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Community Update:
Public Safety & What’s Ahead
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Dear Neighbors,
Happy New Year! Thank you for staying engaged and connected as we continue working together to build a stronger San Mateo County.
We are working hard to keep communities safe and moving forward. In this edition of our newsletter, we wanted to highlight recent work I have been engaged in to provide for the public's safety.
Below are a few highlights of recent work and what’s ahead.
As always, I am honored to serve as your County Supervisor and share my work to protect and improve the quality of life for all San Mateo County residents.
If you would like to respond to this newsletter, or contact us for any reason, please email SMC_SupMueller@smcgov.org.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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 Supervisor Ray Mueller
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Meet the Sheriff
Since the start of 2026, I’ve hosted a series of Meet the Sheriff events across the district to introduce our new Sheriff Ken Binder, and allow him to hear directly from residents and community leaders. It’s been great to hear from Sheriff Binder and local law enforcement on issues of public safety, accountability, and transparency.
We have another meet and greet set for La Honda on February 5th and even more events are being planned for Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, San Carlos and Woodside in the coming months! I look forward to continuing these important discussions with you.
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New Leadership Roles
I’m honored to share that I’ve been appointed Chair of the Emergency Services Council for San Mateo County, and Vice Chair of the Administration of Justice Policy Committee for the California State Association of Counties (CSAC).
In my role as Chair of the Emergency Services Council, I will be working with the San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management and representatives from every City in San Mateo County to make certain we are ready to respond to future natural hazard events, with effective preparation, response, mitigation plans, and adequate resources.
As Vice Chair of the Administration of Justice Policy Committee for the California State Association of Counties, I will be working to provide oversight regarding current and proposed state and federal policies related to California’s justice and public safety systems, including, Local Law Enforcement, the Courts, Grand Juries, Adult and Juvenile Detention, and Juvenile Justice programs.
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Strengthening Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking |
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With the Super Bowl and World Cup approaching, San Mateo County has been proactive in preparing for increased risks of human trafficking. Beginning last June, Supervisor Jackie Speier and I proposed allocating funding to reinstate the County’s Human Trafficking Taskforce.
In December, with District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe and Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Officials, we hosted the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Action Plan Kickoff, bringing together more than 230 stakeholders from law enforcement, nonprofits, and government agencies to coordinate ahead of these major events. This work is being done in close partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Northern District of California), the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC).
Since its reinstatement, the Human Trafficking Taskforce has already assisted multiple cities with proactive enforcement and sting operations.
Later this month, an item will come before the Board to add additional positions and equipment to further support this critical work, making sure we have adequate resources to assist survivors The County is investing in training for law enforcement, nonprofits, and private industry, including a three-day human trafficking training sponsored by the District Attorney’s Office this week.
If you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, especially related to short-term rentals, please report and call the Sheriff’s Office. You can also call the national hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Learn more about the County’s efforts below:
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Protecting Our Coastline
Protecting our coastline has been a top priority, and I have been vocal and unwavering in my opposition to offshore oil drilling and expanded oil and gas development along the Central Coast.
When plans were first announced, I took immediate action. In July 2025, Supervisor Speier and I co-sponsored a resolution formally conveying San Mateo County’s unwavering opposition to oil and gas development on public lands within the Central Coast Field Office planning area. This stance was later highlighted by the San Francisco Chronicle, underscoring our commitment to protecting both offshore waters and public lands.
This work continues. At the January 13 Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Speier and I co-sponsored a resolution expressing the County’s strong and unequivocal opposition to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s proposed 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
The item also authorized the submission of a formal comment letter opposing the proposal which you can read here.
Our coastline, marine sanctuary, agricultural lands, and coastal communities are irreplaceable. I will continue to stand firm against efforts that put our environment, economy, and public safety at risk.
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Thank you for your continued involvement and partnership. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or ideas.
And of course…go Niners! 🏈
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