Supervisors Adopt Steps for Consideration of Sheriff’s Removal
Redwood City– The Board of Supervisors today approved steps by which it could consider removing an elected sheriff from office for cause.
The County’s outside counsel Alfonso Estrada, who answered Board questions about the process, emphasized that the procedures allow for “several independent checks” developed with “an eye toward fundamental fairness to the County and the sheriff.”
Today’s vote sets the process for implementing voter-approved Measure A which amended the County Charter through Dec. 31, 2028 to allow for the removal of a sheriff by the Board if it finds on a four-fifths vote that there is cause to do so. Cause include violating the law related to a sheriff’s duties, flagrant or repeated neglect of duties, misappropriation of public funds, willful falsification of documents or obstructing an investigation.
Next, the Board at a public meeting may consider sending the sheriff a Notice of Intent to Remove by a four-fifths vote. A notice must include the alleged reasons for removing the sheriff and a date to appear at a pre-removal conference. The Board has expressed its desire to ensure a fair and transparent process. Once the notice is sent, the next series of steps are tied to specific timeframes and the County’s outside counsel has estimated the total process, without any delays, could take about four months.
