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 investigations would remain with Vallejo PD or other task forces as appropriate. John Robertson, the sheriff’s executive officer, said the office already answered over 1,000 calls in Vallejo in 2024 and conducted a range of task-force work there. - Staffing mechanism: SB 1379 (emergency legislation enacted 2024) allows a temporary increase in retirees’ allowable hours for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff said the bill made the deployment feasible and noted the measure was a key precondition. - Timeline conditions required by the sheriff’s team: the county must receive an initial start-up payment (insurance/liability reserve and equipment prepayment) within 15 days of contract execution and the contract must be returned to the Board of Supervisors for approval by June 24, 2025, to permit a January 2026 launch and to realize a meaningful 12‑month window under the SB 1379 waiver. The sheriff said failure to meet those deadlines would lead him to recommend against proceeding. - Cost estimates presented to the board (county staff emphasized these are estimates and would be refined in contract talks): roughly $1.9 million for insurance and liability (including a $1 million reserve refundable if unused), about $1.4 million in one-time start-up equipment and vehicle outfitting costs (eight patrol vehicles, radios, body cameras, tasers, and weapons), and approximately $7.8–8.0 million in first‑year operating costs (salaries, benefits, relief positions, relief overtime, vehicle maintenance, fuel, crime-analysis software and administrative overhead). Lisa Donahue, the sheriff’s administrative-services director, said those amounts include indirect administrative overhead for county departments that will support the effort (HR, Fleet, DOIT, County Counsel and others).

Board concerns and clarifications Board members pressed the sheriff’s team on operational details, including how command promotions would be handled (the sheriff suggested limited-term promotions or use of retired supervisors if necessary), who would cover deputy overtime and court appearances (the sheriff said the county would invoice Vallejo monthly for court overtime and other contract-specific costs), interoperability with existing radio systems and the cost and timing required to add Abrexa/800‑MHz radio licensing, and the potential impacts to unincorporated areas if county patrol resources were committed to Vallejo.

Quotes from the record - "I want to do it this way, make it safe for the deputies, provide a good service to the community," Sheriff Tom Ferrara said when describing his preferred deployment model. - "SB 1379 was a critical part of the sheriff’s office ability to offer assistance to the city of Vallejo," John Robertson said, summarizing the legislative background that enabled the plan. - "The total vacancy rate is 11.4%," Nija Edwards, Solano County Human Resources director, told the board while reviewing countywide staffing pressures that framed the discussion about whether the county could surge personnel.

Next steps and conditions placed by the board The board voted to authorize the sheriff to proceed with contract negotiations, subject to: (1) return of a draft contract to the Board of Supervisors for consideration no later than June 24, 2025; (2) written confirmation or assurances required by county counsel regarding the county’s legal exposure under any Department of Justice settlement affecting Vallejo; (3) receipt of the initial start-up funds (insurance, liability reserve and equipment) within 15 days of contract execution; and (4) clear mutual‑aid, labor‑relations and worker‑safety language in the contract. Sheriff Ferrara and county staff said they will begin negotiations immediately.

Context and open questions County staff and board members repeatedly emphasized the short timeline: equipment procurement, radio licensing, recruitment or assignment of personnel, payroll coding and onboarding, and interagency coordination are all time‑consuming tasks. Several board members asked the sheriff to develop a parallel plan B (what the county would do if contract negotiations or deadlines fail) because of the potential countywide impacts if resources are committed and later withdrawn. The board did not adopt a contract at this hearing; it only authorized negotiations.

Outcome Motion to authorize the sheriff to negotiate a contract with the City of Vallejo: moved by Supervisor Cassandra James, seconded by Supervisor Williams; vote 5-0 (Mashburn, Brown, Williams, Vasquez, James).