New Alameda County undersheriff appointed as veteran retiring from office

OAKLAND, Calif. - Longtime Alameda County Undersheriff Rich Lucia is retiring just before the new year and will be replaced by the first woman to hold that position in Alameda County's history, KTVU has learned.

In a letter to staff on Monday, Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez thanked Lucia for his 53-year tenure in policing and his "selfless commitment" to remain in his post after she won the election against longtime, former Greg Ahern in the June 2022 election.

Lucia's last day will be Dec. 29. 

In expressing her gratitude for Lucia's "unwavering guidance and steadfast support," Sanchez also announced the promotion of Capt. April Luckett-Fahimi - the first woman to serve in this role. 

"It's very surreal," Luckett-Fahimi said in an interview with KTVU. "I still I get chills kind of thinking about it, and I'm excited. I really believe that representation matters and I want other little Black and brown girls to see us and say, I can do anything I put my mind to."

Sanchez herself was the first woman elected to serve as sheriff. 

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office has never before had two women of color hold such high positions. 

Luckett-Fahimi has been with the sheriff's office for 23 years, most recently as captain. 

"This promotion marks the beginning of a new era within the Alameda County Sheriff's Office," Sanchez wrote to her staff in a letter obtained by KTVU. "A momentous catalyst for positive change and progress." 

In an interview, Luckett-Fahimi said she is the right person to bring a culture shift and a new vision to the office. 

In terms of the in-custody jail deaths, and the specific case of Maurice Monk, who lay dying in his jail cell for three or four days in 2021, Luckett-Fahimi said policy changes are already happening. 

"The sheriff's office had implemented many changes around how we do observation checks at the jail," she said. "Like implementing technology to ensure that the deputies are doing effective communications and really making sure that they are observing people and making sure that they are paying attention to things when people's quality of life changes inside of their cell." 
 

She also said that she is committed to holding Wellpath, the jail's medical provider, accountable for the care they are contracted to provide at Santa Rita Jail, and that both she and Sanchez do not believe that many people suffering from mental health issues do not belong in jail.

But, she added: "Unfortunately, people have to be held accountable for the crimes that they have committed. And unfortunately, there are not many other places for them to go."

In addition to a new undersheriff, sources also told KTVU that Danny McNaughton was promoted to assistant sheriff, to replace Colby Staysa. 

The Sheriff's Office has a net budget for about $430 million and has more than 1,700 authorized positions, including 1,000 sworn personnel. 

The sheriff provides security to the courthouse, operates the coroner's bureau, Santa Rita Jail and the county's Office of Emergency Services, in addition to providing patrol services to unincorporated parts of the county.