Solano supervisors postpone vote on Vallejo policing agreement after labor, logistics and pension issues arise

Sheriff Tom Ferraro told the Solano County Board of Supervisors on June 24 that, despite substantial progress with the City of Vallejo, he could not recommend immediate board approval of a proposed contract to provide deputies to Vallejo. Ferraro said the county had received a written confirmation from the California Department of Justice that the county would not be a party to Vallejo’s stipulation, but he warned that meet‑and‑confer discussions with the Deputy Sheriffs Association and practical constraints posed major obstacles.

“I officially would recommend we not approve this today for the following reasons,” Ferraro told the board, citing the short timeline and outstanding labor and pension issues. He added that a recent CalPERS audit of the county’s retired‑annuitant hires had identified employees who exceeded allowable service durations, creating a risk that retaining some annuitants could trigger penalties or require unwinding retirement payouts.

Vallejo officials and community leaders urged immediate approval, saying the city needs help now to cut response times and address violent crime. “I strongly urge you to approve this agreement,” Andrew Murray, Vallejo’s city manager, told the board, saying the city had committed $11.2 million to the effort and expected to reach full police staffing by 2027. Mayor Andrea Sorensen and multiple council members and neighborhood groups also testified, describing recent shootings and delayed 911 responses.

Union representatives and the Deputy Sheriffs Association opposed immediate approval and requested more fulsome meet‑and‑confer engagement. Todd O’Connor, vice president of the DSA, said his union had submitted a letter of opposition and remained open to negotiations, but not to a rushed approval without resolving impacts on county deputy staffing and bargaining unit terms.

Faced with the competing pressures, the board voted 4–1 to continue the item to the July 22 meeting so staff, the sheriff, union representatives and Vallejo’s leaders could try to resolve the outstanding issues. The sheriff said he would pursue the meet‑and‑confer process and asked the board for support cutting procurement red tape if the July 22 date proves feasible, while human resources said the county would pursue clarification with CalPERS about the annuitant findings.

What’s next: Staff will return on July 22 with the results of continued meet‑and‑confer talks, any legal or CalPERS guidance, and an updated implementation plan and timeline for vehicle procurement and staffing if the parties are able to reach agreement.