San Mateo County supervisors pick three finalists for sheriff after Corpus’ historic ouster
With just days to decide, San Mateo County supervisors interviewed candidates Thursday to replace Sheriff Christina Corpus, who was removed last month over allegations of conflict-of-interest violations and retaliation against deputies — accusations she denies.
The board is moving quickly to fill the top law enforcement post in an appointment that follows Corpus’ historic ouster, the first time a county board in California has removed an elected sheriff. The next appointee will inherit an 800-person department that has long grappled with internal turmoil, public scrutiny and strained morale.
The sheriff’s office covers unincorporated areas such as North Fair Oaks and the coast, provides contract services to Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, San Carlos, Portola Valley, Woodside, Caltrain and SamTrans, and manages the Maguire Correctional Facility and Maple Street Correctional Center. It also runs countywide task forces targeting narcotics, vehicle thefts and gang activity, and coordinates search-and-rescue and mutual-aid operations.
Thursday’s special meeting marked the start of the final phase of the selection process for a new sheriff. Supervisors narrowed the field from six qualified candidates to three finalists. The new sheriff will serve through 2028.
County Executive Officer Mike Callagy described the process as “a monumental, historic lift in a very short period of time.”
Twelve candidates initially applied for the role, but five were screened out during the review process. One of the seven qualified candidates, San Francisco Police Capt. Kevin Lee, withdrew Thursday morning. No reason was given.
On Thursday, the remaining six were each allotted 30 minutes to make opening and closing statements and answer questions from the board.
After the interviews, each supervisor selected up to three names on a voting sheet, with the county attorney tallying the results aloud. The three candidates who received the most votes have advanced to a public forum next week, which will be followed by final interviews and an appointment vote.
None of the applicants were women. They were:
– Kenneth Binder, interim chief of police for Gilroy and former undersheriff at the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
– John Doug Davis, city manager for Hillsborough and the former chief of police for the Hillsborough Police Department
– David Lazar, a retired assistant chief for the San Francisco Police Department
– Brian Wynn Huynh Travis, chief of police and director of Public Safety for the Solano Community College District
– David Weidner, a Range Master for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office
– Robert Yick, a captain and second in command for the San Francisco State University Police Department
As of Thursday afternoon, Binder, Lazar and Travis received the most votes and advanced to the next round.
During the question portion of the session, supervisors pressed candidates on their approaches to rebuilding public trust and department morale, managing budgets, supporting women’s advancement, collaborating with civilian oversight, reducing jail violence and in-custody deaths and maintaining transparency through measures such as body-worn cameras.
Even after the county finalized Corpus’ ouster, public commenters voiced frustration and challenged the process.
Most speakers were Corpus supporters who questioned the constitutionality of Measure A, the charter amendment that lets supervisors remove a sheriff and appoint a replacement until 2028 for the elected position.
The next sheriff will inherit not only an agency in flux, but also a six-figure salary. According to Transparent California, the previous sheriff earned $384,246 in total compensation in 2024, typical for California sheriff’s offices.
Fixin’ San Mateo County, a citizen-led reform group, urged the board to pair the appointment with stronger oversight.
“This is a critical opportunity for the Board to set a new standard for transparency,” said Nancy Goodban, the group’s executive director. “By pairing the appointment with an AB 1185 oversight mechanism, the Board can ensure that the Sheriff’s Office remains accountable to the community it serves.”
Goodban was referring to a state law that went into effect in 2021, which allows counties to establish an independent civilian review of law enforcement agencies.
The appointment process followed a contentious vote last month in which supervisors opted 3–2 to appoint a successor rather than call a special election — a move that would have cost an estimated $3.2 million and taken several months.
Supervisor David Canepa, who pushed for a public vote, called the decision “undemocratic” but was outnumbered.
The three finalists will take part in a public question-and-answer session at 6 p.m. on Nov. 10. Residents can submit questions in advance at smcgov.org/ceo/new-sheriff. The board is expected to hold final interviews and make its selection at 9 a.m. on Nov. 12.