Unions consider no-confidence vote against San Mateo sheriff's chief of staff

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Tensions are brewing between San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus and two unions over her chief of staff and grievances over labor practices.

"She’s going to have to come to a decision, is she going to listen to the membership," said Carlos Tapia, president of the San Mateo County deputy sheriff's association.

"Unfortunately, I have seen some distance that’s grown between the relationship between DSA and the administration and it’s a shame. This is not what we wanted. This has never happened," Tapia said.

This week, the unions representing sheriff’s deputies and sergeants are considering a no-confidence vote against sheriff’s official Victor Aenlle.

They say Aenlle, a volunteer reserve deputy, is actually the one calling the shots in the newly created role of civilian chief of staff.  

"Somehow he’s kind of crossed boundaries or overstepped his bounds and he’s making decisions for the badge staff," Tapia said.

On Monday morning, there were no outward signs of strife at a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the sheriff’s office’s new headquarters in Redwood City. 

KTVU sat down with the sheriff later in the day and asked her about the union's grievances and complaints about her chief of staff.

"I feel that it really is political theater," Corpus said. Asked for Aenlle's response, she said, "I believe he thinks this is really an assassination of his character."

Corpus said she believes the unions’ grievances have to do with an end of years of double overtime that deputies and jailers got, at a high cost to the county.

"The voters of this county voted me into office because I represented change, and that’s what I’m here to do. And that’s not always easy for people, but I’m committed to doing that," she said.

Supervisor David Canepa said of the no-confidence vote, "I think them doing that carries a lot of gravitas."

He added, "To see it escalate to this level, enough is enough."

Canepa said the Board of Supervisors should step in if the sheriff can't work it out with the unions.

"Your employees are the ones who are doing the work in the jails, on patrol, you have to make sure that your employees are taken care of," Canepa said.

The unions say they should have the results of the vote on Wednesday.

 The sheriff said any vote of no confidence carries no legal weight and that she’ll continue her mission regardless of the decision. 

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan