Opinion: San Mateo County shows why we shouldn't be electing sheriffs

"A sheriff wields enormous power and position on a local level, yet we elect them in the same political fashion as we do city councilmembers and school boards. But today's sheriffs oversee multimillion-dollar agencies, manage jails and set enforcement priorities that shape entire communities. In theory, this allows informed and nuanced voters to split their ballots, allowing them to vote in the sheriff they feel is best qualified regardless of political affiliation while otherwise voting down the party line."

"The recent fiasco shows the result of this approach in practice: instability. The previous sheriff, a historic first in many respects, didn't even finish her term before allegations of misconduct and abuse of power surfaced. The community watched as the board stepped in, removed her, launched a full search and selected a successor. And while I'm sure outliers exist, as far as I can tell, no one really batted an eye."

"The Mercury reported the county's efforts to investigate, litigate and ultimately remove the former sheriff cost taxpayers more than $4.6 million. That figure doesn't include the countless hours of staff time, community division and the paralysis within a department already struggling with in-custody deaths, mail backlogs and morale problems. The cost of electing an unfit sheriff was paid not just in dollars but also in public confidence."

San Mateo County's board of supervisors appointed Kenneth Binder as sheriff, bypassing a voter election. Sheriffs oversee multimillion-dollar agencies, manage jails and set enforcement priorities that shape entire communities. Electing sheriffs treats the role like a typical political office despite its need for deep administrative experience, integrity and capacity to manage large budgets and staff. The recent removal of the previous sheriff produced investigation, litigation and more than $4.6 million in taxpayer costs, along with staff time, community division and departmental paralysis. Elections can reduce complex hiring to popularity contests, creating instability and eroding public confidence.

Read at www.mercurynews.com