[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6604422,"mediaKeyId","2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a","parentId",2989053,"title","Public urges oversight: restore personal mail, investigate recent jail deaths, expand diversion and voting access","audioSeconds",902,"startMs",7503000,"endMs",8405000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a&start=7503&end=8405","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a/thumbnail_7503000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6604422/San-Mateo-County/California/Public-urges-oversight-restore-personal-mail-investigate-recent-jail-deaths-expand-diversion-and-voting-access","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6604422-f381446d79d1bff7729d89371ebf28b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171003&Signature=KzBK-~PecPRPKfc3gQxF~VAcPdn2OnLWweEulZIkp9rAze0PgYltb5T8RvyKAADIEr1peY3COJ7YjmMrMmmj2DGu39cLyvaS5O55~kQZysxhxglnjvsew5zgK77K0EQZlboasM~g7QS7NjaP2q5UyLYn-AYjA31DViPepOuecW9n5u8Q26TTmPDRqe868L0ytJ5u1gMX2NjTFnsH~eTzthp7U31mCypVlvp9uG36zI6~FRjDsuE3WzfIKTbEP95Ms1gHQFDye5-0BsKdi5kta2BaILnDa80QhZBvo7MztSKNJMRHBQ6cgFg7dc83qWefhTm0QwlpytFow5sHIPelsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-15T06:54:45.383Z","article","Several members of the public used the commission’s general-comment period to urge policy changes at the county jail and to ask the new oversight body to prioritize specific inquiries.

Speakers asked the commission to press the sheriff’s office to restore the practice of allowing incarcerated people to receive physical personal mail (cards, photos and birthday cards) rather than relying solely on digital ('veil' or tablet) delivery. “Receiving personal mail physically should be allowed within our jail system,” said Lauren Patton McCombs (identified in the transcript as Deacon McCombs), citing the value of tangible contact for people separated from family.

Mental-health advocates urged an independent review of recent in-custody deaths and stronger diversion options. Kate Phillips, representing NAMI San Mateo County, said the organization is “very concerned about 5 deaths that have taken place in McGuire over the past year and a half” and asked the commission to “initiate an independent review into the circumstances of these 5 recent deaths” and to urge the Board of Supervisors to fund diversion programs, including a recommended 24-hour drop-in respite center.

Legal-services and voting-rights advocates asked the commission to consider increasing voter registration and access for eligible people held in county jails. Eric Sapp, staff attorney at Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, told the commission that “hundreds and hundreds of persons incarcerated in the San Mateo County Jails are eligible to vote” but that only small numbers cast ballots in the last election; he asked the commission to consider facilitating access for voter registration and same-day or conditional ballots.

Other speakers asked that the commission create or advocate for an independent complaints process for oversight of the sheriff’s office, and several speakers left written letters for the commissioners to review. Several public commenters thanked the sheriff for some program changes while urging additional transparency and independent review.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged the written submissions and said the material would be posted to the commission website and distributed to commissioners in a single batch. Commissioners did not take formal action on these requests at the meeting but asked staff to include community requests among onboarding materials and future agenda planning.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Independent Civilian Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office, July 16, 2024 6:00pm","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple public commenters asked the commission to press for restored physical mail for people in custody, an independent review of recent deaths at Maguire Jail, more diversion programs for mental-health and substance-use crises, and measures to increase voter registration and voting access for eligible incarcerated people.","taxTitle","San Mateo County, California","taxId",3572,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6604427,"New commission votes to meet monthly; approves onboarding schedule and Nov. 16 retreat",1381,6129000,7510000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a&start=6129&end=7510","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a/thumbnail_6129000.jpg","/articles/6604427/San-Mateo-County/California/New-commission-votes-to-meet-monthly-approves-onboarding-schedule-and-Nov-16-retreat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6604427-2d3d085fe769bd321bb9a167cc67e677/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171003&Signature=eRvoVcKJn7qOw2GJimY9GG4bkILcnR4Nf5Q9Nrh~lDho9Y1RA9bghZclUgSHRhakJmOWZSx1avcMPaE~~LKUWOz6x~tTipvXFrfN04gMugPUvTjrzeVWcG6-n5hJKRN4vLcCAHC5K89yo7l8afDhz9EBaD733otYe2y1wSw8gs6e3aOcnj-gYig-P-lJ-NQfawbUt~-OQw~SfYRc6VuW54b8Vqgh0igx3kfSjLFQMEeyDc31TL99bqthQCx0SZUZoHi9B0MSAmONXwxGEqs2rJE727q1X9io~uu2c-iP8EtbZoYfgxC~doVaXQSzUop0~46iCIWy-utNdja0A55hJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Independent Civilian Advisory Commission voted to adopt a schedule for onboarding meetings, the inaugural retreat and a regular meeting cadence.

