Sheriff Brown Suggests Restructuring Department To Combat Budget Deficit
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Sheriff Bill Brown spoke at the Santa Barbara County Board Of Supervisor’s second day of budget workshops today.
Many have acknowledged the difficult decisions on the horizon.
Santa Barbara County is facing a $70 million dollar budget deficit, and $5 million of that belongs to the sheriff’s office.
“The requested $5 million cut is far more impactful than the way that it is categorized as 2.9% of our operational budget,” says Sheriff Brown.
Sheriff Brown told supervisors on Wednesday, 30 positions could be cut, 12 of them licensed law enforcement officers and several civilian positions.
“Bringing the total of general fund positions lost to 53 deputies and 19 civilian personnel.”
The sheriff is concerned the effects of these losses will include delayed response times and an overall decrease in public safety. And the Board of Supervisors certainly agrees.
“I appreciate, Sheriff, that you started off by describing the vastness of the work that your department does,” said county supervisor Laura Capps.
The Sheriff’s Office is also considering reassigning Isla Vista foot patrols to neighboring jurisdictions.
“The reduced crime rates, really did factor into our focus on Isla Vista,” says Sheriff Brown. “Not just as being contiguous to another division, being closer, being able to handle it as a beat, which we really couldn’t do in any of the other stations.”
Supervisor Joan Hartmann suggested a community response team could handle certain less violent situations to relieve the burden on law enforcement.
And other community members say they want to see more investment in the county’s youth.
“We want to make sure that the supervisors take a look at the different ways in which we can ensure and protect our community safety net, while also prioritizing and uplifting the young people in our communities,” says Gloria Soto, executive director for Future Leaders Of America.
Final budget decisions for the next fiscal year could be made in June.
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