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Sheriff staffing shortages flagged in public comment as deputies urge county to match regional hiring incentives
Summary
A representative of the Stanislaus Sworn Deputies Association told the Board of Supervisors the sheriff's office is down to 187 deputies and urged the county to consider incentives to remain competitive with other agencies; the county CEO responded that the county offers hiring bonuses up to $10,000.
Randon Kirkbride, representing the Stanislaus Sworn Deputies Association, told the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 that the sheriff's department’s staffing numbers are falling and urged the board to help make county hiring more competitive.
Kirkbride said the department had 189 deputies at the prior meeting, that number had dropped to 187 and he expected it could fall to about 186 in the coming weeks. “We were allotted 209 spots,” he said, and added that the department has not seen those staffing levels since before layoffs and pay cuts a decade ago.
Kirkbride framed the trend as a recruitment and retention problem tied to incentives offered by nearby agencies: “The City of Sonora offers a $50,000 hiring incentive for laterals and an $18,000 incentive for new hires.... The City of Fremont ... is now offering a $100,000 hiring incentive for lateral officers.” He said lateral hires save the county roughly $60,000 compared with training a brand-new deputy and argued the county must act to avoid reduced services and longer response times.
The county’s chief executive officer responded during public comment that the county already offers hiring incentives for new employees. “Currently, our hiring incentives are up to 1 month's pay up to a maximum of $10,000 in a cash bonus or time off, depending upon what that person wants,” the County CEO said, and added the county provides other recruiting accommodations for lateral hires including vacation schedule matching and front‑loaded sick leave.
Kirkbride urged the board to review how Stanislaus County compares to the eight counties used for bargaining-unit comparisons; he cited examples the association tracks, including Kern County (which he said offers $25,000 for laterals and $15,000 for new hires plus relocation aid), Madera County (he said offers $15,000 and other long‑term benefits), and San Joaquin County (he said offers $10,000 plus $2,000 relocation assistance).
No formal board action was taken during public comment on incentives; the speaker said he intends to return to subsequent meetings with updated staffing counts.
The board did not adopt or amend any hiring policy at the Jan. 7 meeting; the CEO said staff will review comparative practices in other jurisdictions and that the county’s website lists current recruitment incentives and contact information for follow-up.
