A police chief in California is facing criticism over allegations that he is commuting vast distances from his residence in Idaho.
Eamonn Allen, who serves as a captain in the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, is reportedly making use of the Millbrae police station for overnight stays amidst these extensive travels.
According to records, Allen relocated to a spacious $1 million property in Meridian, Idaho, during the previous summer.
This move has placed him approximately 700 miles away from Millbrae, presenting either a 10-hour journey by car or a roughly two-hour flight to reach his post as police chief.
Richard Corriea, a retired police commander from San Francisco, expressed his concerns to ABC7, stating, “The inability to return to work promptly during emergencies is unacceptable.”
Corriea further emphasized the importance of having a police chief who is deeply connected to the community, capable of understanding its intricacies, and available to respond quickly when needed.
Calls for Allen to be investigated began after fire inspectors visited the Millbrae police station on October 21 and discovered two rooms being used as sleeping quarters.
City spokesperson Annabelle Acosta told NBC Bay Area: ‘It appears there are two separate living quarters, one with two beds and the other with one bed.
Eamonn Allen, a San Mateo County sheriff’s office captain, is accused of commuting from Idaho to Millbrae, California
Allen has been accused of using the bureau as a part-time residence to sleep in
The city had no knowledge of the dwelling units inside the police station until a routine inspection found them.’
The double bedroom was locked with an ‘in use’ sign.
The single-bed space lacked an emergency exit in case of a fire, but allegedly contained a mattress, desk and what looked like a half-gallon of liquor.
A ‘notice of correction’ was posted outside the Millbrae station: ‘Please stop using rooms for sleeping.
‘Use of bedrooms is not allowed until a permit has been issued, construction has been modified, all inspections have passed, and certificate of occupancy has been issued.’
The correction added: ‘The existing bedrooms do not have emergency escape and rescue windows as required by Section 1031 of the California Building Code.’
When Allen was asked by an ABC7 reporter about the allegations of him sleeping at the station, the police captain demurred.
Allen has refused to answer questions about the allegations, which appeared to violate Millbrae’s code of ethics
The California city had ‘no knowledge of the dwelling units inside the police station’ until a routine inspection
‘We’re not doing tours right now,’ he said. ‘Sorry.’
Millbrae’s code of ethics bars public employees from using ‘city-owned property’ for ‘personal need, convenience or profit’.
‘That needs to be proven,’ Millbrae mayor Anders Fung said.
‘I still need to be able to get the facts of those allegations, and I have not heard from the chief, so that’s important.’
Records said Allen lived in Livermore, California, prior to moving to Meridian – about 11 miles from Boise – last year.
He made $464,100 as a sheriff’s captain in 2024, according to public California records.
David Canepa, who leads the county’s board of supervisors, said: ‘If someone is living out of county or out of state, they have to pay for their own lodging, meaning San Mateo County is not a Holiday Inn.’
Meridian, Idaho, is about 700 miles – either a 10-hour drive or about a two-hour flight – from Millbrae
Allen earned $464,100 as a sheriff’s captain in 2024, according to public California records
He told The Mercury News that, if confirmed, Allen’s living arrangement was ‘not permissible’.
Canepa added: ‘Essentially what you’re doing is you’re having the taxpayer pay for your housing.’
The Daily Mail reached out to the San Mateo County sheriff’s office and the Millbrae Police Bureau for further comment.
