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SHERIFF’S OFFICE - Sheriff Dave Kain
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Requested Action(s)
recommendation
a) BUDGET - Request approval of funding for the first three (3) Correctional Deputy I/Correctional Deputy positions among the twelve (12) positions approved by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for the new jail expansion, authorizing the Sheriff’s Office to begin recruitment and/or hiring for these positions
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Financial Impact:
The annual cost of three (3) Correctional Deputy I/Correctional Deputy positions, including salary, benefits, and applicable roll-up costs, ranges from approximately $294,973 to $367,066. These positions are not included in the recommended FY 2026-27 budget and would require a General Fund contribution.
Background Information:
On March 4th, 2026, the Board of Supervisors approved twelve (12) additional Correctional Deputy positions associated with the County jail expansion and incorporated them into the Personnel Allocation List (PAL). Although the positions have been approved, they remain unfunded.
The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) has approved all twelve (12) positions as part of the expanded jail facility staffing plan. These positions are necessary to provide the staffing capacity required to safely and effectively operate the expanded facility.
The Sheriff’s Office currently has two (2) Correctional Deputy positions vacant at the existing jail, with three (3) additional candidates currently in the background investigative process. As the existing facility approaches full staffing, the Sheriff’s Office is positioned to begin building the additional staffing necessary to support the expanded facility.
The need for the additional positions is primarily driven by the completion and operation of the jail expansion, rather than an increase in the inmate population at the existing facility. The County must maintain adequate staffing at the existing jail while simultaneously staffing the expanded facility. The additional facility therefore creates a need for staffing beyond the personnel currently allocated to operate the existing jail.
Now that the jail expansion is complete, the Sheriff’s Office needs to begin occupying and placing the expanded facility into operation in accordance with applicable state requirements and the County’s approved jail expansion plan. The expanded facility cannot be safely and effectively occupied and operated without additional Correctional Deputy staffing beyond the personnel currently assigned to the existing jail.
Rather than requesting funding for all twelve (12) positions at once, the Sheriff’s Office recommends a phased approach beginning with funding these three (3) positions. These initial positions will provide the staffing necessary to begin the transition toward operation of the expanded facility while allowing the Sheriff’s Office to evaluate actual operational requirements.
As the expanded facility becomes operational, the Sheriff’s Office will assess the factors including inmate population, housing-unit utilization, post assignments, security requirements, transportation needs, training requirements, and other staffing considerations that may become apparent through actual facility operations. This will allow staffing levels to be adjusted based on the demonstrated operational needs rather than assumptions made before the facility is occupied.
A phased staffing model will also allow the Sheriff’s Office to maintain appropriate staffing levels at the existing jail while incrementally establishing the staffing necessary for the expanded facility. Additional BSCC-approved positions can then be requested as warranted by actual operational requirements.
Funding the first three (3) positions will provide the Sheriff’s Office with initial staffing necessary to begin safely and effectively operating the expanded facility while preserving flexibility to determine the appropriate timing and number of additional positions based on actual experience, facility utilization, inmate population, and evolving operational needs.