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Redwood City — The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors today announced the finalists being considered for appointment as the next sheriff. The finalists will take part in a public candidate forum at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, in the Board Chambers, 500 County Center, Redwood City.
At a special meeting today, Supervisors agreed to advance the following candidates:
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Kenneth Binder: Ken currently serves as the Interim Chief of Police for the City of Gilroy. The majority of Ken’s career was served with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. As Undersheriff, he led all operations for the agency’s $551 million budget and 1,893 sworn and professional staff positions. Ken holds a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration- Finance, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
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David Lazar: David is retired from San Francisco Police Department. David’s 33-year career includes serving as Assistant Chief, assigned to over the 35 separate assignments. David served as a California State Police Law Enforcement Explorer and a San Francisco Police Activities League Cadet, attended the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Explorer Academy. He was a student officer at San Francisco City College, a 911 dispatcher for the SFPD, and then a Public Safety Officer for the University of San Francisco.
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Brian Wynn Huynh Travis: Brian currently serves as Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety for the Solano Community College District. Previously, he spent nearly 14 years with the Solano County Sheriff’s Office (550 employees), where he was part of a command staff while leading valued employees. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, Brian holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management and a POST Executive Certificate. Brian is a retired U.S. Army Major with 26 years of service, and successful deployments to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq while leading soldiers in combat zones.
“From the start, the Board wanted this to be a process the public could see and take part in,” said Board President David Canepa. “Today, everyone had their first look at the candidates, and Monday’s forum will give residents another chance to hear directly from the finalists about their vision for public safety in San Mateo County.”
Applications for the position of Sheriff were accepted until noon on Wednesday, November 5. All submissions were reviewed to ensure each applicant met the legal qualifications for appointment as Sheriff and included the required materials. The materials, which comprised a résumé, answers to supplemental questions, a biographical statement, a photo, and a two-minute video showcasing the candidate’s vision and approach for serving as Sheriff, were made available for public viewing online at smcgov.org/ceo/new-sheriff.
The six qualified applicants (a seventh withdrew) were referred for the first round of interviews, which were conducted during the special board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 6. Each candidate was provided with time for an introductory statement, followed by questions from each Board member, and a closing statement. The Board then identified three candidates to advance as finalists, and each member’s selections were announced publicly.
“Our mandate and responsibility is to appoint a sheriff who will provide steady leadership within the department and uphold the public’s trust in the office,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller.
On Monday, Nov. 10, a moderated public forum will give residents an opportunity to hear directly from the finalists about their vision, priorities and ideas for the future of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Community members may submit questions for the moderators’ consideration using an online form. Submissions are encouraged and due by noon on Friday, Nov. 7.
“The role of sheriff in San Mateo County holds great responsibility for ensuring accountable leadership: leadership that serves all our diverse communities, across the breadth of duties, from jail operations to patrols,” said Supervisor Lisa Gauthier. “The process our Board has adopted reflects our commitment to finding the right leadership for the Sheriff’s Office.”
Every step of the process is taking place in public – from announcing and advertising the opening, to today’s Board meeting, hosting Monday’s community forum and making the final appointment. County outreach in multiple languages, through local media, social platforms and print materials, encourages public participation throughout the process.
Together, these efforts give residents more ways to get to know the candidates, ask questions and participate in the proceedings in person or virtually before the Board selects a new sheriff on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
What’s Next: Following Monday’s forum, the Board will hold final public interviews and consider an appointment at a special meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, in Board Chambers.
Spanish interpretation will be available for both meetings. Residents requesting accessibility accommodations may call 650-363-4123 or emailsgolestan@smcgov.org in advance of the meeting.
Under Section 415 of the County Charter, the Board must fill the sheriff vacancy by Nov. 13, 2025. An appointed sheriff must live in San Mateo County and meet all applicable legal and professional requirements, including certification from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) or equivalent experience.
For complete details, visit smcgov.org/ceo/new-sheriff.
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