As the race to appoint a new sheriff heats up in San Mateo County, the community witnessed a public candidate forum held at the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Redwood City, streamed for wider accessibility. The forum yesterday provided a platform for the three shortlisted candidates to outline their visions for the Sheriff's Office and address pressing public concerns, such as community policing and immigration enforcement. The appointment will follow a speedy selection process necessitated by the previous sheriff's removal, a decision taken by the Board of Supervisors, according to San Mateo County government news.
The finalists, each with a deep well of experience in law enforcement, stepped up to make their case. Kenneth Binder, holding the interim Chief of Police position in Gilroy, David Lazar, the retired Assistant Chief with the San Francisco Police Department, and Brian Wynn Huynh Travis, operating as Chief of Police for the Solano Community College District, all detailed their qualifications and their goals if they were to become Sheriff. KTVU reported Travis saying, "To now be considered for sheriff in the very county where my American journey began is profoundly meaningful...it's both a homecoming and a fulfillment of purpose."
Residents attending the forum and those joining online had submitted nearly 400 questions in advance, with a large portion concerning the Sheriff's Office's stance on immigration, reflecting the intensified federal efforts under the previous administration, according to the announcements. Binder addressed this head-on, "I will never allow our deputies to ask anyone what their immigration status is. We won't allow ICE anywhere that the public is not allowed...As an overseer of jails, we won't cooperate with ICE," he told KTVU.
In the forum intended to ensure incidents are transparent in every aspect, it was Lazar who seemed to garner significant vocal community support, with retired police officer Brian Peagler sharing his experiences working with Lazar, "The things he spoke about, honesty, integrity, calling people back. Getting you the equipment you need to do your job," Peagler emphasized to KTVU. With the Board set to make its final decision on Nov. 12, the County holds its breath, as a new sheriff prepares to don the mantle and rebuild bridges, both within the department and across the varied communities it serves.
