Half Moon Bay should stay with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

By Michael G. Stogner

The Issue is with Sheriff Carlos G. Bolanos and David Silberman not the Deputies.

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Some members of the council have been doing their best to get the Sheriff’s Office to stop killing residents and to stop lying about it after they do. Yanira Serrano Garcia and Sandra Lee Harmon are two examples. The AXON LOG RECORDS are another example, they belong to the public, Sheriff Bolanos and SMCC attorney David Silberman are refusing to release them. I’ve recommended the City of Half Moon Bay sue both. So far the council has chosen not too.

The Councilmembers know that there is an election in 10 months and Mark Melville a candidate has been following the challenge the city has been facing with Sheriff Carlos G. Bolanos.

I asked Mark Melville for his opinion, here it is.

First and foremost, Mr. Jiminez is correct in that the public and Council need to meet and discuss what is in the best interest of all city residents, inclusive of public safety services.  I read the proposed ordinance and find it appropriate. There is nothing in the ordinance that prevents the Sheriff’s Office from doing their job. The Council is looking for the betterment of how people are treated once they are in contact with law enforcement, nothing wrong with that. I’m not sure where the Sheriff is coming from when he says the ordinance wouldn’t improve public safety..?  I think the ordinance is actually in favor of policing, in the way the City wants to see it done.  In addition, I believe specific deputies should be assigned to the City for a long period of time. This would allow them to become part of the community and they would clearly understand the community’s expectations. In doing this, it would eliminate the Sheriff’s concern of having deputies working in different jurisdictions operating under different operating procedures.
   
The Sheriff’s statement, “It’s my understanding their ordinance will have no legal basis on our services, nor on the contract, it’s basically unenforceable,”  which in my opinion is very condescending.  The Sheriff is saying we are going to provide the service to the City the way we see fit, and there is nothing you can do about it, oh until the contract ends in 2022.  In my opinion, the Sheriff should be at the forefront of drafting said ordinance with the city Council, because it’s for the betterment of the community..!!  I’m wishing the City success in achieving the services they desire for their community. 

San Mateo County Voters can help Half Moon Bay residents in this next election.