Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Christina Corpus, Sheriff
Subject: Amendment Two to the Agreement between Creative Security and the County of San Mateo
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an amendment to the contract with Creative Security, increasing the total contract amount from $198,000 to $368,000.
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BACKGROUND:
The Sheriff’s Office has faced a significant staffing crisis, with over 100 vacancies in the past year. To address this, Sheriff’s Office staff have engaged in extensive recruitment efforts and conducted a record number of background investigations to comply with the Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements mandated by the State of California for pre-employment background checks for peace officers.
Given the volume of hiring, the Sheriff’s Office utilized both in-house and contracted background investigators. Creative Security, a leading organization in pre-employment screening and law enforcement background checks, was originally awarded a $75,000 contract on July 1, 2023, following a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. In July 2024, due to the unprecedented number of background investigations required, the contract was amended to increase the amount to $198,000 to meet the increased demand.
Among the more than 20 background investigation firms the Sheriff’s Office contracts with, Creative Security has the most resources and the largest team of investigators. As a result, they have been assigned significantly more background investigations than any other contracted firm.
Since July 1, 2023, the Sheriff’s Office has conducted 888 background investigations as of February 2025. This number does not include candidates who were disqualified during the pre-screening process. Of these, Creative Security completed 143 background investigations at a cost of $1,800 per completed file. These figures do not include cases that are still open and pending completion.
DISCUSSION:
Due to the unprecedented hiring needs and rapid pace of background investigations, Creative Security exhausted their contract funds at record speed. Unfortunately, in the process, we inadvertently exceeded the $200,000 contract threshold, which requires Board of Supervisors approval. This amendment will allow the Sheriff’s Office to pay outstanding invoices, cover exceeded expenditures and ensure continued background investigation services through June 30, 2026.
This amendment request seeks approval to:
1. Pay approximately $35,000 in outstanding invoices for services already rendered, which exceeded the previous contract cap.
2. Maintain the contract timeline through June 30, 2026, ensuring continued background investigation services to support ongoing recruitment efforts.
3. Allocate an additional $135,000 to cover at least 75 future background investigations anticipated through June 30, 2026.
The requested contract amendment totals $170,000, bringing the revised contract amount to $368,000 to ensure uninterrupted service and compliance with hiring mandates.
EQUITY IMPACT:
Conducting thorough background investigations is necessary to comply with POST requirements. These standards and background dimensions help reduce harm to the public by ensuring that only individuals who are suitable for peace officer positions-based on a comprehensive and rigorous vetting process-are selected.
This contract will positively impact all communities within the county by ensuring that peace officers meet high ethical and professional standards, ultimately leading to safer neighborhoods and increased trust in law enforcement. Additionally, thorough background checks contribute to a more inclusive and equitable hiring process by ensuring that all candidates are evaluated fairly and consistently.
Staff have engaged impacted groups by ensuring that recruitment efforts are widespread, accessible, and inclusive. Outreach has been conducted to attract diverse candidates, and hiring practices are designed to comply with state and federal equity guidelines. Additional training is provided to background investigators to avoid bias and ensure that all candidates are given an equal opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications.
Additional resources needed to advance equitable outcomes include continued investment in recruitment outreach and periodic reviews of background investigation data to ensure fairness and compliance with evolving best practices.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this contract has been included in the Sheriff’s Office Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budgets for the term of the contract.