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The union that represents deputies, assistant sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel under the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has filed an updated unfair practice charge against the Sheriff’s Office with the California Public Employment Relations Board.
The updated complaint by the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association alleges that former Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle, Sheriff Christina Corpus’ alleged boyfriend, threatened to sue union leaders for defamation in what the union is calling “clear intent to interfere with, intimidate, restrain, coerce and discriminate against the (unions) because of (their) exercise of protected rights to speech.”
The DSA originally filed an unfair practice charge with PERB, a quasi-judicial state agency that is charged with administering public sector labor relations in California, on Aug. 30, 2024, alleging that Corpus and Aenlle had created a toxic work environment, failed to meet and confer with unions in good faith and intimidated and retaliated against union members.
In the updated complaint, the DSA said that Aenlle sent a letter on Oct. 4 to both the DSA and the Organization of Sheriff’s Sergeants through his attorney Deborah Drooz, threatening to sue leaders of the two unions for defamation in response to letters that the two unions sent to their membership announcing a vote of no confidence against Aenlle, and outlining the reasons for taking the vote.
The Oct. 4 letter from Aenlle’s attorney said that the unions’ claims that Aenlle was not qualified for his position as chief of staff, was not a law enforcement officer, was not entitled to wear a badge and uniform, ignored or refused requests for equipment from certain personnel, mishandled a lease negotiation and engaged in anti-union activity are “falsehoods.”
The letter from Aenlle’s attorney demands that the unions issue “unequivocal retractions” of their statements about Aenlle or face “remedies in a court of law.” In the PERB complaint, the DSA argues that the “clear and unmistakable purpose of the Aenlle letter is to threaten the DSA into silence.”
“I felt threatened by the letter and concerned I could no longer communicate effectively with my membership in fear of being sued,” wrote Carlos Tapia, president of the DSA in a sworn statement included in the updated PERB complaint.
On Nov. 12, Corpus arrested Tapia for felony time card fraud shortly before the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors released a 408-page report prepared by an independent investigator. The union said that the timing of the arrest suggests “whistleblower retaliation,” as Tapia was one of the people leading the charge against Corpus and Aenlle.
Cordell’s report sustained many of the claims made by the DSA that Aenlle’s attorney dismisses as “falsehoods” in the Oct. 4 letter, including the claims that Aenlle contributed to a toxic work environment and retaliation, claims that Aenlle negotiated a real estate lease while in conflict of the county’s conflict of interest policy and claims that Aenlle improperly wore a badge and uniform.
In a statement on Nov. 27, the unions urged Corpus to step down from her position as sheriff, saying that they would no longer work with her. The Board of Supervisors has also called on Corpus to resign, along with several other elected officials throughout California. San Carlos, which contracts its police services from the Sheriff’s Office, also passed a resolution calling on Corpus to resign.
“Resign now, for the sake of the department, the community, and the integrity of the office you once swore to uphold,” the DSA and OSS wrote in their statement. “We will no longer work with you. That ship has sailed. All you are doing is playing the role of victim within a disaster of your own making. Quit.”