Commissioners approved a motion that set onboarding meetings on the first and third Wednesdays (with the next meeting scheduled for Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m.), a one-day retreat on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a regular monthly meeting cadence beginning in January (first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., excluding December). The motion passed by roll call vote with all seven commissioners present voting in the affirmative.

Roll call recorded the following votes: Marco Durazo — Aye; Michael Fisher — Aye; William McLear — Aye; Shirley Melnico — Aye; Kalima Salahuddin — Aye; Robert Solano — Aye; James Simmons — Aye. Staff confirmed the commission’s next meeting will be Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m.

The clerk explained staff had proposed a more intensive onboarding schedule through November to get commissioners oriented to the sheriff’s operations, legal requirements and data needs; commissioners said they prefer more frequent meetings during onboarding and monthly meetings thereafter, and staff agreed to include onboarding materials and a data module for the sheriff’s office.

The motion was seconded and approved by voice/roll-call. Commissioners and staff will publish the adopted schedule and notify the public; staff also noted the commission’s website and a commission-specific email address for public submissions.","The Independent Civilian Advisory Commission voted unanimously to set an onboarding and meeting schedule through November, approved a one-day retreat on Nov. 16, and resolved regular monthly meetings beginning in January with specific evening start times.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6604431,"County attorney briefs new commission on the Brown Act, remote attendance and conflicts of interest",1299,4289000,5588000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a&start=4289&end=5588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a/thumbnail_4289000.jpg","/articles/6604431/San-Mateo-County/California/County-attorney-briefs-new-commission-on-the-Brown-Act-remote-attendance-and-conflicts-of-interest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6604431-35822b887fc6f12415970b9e628d84e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171003&Signature=d8DTJYFVHhj8x9YEJRrLVPF8VcHPv7D8QE1ERbzpelSzMLDVz8BRAjI32yeuqZGqKr3evjPBqwq1fJ7uSA0jSKc8BSC~a1pppCYoIhTcMPtrRL8hT42dlsY1k4YnbDNrYfqo53LLjSOOln5G1sIyM84RmIR~Ims1vL2ZblV-MlWPwi6HKsxpCy7~cd83o01aXC~9CvcUNQ~lC-S~yX9m~QJHCCapZxxWq9N8anAkHMup~~7JRKEYMpAIU51weUNQ7-EeVg0zKWG4B84WNEjkrXsVY0S00fncYDzx3adga0e6uXSvxdf2mM5V2cy8RdzAtMU-b6jOXMUvv4JvvbYfrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Silverman, assistant county attorney, provided a fast-paced training on California open-meeting law and conflicts of interest for the commission, emphasizing public access, agenda requirements and limits on communications among members.

Silverman told commissioners, “When you have a meeting, you need to tell the public in advance, by posting an agenda 72 hours in advance,” and added that the Brown Act applies to any gathering of four or more members of the seven-member commission that deals with commission business. “What is a meeting? … anytime any of you get together, in a group of 4, to do anything that has anything to do with the jurisdiction of this board, that is a meeting.”

He cautioned about serial and hub-and-spoke communications and social media: “You can follow each other on social media. You can all follow each other, that’s fine, but you cannot interact with each other on social media at all,” he said, and repeated a practical admonition: “The magic number is 4,” meaning a majority of the seven-member body creates Brown Act constraints.

On consequences and public records, Silverman observed that violating the Brown Act is a crime in theory and warned that violations are likely to generate public attention, though he noted no successful Brown Act criminal prosecutions since the law’s 1953 passage. He also noted that “anything you write could be considered a public record” and advised commissioners to assume written communications might be disclosed under the Public Records Act.

