A recent civil grand jury report amplifies the ongoing position among officials that the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office is understaffed, facing protracted challenges in both recruiting and retaining deputies who can find better financial opportunities in areas not far outside the local region.
With the county’s contract with the sworn deputies’ bargaining unit—the San Benito County Deputy Sheriffs Association—up for renewal this fall, the public discussion about the sheriff’s office’s personnel needs has grown louder in recent months.
“Civil Grand Jury members participated in ride-alongs with the Sheriff during both day and night shifts. While deputies were observed patrolling the community and responding to calls, it is evident that our correctional officers and patrol deputies are stretched thin,” says the June 3 San Benito County Civil Grand Jury report.
Sheriff Eric Taylor recently said staffing levels are “critically low” in patrol and jail operations. The sheriff’s office budget and administration includes the county jail and its correctional staff.
On June 15, Supervisor Kollin Kosmicki sent a press release detailing a proposal to retain and recruit deputies with bonuses and other incentives. These include hiring bonuses up to $25,000 for new sworn patrol staff; retention bonuses up to 10% of current salary for existing sworn patrol and field staff; and allowing new experienced recruits to use their years of previous service for compensation benefits from the local sheriff’s office.
The proposal was introduced at the June 16 board meeting, and is up for consideration by the supervisors as they move toward adopting a budget this month.
“We have more work to do this fiscal year as we work toward balancing the budget,” Kosmicki said. “Still, the county must continue to prioritize essential public safety services, and these incentives are a step toward addressing the current staffing shortage.”
Kosmicki added the proposal aims to fill existing vacancies in the sheriff’s office “while the County Board examines other ways to become more competitive with law enforcement compensation.”
Any compensation package is subject to public review and negotiations with local bargaining units, including the DSA. County corrections staff is represented by the San Benito County Institutions Association.
Both Taylor and a DSA representative have said recently they appreciate the county’s past and ongoing efforts to increase deputies’ and jailers’ compensation and bring stability to the county budget.
DSA President Sgt. Kaleb Simpson said Kosmicki’s proposal is “a step in the right direction.”
“We’re grateful he came forward with some (proposals) out of contract—which the county has not done since I’ve been here,” said Simpson, who joined the local sheriff’s office almost nine years ago. “We’re hopeful they’re going to keep doing what they can to help stop the bleeding.”
All agree that the challenge stems from San Benito County’s inability to keep up with salaries and compensation offered by nearby communities in the region. Simpson said deputies are easily enticed by similar positions for higher pay in wealthier counties on San Benito’s borders, while continuing to live in the Hollister area.
“Everyone who works here enjoys working here,” Simpson said. “Everyone who leaves is leaving because they can get 30-40% more compensation and only add 30-45 minutes to their drive.”
When the DSA released a June 10 statement warning of Taylor’s recent adjustments to the office’s coverage of San Juan Bautista, Taylor made a statement clarifying the move. The sheriff’s office has a contract to provide public safety services for the City of San Juan Bautista.
Taylor said the contract calls for a minimum of 168 patrol hours per month. This has traditionally been met with a dedicated deputy assigned to San Juan Bautista, though that staffing approach is not required in the contract.
Now, Taylor said, after consulting with city staff and county officials, he changed that model to ensure the same amount of coverage—just without a full-time deputy dedicated to San Juan Bautista.
“(Due) to significant staffing shortages, we were compelled to reassign Deputy Villanueva (formerly assigned to San Juan Bautista) to a countywide patrol shift to ensure coverage for all residents. San Juan Bautista is now treated like any other beat, identified as Beat 3,” Taylor said in the statement.
The sheriff added, “Our staffing levels are critically low, and although the Board has taken meaningful steps to address the issue, we continue to see deputies and correctional officers explore opportunities in other jurisdictions offering higher compensation and more robust benefits.”
According to the civil grand jury, there are currently 29 patrol deputies—including two K9 officers—on staff at the sheriff’s office. There are 31 correctional staff at the jail, but four of those are currently out on medical or administrative leave.
Budgeted staff for the sheriff’s office has fallen in recent years. The 2025-26 county budget lists a total of 36.5 full-time equivalent positions in sheriff operations, which is down from 40.5 in 2024-25. Budgeted corrections staffing has dropped from 39.5 in 2024-25 to 36.5 in 2025-26, according to the county’s current budget.
