Sheriff asks to permanently fund temporary narcotics unit after seizures; notes Guerneville substation is century‑old and needs long‑term plan

Sheriff Eddie Ingram presented the Sheriff's Office budget and described a pilot narcotics unit that has been operating since late 2024 on one‑time funding from an early termination of an intercounty contract. The sheriff asked the board to consider making the unit permanent in the 2025‑26 budget cycle.

Ingram gave seizure statistics since the unit intensified operations: sheriff’s investigations reported about 68.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 13.5 pounds of fentanyl, multiple pounds of other controlled substances, “101,000 illicit pills” and 62 firearms seized in Sheriff Office operations. He said assistance to other agencies added further seizures. The sheriff's proposal included an ongoing cost estimate of roughly $2 million per year to permanently fund the unit. The office currently has one‑time funding for the unit through the end of the coming fiscal year and would seek long‑term funding to avoid having to keep positions vacant after one‑time funds end.

Separately, Sheriff Ingram described the Guerneville (River) substation as needing replacement or major repairs. The sheriff said the building dates from the 1920s and the county acquired it in the 1940s; deputies report leaking roofs, inadequate kitchen facilities and other conditions unsuitable for modern law‑enforcement operations. Supervisors said they would work with the Sheriff and county infrastructure staff to identify interim fixes and options (including relocation, co‑location with other county facilities or a longer‑term replacement project) and noted that cost and site selection require further study.

Why it matters: The narcotics unit’s operations have produced significant seizures that Sheriff’s staff and some supervisors said materially reduce street supply and remove firearms from circulation; making the unit permanent would require the board to identify stable funding in a constrained budget year. The River substation serves as a hub for public safety in the Lower Russian River area, and its deterioration poses operational and safety risks.

Next steps: Sheriff asked board to consider the narcotics unit as a program change request in the June budget process; supervisors asked staff to report on options and costs for short‑term repairs and long‑term replacement planning for the Guerneville substation.