Dane County Public Protection & Judiciary Committee on Oct. 16 heard heated testimony and detailed staffing data as supervisors considered amendments that would eliminate vacant deputy positions in the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and use the savings to shore up homeless shelter operations and reverse cuts to human services contracts.

The amendments under discussion (PP&J 2, 3 and 4) would remove a total of 28 deputy positions across three proposals and apply some of that funding to operating the new men’s shelter, creating overflow/warming-shelter capacity and restoring portions of point-of-service (POS) contract funding for human services providers. Committee members postponed votes on the amendments to the committee’s next meeting Tuesday for further review.

Why it matters

Supporters described the measures as emergency responses to service gaps that could cost lives this winter. Brenda Konkle, speaking for the Homeless Services Consortium, said the county is short of operations funding for the men’s shelter and for overflow capacity: “We really do need this funding to keep people alive this winter.” Supervisor Marisa Wagner, sponsor of the shelter offsets, argued the men’s shelter as currently funded would not be able to operate 24/7 without additional county support and described overflow and day-center constraints: “If the Beacon can't handle 344 people a day…we are definitely going to need another second location for a daytime shelter.”

Arguments for and against

Supporters emphasized local emergency need and cited vacancy data as the rationale for reallocating unspent sheriff funds. Eric Holland, representing Moses (a community group), summarized historical hires and separations in the sheriff’s office and argued the office has a long-term shortfall in deputies, saying data show the office has hired fewer deputies than it lost in recent years and that the three amendments reduce 28 positions “that have little chance of being filled in 2026.”

Opponents and the sheriff warned of public-safety and staffing risks. Deputy Brian Tischer (speaking on behalf of deputies) said removing positions is not a short-term cost savings because “that money is going to be spent…we're talking about building facilities and making commitments to services that are going to have to be funded basically in perpetuity.” Sheriff Scott Barrett (identified in committee materials and present at the hearing) provided corrected hiring/separation counts and described active hiring activity, saying, “we have around 30-ish or 31 total positions. 13 of those are pre-hires.” He also said 5 hires were scheduled to start the next week and about 19–21 candidates were in background checks.

Clarifying details and numbers mentioned in the meeting

- Proposed changes would eliminate 28 deputy positions across three amendments (sponsors’ total). (source: Eric Holland, sponsor text)

- Supporters said the county executive’s budget did not include $900,000 needed to operate the new men’s shelter; advocates said an additional $700,000 is needed for an overflow shelter in winter months. (source: Brenda Konkle)

- Beacon day-service demand cited at 344 people in a single day; advocates warned the facility could have to reduce services without added support. (source: Brenda Konkle)

- Capital repairs for an overflow building at Zier Road were estimated at $300,000; converting that site for single women as overflow was described as requiring an additional ~$1,500,000 in capital work. (source: Brenda Konkle)

- Sheriff’s corrected hire/separation data supplied by the sheriff: examples cited included 2019 (38 hires, 30 separations), 2023 (35 hires, 34 separations), and 2024 (40 hires, 22 separations) — numbers were presented to correct a DOA chart and to inform staffing feasibility. (source: Sheriff Barrett)

Process and immediate outcome

Committee members postponed consideration of the amendments to the next PP&J meeting to allow more time for review of the sheriff’s updated staffing chart and for additional public comment. The transcript records the postponements as made by motion and accepted without recorded objection; formal roll-call votes were not taken at the Oct. 16 session.

Discussion points noted by committee members

- Several supervisors noted the tension between municipal policing responsibilities (Madison Police Department serves many city calls) and countywide sheriff responsibilities (contracts with towns/villages, jail staffing). Some supervisors urged prioritizing the sheriff's staffing; others said public safety includes addressing homelessness and behavioral-health-era service needs.

- Committee members and DOA staff clarified “pre-hire” accounting: pre-hire slots are funded at a partial (50%) rate during training periods and allow the sheriff’s office to keep candidates in process when training or academy timing creates delays.

What’s next

Committee Chair Andre and staff said the board packet will include the sheriff’s corrected staffing chart distributed to supervisors; votes on the PP&J 2/3/4 amendments were postponed until the committee reconvenes the following Tuesday to allow members to review the updated data and hear additional public testimony.

Ending

The committee did not vote on the amendments Oct. 16. Sponsors and opponents signaled they will return to the issue at the next PP&J meeting and that the sheriff’s corrected staffing data will be circulated to board members before that vote.