Solano County board authorizes sheriff to negotiate temporary policing contract with Vallejo

The Solano County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to permit the county sheriff to negotiate a contract with the City of Vallejo that would have the sheriff’s office provide temporary patrol coverage there while Vallejo rebuilds its police force.

The board’s action authorized negotiation — not final approval — after Sheriff Tom Ferraro and his staff outlined a proposed service model based on Senate Bill 1379, the emergency state law the county used to allow retired annuitants to work beyond standard CalPERS hour limits. Under the proposal the sheriff described, the county would staff Vallejo with roughly 17 full‑time equivalents (one lieutenant, two sergeants, 12 deputies and two dispatchers) operating seven days a week for noon‑to‑midnight patrols.

Ferraro and his executive officer, John Robertson, said the model is designed to answer urgent public‑safety needs while minimizing impact on county operations. Costs the county estimated include about $1.4 million for one‑time vehicle and equipment purchases, roughly $1.9 million for insurance, liability and an unused‑reserve that would be refunded if not needed, and about $7.8 million for one year of salaries, benefits and operational overhead. Under the draft term sheet the city would reimburse the county on a cost‑recovery basis; the sheriff said the county cannot subsidize the work.

Board members pressed for specifics: how promotions and temporary command structure would be handled when limited‑term assignments end; how the county would backfill court, transport and other obligations; how time off, court appearances and leave would be covered; and who would own equipment after the contract ends. Sheriff Ferraro and administrative staff said the draft envisions Vallejo owning the vehicles and equipment after the contract but that the county could buy back surplus equipment at fair market value if needed. They also said overtime and relief factors would be coded and billed to Vallejo as part of the contract.

Several Vallejo officials and community leaders spoke in favor of the agreement during public comment. Vallejo Police Chief Jason Taw, Vallejo councilmembers and community groups said the city has made recent hiring gains but still lacks sufficient staffing and that a partnership could stabilize response times and support reforms. Local advocates framed the measure as an interim public‑safety step tied to a broader effort to restore trust.

Supervisors emphasized safeguards they expect in a final contract: clear indemnification and legal protections for the county, written assurances that the county will be reimbursed for overtime and other costs, labor‑relations agreements with the deputy sheriffs’ association and Vallejo’s police association, and a firm timeline tied to the statutory sunset. The sheriff said the contract must reach the board by June 24 to allow the county and the city to meet the proposed January start and to get the staffing ramped up before the law sunsets on Jan. 1, 2027.

With those caveats in mind, Supervisor Cassandra James moved to support the sheriff’s recommendation that the county negotiate; the board approved the motion 5‑0.

Next steps: the sheriff’s office will continue negotiations with Vallejo, coordinate required labor‑management discussions, work with county counsel on contract language (including indemnification), and return any final agreement to the board for approval.