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Sheriff outlines staffing gains, armory progress and body‑camera upgrade; board approves multiple sheriff budgets with amendment
Summary
Sheriff Bingham reported incremental staffing improvements, a capital armory project ahead of schedule and planned upgrades to body-worn cameras. The board approved the Sheriff's suite of budgets and an amendment to carry $101,114 in AB 109 revenue for an unfinished jail fencing project.
Sheriff Tony Bingham told the Board of Supervisors on June 25 that his office has made modest staffing gains, is advancing a major armory construction project and plans to install a new cloud-based body-worn camera system for deputies and jail staff.
Bingham said the department had recently hired corrections staff and expected additional deputies to start in late June and July: “We hired 2 new deputy sheriff corrections. 1 starting Monday next week, 1 starting on July 14,” and several recruits were in background checks. He described a recruitment effort that assigns younger deputies to recruitment duties and that the department had candidates in training academies.
On capital projects, Bingham and a public‑services official updated the board on the county armory project, reporting the contractor and construction-management team were performing well and that the project was roughly 18% complete and slightly ahead of schedule. Administrative staff said the project remains within contingency and that solar and furnishings (FF&E) were not included in the initial construction bid and would come forward later.
Budget and equipment priorities in the sheriff’s briefing included a move to a cloud-based body-worn camera system and replacing aging equipment; staff said roughly $1 million was being allocated to buy upgraded body cameras and related cloud storage, and that the department has experienced frequent body-camera loss requiring replacement.
Sheriff finance staff reported one specific budget amendment: the jail budget (2201) will increase appropriations by $101,114 to carryover AB 109 funds to pay a fencing project that has not yet been completed. The finance manager said the funds were moved to ensure the project could be paid when work finished.
Board members and public commenters raised marine-patrol staffing and funding questions after several recent drownings and noted that boat-patrol funding from the Department of Boating and Waterways is fixed at $315,312; the sheriff said additional seasonal coverage typically relied on 900-hour employees whose numbers have declined since COVID, and the department was recruiting annuitants and part-time staff to restore coverage.
After discussion the board moved and approved the sheriff’s package of budgets — including the jail budget amendment — by recorded vote, 5-0.
Ending: Sheriff Bingham said he will continue recruitment efforts and look for grant funding to support technology and staffing priorities; the board requested continued updates on overtime, staffing levels and marine-patrol coverage.
