San Mateo County Sheriff's Office

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office was founded in 1856.

Sheriff John W. Ackerson

John W. Ackerson was elected as the first Sheriff of San Mateo County. Before being elected Sheriff, John Ackerson had previously worked for a lumber company. Sheriff Ackerson served for two years. After leaving the Sheriff's Office he went on to Puget Sound, Washington where he found much success in the logging and lumber industry.

San Mateo Courthouse

The first San Mateo County courthouse and jail was J.V. Diller's warehouse located on Redwood Creek. In 1858 a new courthouse and jail was built and were located on Broadway Avenue in Redwood City.

Sheriff Silas Hovius

Silas Hovius was elected as the second Sheriff of San Mateo County and served for two years. Prior to being Sheriff, he was a farmer on the coast.

Sheriff Thomas W. Lathrop

Thomas W. Lathrop was elected Sheriff and was a first Lieutenant of the Jefferson Cavalry, a local militia. There were concerns that the Confederate army would march through San Mateo County on their way to the San Francisco Mint. Their intent was to stop the flow of gold to the Union. Luckily, the Confederate army was stopped 80 miles from the California border.

Sheriff James McGrath

In the 1930's, Sheriff James McGrath established a precedent by putting his only night patrol deputy in uniform. Deputy John O'Brien reported for duty wearing a khaki shirt, olive drab trousers, a police cap and a black leather coat with a gold badge. McGrath stayed in office for four terms, the longest tenure in San Mateo County Sheriff’s history.

Modern Law Enforcement with Sheriff Earl B. Whitmore

Modern Law Enforcement with Sheriff Whitmore In 1951, Earl B. Whitmore was elected Sheriff and brought modern policing standards to the Sheriff's Office. At the age of 34, Sheriff Whitmore was the youngest Sheriff in the United States. Prior to 1951, the Sheriff was the only person of rank within the office. Sheriff Whitmore established a new rank system consisting of a Chief Deputy Sheriff, Chief Civil Deputy, Chief Jailer, Captain of the Criminal Division, Lieutenant in charge of the Juvenile Division, Supervisor of Records and Identification Bureau, six Inspectors and four Patrol Sergeants.

Sub-stations at Mills Field

The Sheriff's Office increased in size from 54 to 91 employees. Sheriff Whitmore opened sub-stations at Mills Field (San Francisco Airport), Half Moon Bay, Sharp Park (Pacifica) and Brisbane to provide greater law enforcement coverage throughout the county. The first resident deputy was in Pescadero, which was the center of the south coast area, approximately 200 square miles. Sheriff Whitmore established standardization of police radios in all patrol cars.

Crash Wagons

One of the most unique innovations was the “Crash Wagon.” Five ambulances were outfitted with police protection, investigation and rescue equipment. Staffed with a Deputy Sheriff and an Ambulance driver, these vehicles patrolled the county on a 24/7 basis and were able to respond to any incident. Sheriff Whitmore received national recognition, including United-International News Reels' 1954 film “Crash Wagons.” The film was distributed throughout the United States including 37 foreign countries. A letter from J. Edgar Hoover the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States commending Sheriff Whitmore, was included in the film.

Crime Lab

Sheriff Whitmore established a Crime Lab equipped with the latest and finest equipment for detection and examination of evidence. The services of the County Crime Lab were made available to all other agencies in San Mateo County.

Narcotics

San Mateo County was one of the first in the state to train deputies in the field of narcotics, working with local law enforcement apprehending “dope peddlers and users.” Sheriff Whitmore assigned four deputies to attend service groups and other organizations in the county giving talks on narcotics and to acquaint the general public with the “devil's weed.” It later evolved into the Bureau of Special Services, which investigated vice, narcotics, gambling and the growing juvenile delinquency problem.

Work Furlough Program

In 1966 the Sheriff’s Work Furlough Program was the first of it's kind in the United States, housing 110 inmates. Inmates that are convicted of minor crimes and employed could apply to this program. The program allowed individuals to attend work during the day and were able to stay at the correctional facility each night to serve out their sentencing. They paid for their own incarceration, saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars each year. The deputies at Work Furlough were trained in rehabilitation counseling and each was assigned 12 inmates for individual and group counseling.

