Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Dave Pine, District 1
Supervisor Warren Slocum, District 4
Subject: Appointments to the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for the following appointments to the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office:
A) Members for an initial term ending June 30, 2026:
1. Marco Durazo, representing District 1; and
2. Rob Silano, representing District 4; and
3. Kalimah Salahuddin, representing District 5; and
4. Shirley Melnicoe, representing Member At-large; and
5. Alexis Lewis, representing At-large Alternate; and
B) Members for an initial term ending June 30, 2028:
1. James Simmons, representing District 2; and
2. William McClure, representing District 3; and
3. Mike Fisher, as Sheriff’s nominee; and
4. Rebecca Carabez, representing At-large Alternate.
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BACKGROUND:
On December 12, 2023, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted Resolution No. 080067 establishing the Independent Civilian Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office (Commission).
The Commission was established to:
• Act in an advisory capacity to the Board to facilitate transparency, accountability, and engagement with respect to the Sheriff’s Office.
• Hold public meetings, conduct community outreach, and receive community input regarding the Sheriff’s Office.
• Not interfere with the investigative or prosecutorial functions of the Sheriff’s Office, participate or advise on departmental personnel or disciplinary matters, make referrals on matters under active investigation, or issue subpoenas.
The Commission will consist of seven voting members and two alternates:
• One member nominated by each Supervisor and residing in their District.
• One member nominated by the Sheriff.
• One member and two alternates nominated by the Board of Supervisors’ Commission liaisons.
• One member of the Youth Commission designated by the Youth Commission (non-voting).
• Member(s) of Community Advisors for Responsible Engagement (non-voting) designated by the program.
The staggering of the terms of service provides for continuity so that the terms of members do not all expire in the same year.
The Commission has assigned two Board Member liaisons (currently Board President Warren Slocum and Supervisor Dave Pine). It will receive staff support from the County Executive’s Office, the County Attorney’s Office, and the Sheriff’s Office.
DISCUSSION:
Following extensive outreach efforts seeking diverse community representation, seventy-seven county residents submitted applications to serve on the Commission. Each County Supervisor received the applications from their District to select their nominee. The Sheriff also selected her nominee from the applicant pool. From the remaining applicants, the Commission’s Board Liaisons interviewed and then nominated the at-large member and alternates.
The recommendations for appointment are:
• Marco Durazo, as the Supervisorial District 1 Member, resides in San Bruno. He is a faculty member in the Department of Politics at University of San Francisco, an Op-Ed columnist with the San Mateo Daily Journal, serves on the San Bruno Planning Commission and the Peninsula Health Care District’s Community Health Investment Committee. He holds degrees in Political Science, including a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA, a Master’s degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. from UCLA.
• James Simmons, as the Supervisorial District 2 Member, resides in Belmont. He works at HIP Housing as a Self-Sufficiency Program Manager, was a member of the Belmont Parks and Recreation Commission and is a certified conflict resolution mediator. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University.
• William McClure, as the Supervisorial District 3 Member, resides in Menlo Park. He served for 27 years as the City Attorney for the City of Menlo Park and served on the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Davis and a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University.
• Rob Silano, as the Supervisorial District 4 Member, resides in Menlo Park. He is retired with over 40 years experience in public safety with the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center and the Drug Enforcement Agency. He is currently a Director of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District and Executive Board Member of the Fire Districts Association of California. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s from Florida International University, both in Administration Management of Education and Criminal Justice.
• Kalimah Salahuddin, as the Supervisorial District 5 Member, lives in Daly City. She is the DEI Community Programs Manager at Exelixis, a Trustee for the Jefferson Union High School District, a Board member of the Housing Leadership Council, the Reach Coalition, Caminar and on the San Mateo County Juneteenth Committee.
• Mike Fisher, as the Sheriff’s Office Member, resides in El Granada. He is a Senior Director at Google and previously worked in law enforcement in the cities of Mountain View, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Southern California and a Master’s in Public Administration from Notre Dame de Namur.
• Shirley Melnicoe, as the At-Large Member, resides in San Mateo. She is retired and formerly served as the first Reentry Coordinator for San Mateo County as well as Executive Director of the Northern California Service League. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from U.C. Berkeley and a Master’s in Public Administration for the University of Southern California.
• Rebecca Carabez, appointed as an At-Large Alternate, resides in Daly City. She is a retired Professor of Public Health Nursing and Global Perspectives at San Francisco State University’s School of Nursing. She also served on the San Mateo County LGBTQ+ Commission, as both Co-Chair and Member. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of San Francisco, and a Master’s and a Ph.D. from the University of Calfornia San Francisco’s School of Nursing.
• Alexis Lewis, appointed as an At-Large Alternate, resides in San Mateo. She works in biotech and is a member of the San Mateo branch of the NAACP, where she served as First Vice President and a member of Foster City’s Association of Black Residents.
It is anticipated that the Commission will hold its first meeting this Summer.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.