The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to restore funding for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Problem-Oriented Policing Unit, reversing a budget decision made just weeks ago that would have eliminated the specialized team as part of broader county spending reductions.
Following a lengthy and often contentious budget discussion, the board approved the funding restoration on a 3-2 vote, with Supervisors Rosario Rodriguez, Pat Hume and Rich Desmond supporting the measure. Supervisors Phil Serna and Patrick Kennedy voted against reopening the issue.
The decision reinstates funding for the Sheriff’s Office’s six-member Problem-Oriented Policing, or POP, unit, which focuses on addressing chronic neighborhood problems, quality-of-life concerns and crime trends through proactive enforcement and long-term community engagement rather than responding solely to emergency calls.
The team had been slated for elimination when supervisors adopted the county’s approximately $9 billion budget in June. That spending plan included roughly $57 million in reductions to general fund-supported departments as county leaders sought to address an anticipated $101 million budget shortfall.
County officials have attributed the financial challenges to a longstanding structural deficit combined with increasing operating costs and anticipated fiscal impacts associated with recent federal legislation.
Tuesday’s vote came after Supervisor Pat Hume requested the board revisit the issue, describing the move as unusual but necessary after hearing concerns from residents and businesses about the potential loss of the specialized policing unit.
Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez, who had previously opposed eliminating the program, also advocated for restoring the funding, arguing the unit provides valuable crime prevention services that extend beyond traditional patrol operations.
“I recognize that the county is facing serious budget challenges and that difficult decisions had to be made. However, I could not support a budget that cuts $6.6 million from the Sheriff’s Office and $7.1 million from the District Attorney’s Office while increasing funding for the Department of Homeless Services and Housing by $6.9 million,” Rodriguez shared after the initial 4-1 approval that included her vote against the decision at the time.
Dozens of residents, business owners and community representatives addressed the board during public comment, with many urging supervisors to preserve the program.
Supporters argued the POP unit plays a critical role in addressing recurring public safety concerns, illegal activity, neighborhood nuisance issues and quality-of-life complaints before they become larger criminal problems. They said the team’s work also strengthens partnerships between deputies, businesses and community organizations while helping protect vulnerable neighborhoods.
Business leaders warned that eliminating the unit could reduce proactive enforcement efforts that many commercial districts rely upon to address ongoing issues such as vandalism, illegal dumping, trespassing and repeat criminal activity.Others urged supervisors to leave the adopted budget unchanged.
Opponents of restoring the funding argued that reopening a single portion of the county budget was unfair while reductions affecting social services and community-based programs remained in place. Several speakers contended that funding should instead prioritize programs addressing homelessness, poverty, behavioral health and other root causes of crime.
Supervisors Serna and Kennedy echoed concerns about revisiting one budget item outside of the county’s regular budget review process, noting that broader budget discussions are already scheduled for September.
Despite those objections, the board ultimately approved restoring the program by drawing approximately $3 million from the county’s contingency reserves.
The vote effectively reverses one of the more closely watched public safety reductions included in the county’s June budget and allows the Sheriff’s Office to continue operating the specialized enforcement team into the new fiscal year.
County supervisors are expected to continue reviewing the county’s financial outlook during upcoming budget deliberations later this year as officials work to address ongoing fiscal challenges while balancing public safety, social services and other county priorities.
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