Sheriff Whitmore Retires

Sheriff Whitmore Retires: In 1973, after 22 years as Sheriff Earl Whitmore retired.

Sheriff John R. McDonald

Following Sheriff Whitmore’s retirement, the Board of Supervisors appointed John R. McDonald who was Chief of Police for the City of Redwood City to complete the duration of Sheriff Whitmore’s term. Sheriff McDonald went on to serve as Sheriff of San Mateo County for 10 years until he retired in 1983.

Special Election

Because Sheriff McDonald retired before the end of his term, the County held a special election to fill the vacancy. Lieutenant Brendan Maguire, along with several other lieutenants and captains in the Sheriff's Office, ran for Sheriff. Brendan Maguire won the election and became Sheriff in 1983.

Sheriff Brendan Maguire

Sheriff Maguire ran again as the incumbent in the 1986 general election. The only other candidate was a man named Jim White, who had no prior association with the Sheriff’s Office. Two months before the election, Sheriff Maguire passed away. All members of the Sheriff's Office pulled together and campaigned for Sheriff Maguire. He was re-elected posthumously and Undersheriff Leonard Cardoza was appointed as Sheriff until a special election could be held. Several captains and lieutenants ran for Sheriff in a special election, and Leonard Cardoza was elected and continued as Sheriff until he retired in 1993.

Sheriff Don Horsley

In 1993, Don Horsley was elected Sheriff of San Mateo County. Sheriff Horsley started his law enforcement career with the Pacifica Police Department and joined the Sheriff’s Office in 1972. He started his county career with the Sheriff’s Office as a Patrol Deputy in the City of East Palo Alto. Horsley served as Sheriff for 14 years retiring in 2007. After retiring, Sheriff Horsley was elected as Board President for the Sequoia Healthcare District. In 2010, he continued his career in public service by being elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.

Sheriff Greg Munks

Greg Munks, who served as Undersheriff to Don Horsley for 14 years, ran unopposed in the election shortly following Sheriff Horsley's retirement. Sheriff Munks was re-elected in 2010. In 2014 he was re-elected for his third term as Sheriff. In 2016, Sheriff Munks retired before the end of his third term. During his tenure as Sheriff, Munks successfully opened the new Maple Street Correctional Center. The Maple Street Correctional Center earned its LEED certification for its environmentally conscious design. This new correctional center aids the Sheriff’s Office in reducing recidivism with effective jail programs.

Sheriff Carlos G. Bolanos

Following Sheriff Munks’ retirement, the Board of Supervisors appointed Undersheriff Carlos G. Bolanos as Sheriff. Sheriff Bolanos served as Undersheriff to Greg Munks for 10 years. As Undersheriff, Sheriff Bolanos was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Sheriff’s Office, which included oversight of the Crime Lab, Technology Services, and Administration & Finance. He will continue to serve as Sheriff until the general election in 2018.

Sheriff Christina Corpus

The history of the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has seen a significant milestone with the election of Sheriff Christina Corpus in June 2022. Sheriff Corpus began her journey in law enforcement in 2002, joining the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office as a Correctional Officer. Demonstrating her dedication and capabilities, she steadily climbed the ranks within the organization. Through her hard work and commitment, Corpus was promoted to the positions of Deputy Sheriff, Sergeant, and Lieutenant.

Continuing her upward trajectory, Corpus reached the rank of Captain, where she assumed the important role of Millbrae Police Chief. This experience allowed her to gain valuable leadership skills and further strengthen her understanding of law enforcement operations.

The people of San Mateo County recognized Corpus' outstanding contributions and she was sworn in as the 26^th Sheriff of San Mateo County in January 2023. This election marked a momentous occasion, as Sheriff Corpus became the first female elected Sheriff in the history of San Mateo County. Additionally, she achieved another groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first Latina elected Sheriff in the entire state of California. Sheriff Christina Corpus's journey exemplifies perseverance, dedication, and a commitment to serving her community.