Kenneth Binder is new sheriff of San Mateo County
Kenneth Binder, former Undersheriff of Santa Clara County, has been appointed the new sheriff of San Mateo County by a vote of 4-1. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors made the appointment today (November 12, 2025), following the removal of former Sheriff Christina Corpus.
Kenneth Binder is a 27-year law enforcement veteran, most recently serving as the interim chief of police for Gilroy.
He served as Undersheriff of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and has extensive experience in executive leadership, jail operations, and community policing.
Supervisor David Canepa cast the lone dissenting vote. Canepa supported a different candidate, former San Francisco Assistant Police Chief David Lazar, for the position. He had also previously advocated for a special election to fill the vacancy, rather than a board appointment, which was a point of contention among the supervisors.
The decision to proceed with an appointment instead of a special election was made in an earlier 3-2 board vote, with Supervisors Canepa and Jackie Speier dissenting at that time.
Binder stated that his initial priorities would be to rebuild the organization, improve employee wellness, and focus on staffing, recruitment, and retention efforts.
