San Mateo County deputy sheriff's union calls out Corpus as tensions mount
Dozens of San Mateo County deputies and their supporters gathered outside the County Center in Redwood City on Tuesday to air their grievances against Sheriff Christina Corpus and her Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle.
The San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff's Association and Office of Sheriff's Sergeants unions have accused Aenlle of creating a toxic work environment and interfering with protected union activities.
"Our sheriff's office is ripped by an atmosphere of unease and retaliation, largely due to the conduct of Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle," said Carlos Tapia at the event, president of the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff's Association.
The deputy sheriff's association, or DSA, has filed multiple complaints of unfair labor practices with the California Public Employment Relations Board, they said. They allege that the sheriff's department administration did not properly consult with the DSA before making several policy decisions.
"It's been building up, but I think where it finally got really, really bad was during a recent negotiation regarding mandatory overtime policy," Tapia said. "During this meet and confer process, the sheriff's office administration walked away from the table and then instituted their own policy without confirming with us first. Then they changed the minimum and maximum staffing numbers in the jails, again without consulting with us."
They also accused Aenlle of union busting. In their complaint, the DSA said that Aenlle pressured the DSA to change their leadership during the meeting.
"At the County meeting on Aug. 13, 2024, Aenlle attempted to coerce the DSA members in attendance to recall the DSA board," according to a statement in the filed complaint.
Aenlle's conduct has contributed to a shaky relationship between the department and DSA, they said.
"Historically, the sheriff's department and the DSA have worked together with mutual respect and partnership to solve problems," said Sean Currin, a lawyer representing the deputy sheriff's association. "Once this administration took over, President Tapia and the DSA were dismissed repeatedly, fracturing the relationship. The reason for this fracture is Victor Aenlle."
Last week, Aenlle faced a vote of "no confidence" from the DSA and the Office of Sheriff's Sergeants, or OSS. 96% of members from both unions approved the "no confidence" vote.
"His behavior toward employees has been nothing short of reprehensible, leading to emotional distress among both sworn officers and civilian staff," Tapia said. "His inappropriate and outsized influence over the command staff has left many too afraid to speak out."
The unions said Corpus ignored the concerns of the DSA and OSS, instead accusing them of "political theater," as Corpus said in a statement released last week.
"Special interests seeking to undermine my leadership have sought to bully me with a vote of 'no confidence' against my Chief of Staff," Corpus said. "No one will intimidate me into making personnel changes. This vote is nothing more than a political stunt led by a few insiders seeking to divide this office."
The DSA and OSS denounced Corpus' response to their complaints, which they say has led to a sense of distrust with administration in the sheriff's office.
"The sheriff had a choice," Tapia said. "Instead of launching a thorough investigation or taking appropriate action, she chose to dismiss our concerns. She accused us of being a small, disruptive group."
The vote holds no legal authority over Aenlle or the Sheriff's Office, but it has captured the attention of the county Board of Supervisors. Supervisors David Canepa and Noelia Corzo attended Tuesday's press conference to show their support for the unions and call out Corpus' response.
"It is incumbent on this sheriff to make sure that she listens to the employees of this organization. I can't sit by idle or stand idle and see our employees be treated the way they're being treated," Canepa said. "It is truly, truly important that the sheriff meets with the DSA, meets with the OSS, sits down and has concrete conversations. What the sheriff is doing now is not working."
It's not the first time that sheriff's deputies have complained about Corpus and Aenlle. David Wozniak, a former sheriff's deputy and president of the DSA, sued Corpus and Aenlle earlier this year for allegedly demoting him in retaliation for refusing to endorse Corpus during her campaign for sheriff.
The board said in a statement that the county has hired an outside investigator, a retired California superior court judge, to get to the bottom of the discord between the Sheriff's Office leadership and its deputies. The investigation "is distinct and separate" from the unfair labor practice complaints filed with PERB by the union, according to the statement.
"This vote of 'no confidence' is not political, but rather the sad reality of the state of the sheriff's department," Currin said. "The people of San Mateo County need to know how their brothers and sisters in blue are being mistreated."