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Santa Fe County managers, sheriff press for more deputies as budget adds one position
Summary
County management and Sheriff Mendoza discussed FY2026 budget plans that add one deputy position, propose future hires funded by retired debt service and a staffing study, and prioritize vehicle replacements and a multi-agency mobile command trailer.
Santa Fe County on Wednesday discussed requests to increase sheriff's staffing and outlined how the FY2026 budget packages near-term hires, equipment replacements and longer-term staffing funded by future revenue.
County Manager Schaeffer told the Board of County Commissioners the proposed budget includes a new deputy sheriff III position for FY2026 and that recurring revenue currently pledged to debt service could support four additional deputy positions once that debt is retired. Sheriff Mendoza told the commission his office is nearly fully staffed now but asked the board to restore six deputy positions that were given up in 2019–2020 and said a staffing assessment could show the need for “20 to 25 more deputies.”
Why it matters: Commissioners repeatedly said public safety is their constituents’ top budget priority. Staffing levels and vehicle replacements are the sheriff’s most costly recurring items; deputies and coverage drive patrol…
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