward approval turned into a heated debate, putting Corpus and her office in yet another contentious spotlight. The discussion unearthed an attempt by the Sheriff's Office to purchase ten massage chairs using county funds, which raised even more eyebrows.

Supervisor Jackie Speier took the initiative to move the funding decision off the consent calendar and onto the regular agenda, wanting to engage directly with Corpus about the spending. However, when the time came for discussion, Corpus was absent, leaving Undersheriff Dan Perea to represent the Sheriff's Office. Perea explained that Corpus was tied up in another meeting.

Speier did not hold back in expressing her disappointment over Corpus's absence. "We expect department heads to appear when they have issues before the Board of Supervisors," she stated firmly to Perea. "Moving forward, please alert her that if she has an item on the agenda, she should be prepared to come to the Board meeting."

The Sheriff's Office had already purchased 425 radios at a cost of $10,000 each, but the allocation of funds from the county's Public Safety Augmentation Fund to cover this expense required Board approval. While some large purchases can proceed without Board oversight, the $4.2 million request raised significant concerns for Speier, who is actively working on a resolution to enhance Board oversight on spending in county departments.

County Attorney John Nibbelin clarified during the meeting that while departments do have the authority to make purchases, sometimes through the procurement department, the magnitude of this expenditure warranted scrutiny. Speier pointed out that her concerns were not limited to this instance but also included other questionable spending attempts by the Sheriff's Office.

"I've been made aware that there have been 10 massage chairs that were requested through procurement," Speier noted, adding that thankfully, the Office of Procurement had declined the request. Perea acknowledged he was aware of the attempted purchase but could not provide details on how the idea to buy massage chairs with county funding came about. He mentioned that he didn't believe he was involved in the approval process and could not confirm if Corpus had signed off on it.

"It was part of 'officer wellness,' as I understand it," Perea explained. "I don't think I'm the best person, the most informed person right now to speak about that."

Ultimately, the Board unanimously authorized the appropriation of funds for the new radios. However, the ambiguity surrounding the Sheriff's Office's purchasing decisions, particularly regarding the massage chairs, prompted the Board to request that Corpus attend a future meeting to clarify the department's procurement process.

"The whole procurement process is something that I think we need to have a better understanding of," Speier concluded, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in county spending.