San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus is calling for the proceedings that could remove her from office to be opened to the public.

“This is her choice, and hers alone,” according to a news release Corpus sent out on Thursday. “The people of San Mateo County deserve to hear the truth directly, not filtered through political agendas, biased narratives, erroneous reports, or closed-door deliberations.”

Measure A, passed by county voters in March, allows for the removal of the sheriff for cause. While the specifics of the current proceedings have not been publicly disclosed, the sheriff has faced increasing scrutiny in recent months over alleged internal conflicts and department controversies.

Tensions between Corpus and county officials escalated in late 2024, following the release of an independent investigation that alleged abuse of authority, retaliation, and other misconduct within her office. Due to this, some members of the Board of Supervisors raised concerns about transparency and accountability within her office.

Eventually, the Board unanimously passed a vote of no confidence and called on her to resign. Several local entities, including the San Carlos City Council and a major law enforcement union, also issued public rebukes and called for her removal.

On Thursday, Corpus — elected in 2022 as the county’s first female sheriff — said she has refrained from addressing allegations against her in detail “out of respect for employee privacy and a desire to maintain the integrity of internal processes,” but now, “the time has come to bring the truth to light.”

‘Transforming the culture … is difficult’

“The community deserves to understand the Sheriff’s decisions, the leadership challenges she has faced, violations of her constitutional rights, violation of State and Federal laws, and the deliberate and misleading actions taken by a small group of individuals to remove her from elected office,” according to the news release.

Corpus, who campaigned on modernizing the department and restoring public trust, said her reforms have delivered results, including reduced crime rates and more diverse hiring. However, she also alleged strong pushback to her leadership from within the department.

“Transforming the culture of the Department is difficult, and the Sheriff has encountered many obstacles to her reform agenda,” according to the release.

She also said that her remarks at the initial Measure A hearing were made on the record and in the presence of an attorney representing the county, but statements about her leadership have been “filled with innuendo, leaks, hearsay, and calculated mischaracterizations intended to inflame public opinion and dismantle her reform efforts.”

“No more one-sided narratives, or deceiving the residents of this county,” Corpus said. “Let the public see the facts. Let them hear the truth.”

The Board has yet to comment on the sheriff’s latest call for public proceedings. County officials have maintained that the Measure A process is necessary to evaluate allegations of misconduct.