Solano County supervisors authorize sheriff to negotiate temporary Vallejo policing contract; board requires quick timeline and cost protections

The Solano County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to authorize Sheriff Tom Ferrara to negotiate a contract with the City of Vallejo to provide temporary law-enforcement patrols while Vallejo rebuilds its police staffing.

The vote — moved by Supervisor Cassandra James and seconded by Supervisor Williams — followed a multi-hour briefing from sheriff's staff about a service model that would place 17 full-time equivalent county personnel in Vallejo (one lieutenant, two sergeants, 12 deputy sheriffs and two dispatchers), operate 12-hour shifts seven days a week, and rely on a temporary CalPERS waiver providing retired annuitant staffing under Senate Bill 1379 (2024). Sheriff Ferrara said the county would seek full cost recovery from Vallejo and would not use county funds to subsidize the deployment.

Why it matters: Vallejo declared a public-safety staffing emergency in 2023 and has reported persistent vacancies and slow response times for some calls for service. Board members said the request carries urgency because the SB 1379 waiver allowing expanded retired-annuitant hours sunsets in January 2027, and county staff estimated the work needed to stand up the operation would be substantial and time-limited.

What the sheriff proposed and the board required - Service model: Two operational teams covering roughly half Vallejo (estimated population ~64,000 in Sheriffs’ target beats), each led by a sergeant and overseen by a lieutenant. Deputies would focus on patrol response; major…