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Sheriff Laurie Smith announces she will retire at end of term

Announcement comes amid civil rights investigation of her office by state attorney general

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, whose office is under a civil rights investigation by the state attorney general, on Thursday announced she is retiring at the end of her current term next January rather than seeking reelection.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith. Embarcadero Media file photo.

Smith, who started with the Sheriff's Office in 1973 and has been sheriff for the last 24 years, wrote a letter to the county's residents announcing her retirement and calling attacks against her tenure as "specious attempts by unsavory political opponents in retribution for serving the public with honor."

State Attorney General Rob Bonta earlier this year announced he was opening the civil rights investigation into the Sheriff's Office over allegations that included misconduct in county jails and resistance to oversight.

Last August, the county's Board of Supervisors gave Smith a unanimous vote of no confidence, citing alleged jail mismanagement, a "pay-to-play" scheme involving gun permits issued by her office and the death or serious injury of inmates.

Smith, in her letter Thursday, wrote, "The truth and evidence is absolutely clear. I have always served the people of Santa Clara County and have never engaged in any behavior that would warrant the media animus, false legal narrative, or political attacks currently in the public domain."

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She added, "My plight is no different and I am confident history will show the first elected woman Sheriff to serve in California was not only honorable — but her accomplishments will speak far louder and be remembered longer than the false stories that will be repudiated by truth. I believe in truth."

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Sheriff Laurie Smith announces she will retire at end of term

Announcement comes amid civil rights investigation of her office by state attorney general

by Bay City News Service /

Uploaded: Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 3:41 pm

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, whose office is under a civil rights investigation by the state attorney general, on Thursday announced she is retiring at the end of her current term next January rather than seeking reelection.

Smith, who started with the Sheriff's Office in 1973 and has been sheriff for the last 24 years, wrote a letter to the county's residents announcing her retirement and calling attacks against her tenure as "specious attempts by unsavory political opponents in retribution for serving the public with honor."

State Attorney General Rob Bonta earlier this year announced he was opening the civil rights investigation into the Sheriff's Office over allegations that included misconduct in county jails and resistance to oversight.

Last August, the county's Board of Supervisors gave Smith a unanimous vote of no confidence, citing alleged jail mismanagement, a "pay-to-play" scheme involving gun permits issued by her office and the death or serious injury of inmates.

Smith, in her letter Thursday, wrote, "The truth and evidence is absolutely clear. I have always served the people of Santa Clara County and have never engaged in any behavior that would warrant the media animus, false legal narrative, or political attacks currently in the public domain."

She added, "My plight is no different and I am confident history will show the first elected woman Sheriff to serve in California was not only honorable — but her accomplishments will speak far louder and be remembered longer than the false stories that will be repudiated by truth. I believe in truth."

Comments

felix
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Mar 10, 2022 at 4:34 pm
felix, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Mar 10, 2022 at 4:34 pm

Yea!
Our County is safer.
I only wish we had better candidates, but it’s always compared to what.


Fred Bates
Registered user
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Mar 10, 2022 at 11:11 pm
Fred Bates, Duveneck/St. Francis
Registered user
on Mar 10, 2022 at 11:11 pm

The civil violations against Sheriff Smith pales in comparison to the corrupt and criminal misconduct of San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, San Jose city officials and the federal courts. Yet, the Grand Jury and several other authorities refused to investigate my complaints against them. Sheriff Smith is right. This is all about unsavory politics. [Portion removed.]


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