Sheriff Darren Thompson issued a statement Monday in response to the budget cuts approved by the San Benito County Supervisors during the budget hearings July 23 through July 27.
In the release, Thompson notes that the reduction of $1.3 million to sheriff’s operations and $93,586 to sheriff’s corrections is a “devastating reduction.”
The supervisors were charged with reducing the budget by $5.3 million overall and early in the budget hearings they had agreed not to target public safety departments. But as the week wore on, they agreed to make some cuts to the district attorney’s office, the probation department and the sheriff’s department, which makes up the largest portion of the county’s general fund compared to other departments.
Thompson noted in the release that the reductions for the 2012-13 year include the elimination of six deputy sheriffs, two correctional deputies, two secretaries and one records clerk.
He compared the staffing level for 2012-13 of 24 positions in operations and 25.5 positions in corrections with the level in 2008-09, when there were 40.5 positions in operations and 32.5 in corrections.
“Although steadfast in our commitment, with 23.5 less personnel, it will be a challenge for the Sheriff’s Office to perform all of the functions we have historically performed,” Thompson wrote. “Some functions are mandated by state law, or dictated by special funding streams, leaving us with little or no flexibility.”
He listed coroner duties, civil process service, jail operations and the office of Emergency Services as mandated duties.
Other programs are dictated by special funding streams such as the bailiffs, ag crimes position, and methamphetamine enforcement position.
“Other rigid factors exist such as job classifications, MOUs with the affected bargaining groups, and our county’s layoff policy,” Thompson wrote. “The complexities created by these types of restrictions make it very difficult for creative staffing solutions, such as the sharing of roles and responsibilities (wearing “many hats).
