Chris Clark appointed Santa Cruz County sheriff, praised as progressive

Before a packed audience filled with many of the county’s top law enforcement, public safety and health officials, the board of supervisors unanimously appointed Undersheriff Chris Clark to take over as interim Santa Cruz County sheriff when Sheriff Jim Hart steps down in December. 

Clark, showered with praise from every corner of the supervisors’ chambers on Tuesday, will rise to a rare four-year “interim” term without input from voters because of a recent statewide realignment of sheriffs’ cycles that pushed the next election to March 2028.

Upon announcing his retirement earlier this month, Hart, who has been with the sheriff’s office since 1988, endorsed Clark as far and away the best person to succeed him. Clark has served as an executive in the sheriff’s office for the past five years, and as undersheriff for the past two. 

“Part of the reason I’m leaving [two years into my term] is because this guy is ready to go,” Hart told the board on Tuesday. “He is as plug-and-play a person as we can have. He’s a kind man, he’s a good man, and he’s going to treat people with respect.” 

Clark, who was born overseas into a military family and grew up moving around the world, said he was drawn to Santa Cruz County for its “inclusivity and diversity.”  He called the county sheriff’s office “one of the most progressive law enforcement offices in the country.” 

He said he planned to work with Hart on a smooth transition and other initiatives, including reinstituting contact visits for inmates at the Blaine Street and Rountree correctional facilities, which he called “extremely important for the parents of incarcerated children and children of incarcerated parents.” The sheriff’s office has banned contact visits since the start of the COVID pandemic. Clark also named the fentanyl crisis, starting up the county’s DNA lab, and improving jail conditions as top priorities. 

“We need to improve facilities charged with medical and mental health care for our incarcerated population,” Clark said. “Given the rise of mental health and substance use disorders, it’s no secret that our office is running one of the largest mental health facilities in the county.” 

Earlier in the day, the sheriff’s office submitted a written response that publicly disagreed with most of the findings and rejected the recommendations from a civil grand jury on ways to improve mental health care and living conditions at the jail. 

The supervisors’ chambers seemed united in backing Clark. The vote brought out a support group that included former supervisor and state assemblymember Mark Stone, District Attorney Jeff Rosell, Public Defender Heather Rogers, Janus Chief Executive Officer Amber Williams and county Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah, and even an appearance from Les Gardner, one of the most influential behind-the-scenes politicos in county. 

Many of the speakers testified to Clark’s character, openness, broad worldview and compassion. They spoke of his presence during some of the county’s most challenging moments over the past several years, from natural disasters to the civil unrest following George Floyd’s murder. 

Valerie Thompson, the county’s assistant chief probation officer, said although Clark’s performance during those larger, countywide crises deserved acknowledgment, it was a smaller moment that showed his leadership. One evening earlier this year, a young girl from outside the county had been brought to juvenile hall. She had a history in the child welfare system and Thompson thought time in juvenile hall would “only further traumatize her.” It was late, around 9 p.m., but Thompson decided to call Clark to see if there was anything they could do.

“We stayed on the phone working until midnight just to keep one young lady out of juvenile hall because she had already suffered so much trauma — it was his idea, he knew the young lady didn’t need to go into our juvenile hall,” Thompson told the supervisors. 

Later, Thompson told Lookout that another officer might have just put the girl in the detention center.

“Chris Clark is willing to partner with us and not just say, ‘Oh, just lock her up and we’ll figure it out in the morning,’” Thompson said. “He did not take the easy way out. and I think it is the big things in what seem like the little things. That just shows a lot of integrity and commitment to doing what he says he’s going to do.” 

Becky Steinbruner, a resident of rural Aptos, supported Clark but was the only speaker who objected to the process for appointing him. She criticized the sheriff’s office for its succession trend over the past 30 years. The sheriff is a publicly elected position; however, three of the past four incumbent sheriffs have retired mid-term and the supervisors appointed their chosen successor for the interim term. In each case, that successor went on to run unopposed in the following election. 

“I hope, Chris Clark, that when you leave, you will not continue this pattern,” Steinbruner said. 

Clark is scheduled to take over as sheriff on Dec. 6. 

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