Santa Fe County managers, sheriff press for more deputies as budget adds one position

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 presence across sparsely populated parts of the county.

Sheriff Mendoza said the department currently has 94 sworn positions funded, down from 100 before the county gave up six positions around 2019–2020 to cover salary increases. “If I had it my way and if I was looking for, public safety as a priority, I would say we need all 6 positions yesterday,” Mendoza said during the hearing. The sheriff also described moving deputies to high-demand areas and said he expects the office to reach full staffing in the coming months.

County Manager Schaeffer said management and the sheriff’s office worked together in prior budgets to create public safety aide positions intended to be a feeder pipeline into sworn ranks. He told the board those aides would not immediately replace deputies, and that four additional deputy positions tied to retired debt-service revenue are projected for 2027 when those funds are freed. The FY2026 proposal adds one deputy sheriff III position and includes money for a mid-year staffing study to quantify long-term needs.

Fixed assets and other items: Schaeffer described about $2.6 million in fixed-asset requests for the sheriff’s office, led by vehicle replacements and audiovisual upgrades. He highlighted a planned mobile command trailer budgeted at $100,000 of legislative funding combined with contributions from RECC and the fire department to build “a fully integrated and multi use command trailer.” Manager Schaeffer said larger capital costs beyond small thresholds would be split per the joint RECC agreement with the City of Santa Fe and Town of Edgewood.

Commissioner Justin Green and other commissioners urged more hires ahead of the staffing-study results. Commissioner Green said vacancy savings accumulated in past years and that the board should try to convert some of those funds into new hires now rather than wait. Commissioner Adam Johnson asked for comparative ratios from similar counties; Sheriff Mendoza and county staff said they would provide benchmarking once the staffing study produces supporting data.

Discussion vs. decision: The meeting was a budget presentation and review; no formal budget adoption or hiring vote occurred at the hearing. Commissioners asked staff to return with additional information, including the staffing-study timeline and comparative staffing ratios.

What’s next: County management said the staffing study contractor is under contract and the study should be completed in roughly three to four months after purchasing orders are finalized. Commissioners indicated they want the study results and additional staff proposals before final budget decisions.

Ending note: Commissioners repeatedly framed public-safety hiring as a top constituent request; the board asked staff to prioritize analysis and to explore whether vacancy-savings and freed debt-service can be used to accelerate hiring.