The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously appointed Undersheriff Chris Clark to take the agency’s lead role, a decision that was backed by several members of the public and the leaders of numerous agencies that addressed the board.
This included both Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell and Chief Public Defender Heather Rogers.
Under Clark, Rogers said that her department has made several advances in helping incarcerated people receive services and representation.
“I can say without hesitation that he is open-minded, he is collaborative, and he is absolutely committed to this community,” Rogers said.
Rosell described Clark as “compassionate, cooperative and deeply committed to public safety.”
“I cannot say enough about Chris Clark, and I can tell you without reservation that this is the right choice for everyone,” he said.
County Supervisor Zach Friend said that said the tension that exists in many other law enforcement agencies—and the high turnover—does not exist in the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office thanks to the leadership of Clark.
“I actually cannot think of anybody in this community, or anybody throughout this state, that would be more qualified to serve as Santa Cruz County Sheriff than Chris Clark,” Friend said. “He has the compassion, the worldview, the dignity, the ethics, the approach that will make you absolutely represent our community at the highest level.”
Clark will officially start on Dec. 6, when current Sheriff Jim Hart retires. He will be up for reelection in 2028.
He said he plans to bring back in-person visits to the jail system, which were stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic, a problem made worse by low staffing issues.
“It’s important for incarcerated parents and the children of incarcerated parents to be able to get together and have an opportunity to bond,” he said.
He also plans to address the ongoing fentanyl crisis and go after “high-level dealers.”
Clark says he will staff and certify the county’s DNA lab, and improve the systems charged with medical and mental healthcare for inmates.
“Given the rise in substance use and mental health disorder, it’s no secret that our office is running one of the largest mental health facilities in the county,” he said.
Clark said he plans to run again when his term ends.
“This is my life’s work,” he said. “I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”
