Committee releases $5.54M in reserves for sheriff's jail security staffing after staffing audit

The Budget & Finance Committee agreed to release approximately $5.54 million from reserve for the Sheriff’s Department on a request presented March 25 by Sheriff Mike Hennessy.

Hennessy said the money was placed on reserve during budget deliberations pending completion of a fixed‑post staffing review by the Budget Analyst’s Office. He told the committee the department has adopted the National Institute of Corrections staffing formula and is about halfway through a facility‑by‑facility implementation. Hennessy said a key constraint to rapid civilianization of some recordkeeping positions is a collective bargaining MOU that specifies minimum staffing levels for deputies and does not expire until June 30.

Budget Analyst Deborah Newman and analyst Mark De La Rosa summarized an audit and the fixed‑post findings: the budgeted reserves were approximately one‑third of staffing costs, and a midyear mayoral reduction required reforecasting. Newman said updated forecasts showed the sheriff’s office would need the full $5.54 million request given midyear reductions elsewhere.

Supervisors asked about MOU timing and whether the department could realize further civilianization savings; Hennessy replied ERD negotiates the contract and that he would raise management concerns in those negotiations. Supervisor McRaevey moved to approve release; the committee voted to release the reserve and forward the item.

What happens next: funds will be released to the Sheriff’s Department for jail security staffing; Hennessy and the department will continue to complete the NIC staffing analysis and coordinate with ERD on MOU issues.