Silverman briefly reviewed remote-participation exceptions created during and after the pandemic: commissioners may call in for limited reasons (contagious illness, caregiving, temporary disability, official travel) and attend remotely in emergencies but the rules are narrow and typically require notice and, in some cases, a vote. He closed with conflict-of-interest guidance, urging commissioners who have questions about possible financial conflicts to consult the county attorney; he noted commissioners will be asked to file Form 700 as part of onboarding.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about meeting procedures, social-media limits and how staff will support agendas and public-comment processes. Silverman and county staff said further one-on-one or small-group training is available if commissioners want deeper instruction.","Assistant County Attorney David Silverman gave a rapid overview of Brown Act obligations, social-media limits, remote-participation rules and conflict-of-interest guidance for the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6604437,"San Mateo sheriff outlines hiring gains, mental-health programs and community initiatives",2461,1174000,3635000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a&start=1174&end=3635","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2989053-2fcbbff78ee3d583ceaf9ac9354a202a/thumbnail_1174000.jpg","/articles/6604437/San-Mateo-County/California/San-Mateo-sheriff-outlines-hiring-gains-mental-health-programs-and-community-initiatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6604437-dfa0a740b96f33db624969ffc98d5af9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171003&Signature=jbD4N16-~y83TqkLJdktDeE7CQ11cMzBmGNeGdoQe~R1AIU1LaDxsKhQbD0H73RaSURrWuF8m9O00qgysyc8RdVrML5OVLFhU3DVWJXl~7LNaKjuiy7uWIoMXeiOSmk4nAzn0napmBDhD4klASuZIQi7keQn1Wn3L9tHH~g3voLZPBsw17UMWH68UAbCle-5VsW6Vx0JUAfHuHBiUa2PemyHJibjvrAG3JK07Rxr5RXYQrppHo1uMXmXvhqLk~gwc8SEcEBcwjInRtCpS5C3B8OvMzKYU6pcbOSug-ZuVBAg2CCC579TUouDFFmVd57fnofgvNZliYOqmFcbdnE~Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sheriff Christina Corpus presented an overview of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office on the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission’s inaugural meeting, describing staffing changes, new in-jail treatment programs and community outreach efforts.

Corpus said the office reduced sworn vacancies from about 100 to roughly 75 and has hired 106 people since she took office. “We’ve changed the way that we hire where we’re looking not only at the person’s resume, but we’re bringing them in and asking them the questions about their public service, their volunteerism, the good things and we look at people’s hearts as well,” she said.

The sheriff emphasized programs intended to improve outcomes for people in custody. “We started a program called Lights On … our deputies can give vouchers to these individuals and they could go to a participating mechanic and get the light fixed for free. Since we launched the program, we’ve given over 80 vouchers,” Corpus said. She also described Project Guardian, a confidential registry for residents with dementia, autism or other conditions that may affect interactions with deputies; the program provides window or vehicle stickers and training to deputies to support safer responses.

On in-jail services, Corpus said the sheriff’s office has added a behavioral-health unit and a detox unit to provide treatment rather than prolonged isolation. “With this program, we’ve been able to transform an individual that would do self harm … now they’re out for 12 or 13 hours a day,” she said, describing improved family contact and daily activity for people in the unit. She also said the jail population has shifted: “48 percent of our population is mentally ill. 70 percent suffer from alcohol and drug addiction.”

Corpus described other initiatives the office has launched or expanded: an officer-survey QR code to solicit public feedback after calls for service; Project STAR, a youth camp program; compassion dogs used in schools and forensic interviews; a firework buyback program that collected hundreds of pounds of illegal fireworks; and a Narcan distribution program that includes a vending machine in the jail lobby and Narcan available on housing units.

On staffing and retention, Corpus said the office is pursuing wellness and retention measures including body scans, mental-health practitioner services for employees, and a proposed daycare to help shift-working staff. She said the sheriff’s office is working to increase gender diversity with a “30x30” initiative to reach 30% female representation among sworn staff.

Corpus introduced members of her command team during the meeting and answered commissioners’ questions about program data, tours, and teleconferencing and onboarding for commissioners. Adam Eli, Deputy County Executive, and Emma Gonzalez, director of the Office of Community Affairs, also described staff support for the commission’s work.

The presentation prompted requests from commissioners for more data and for follow-up briefings. Staff told the commission that a data-oriented portion of onboarding will provide metrics and routine reporting from the sheriff’s office.","Sheriff Christina Corpus told the new Independent Civilian Advisory Commission about staffing progress, in-jail behavioral-health and detox units, Project Guardian for vulnerable residents, and community engagement programs including a lights-on voucher initiative and compassion dogs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public urges oversight: restore personal mail, investigate recent jail deaths, expand diversion and voting access

New commission votes to meet monthly; approves onboarding schedule and Nov. 16 retreat

County attorney briefs new commission on the Brown Act, remote attendance and conflicts of interest

San Mateo sheriff outlines hiring gains, mental-health programs and community initiatives