Sacramento County residents will have another opportunity on July 14 to weigh in on cuts to public safety, including the elimination of the Sheriff’s Problem-Oriented Policing Team. The Board of Supervisors recently adopted a budget that reduced funding for the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and Probation Department. Those reductions included the elimination of the POP Team and the District Attorney’s misdemeanor unit. I cast the lone “no” vote because I believed the budget made the wrong choices on public safety.
At the following Board meeting, Supervisor Pat Hume made a motion to reconsider the adopted budget. I seconded his motion, and the Board approved it on a 4-1 vote. It is important to understand that this action did not restore the POP Team or change the budget that was adopted. It was a procedural step allowing the Board to formally consider possible amendments at its July 14 meeting.
The decision to bring the budget back is still significant. In my years of service in local government, I cannot recall another instance when a governing body adopted a budget and then moved so quickly to reconsider it. That reflects the seriousness of the concerns raised by residents, law enforcement officials and members of the Board. Supervisor Hume stated that his intent is to restore funding through and including the POP Team, and I support that goal. However, another formal vote will be required before any funding is restored.
The POP Team is one of the Sheriff’s Department’s primary proactive policing resources. Its deputies work with neighborhoods, businesses and community organizations to address repeated problems before they escalate. Their work focuses on chronic crime locations, illegal activity, nuisance properties and quality-of-life concerns that often require more time and coordination than patrol deputies can provide. When residents say they want law enforcement to prevent crime rather than simply respond after someone has been victimized, this is the type of work they are asking for.
The Sheriff’s budget is not my only remaining concern. The adopted budget also reduced funding for the District Attorney’s Office and Probation Department. The District Attorney has said the reductions will result in the elimination of its misdemeanor unit, which affects every jurisdiction in Sacramento County because the office prosecutes cases countywide. Effective public safety requires both prevention and accountability, and I continue to believe those reductions deserve further consideration as well.
The July 14 meeting gives the Board an opportunity to revisit these decisions and gives residents another chance to make their voices heard. The reconsideration vote opened the door, but the outcome is not yet final. I encourage anyone who cares about proactive policing and public safety to stay engaged and participate in the meeting. I will continue advocating for the POP Team, DA Misdemeanor Unit, and for a county budget that treats public safety as a core responsibility.
If you would like to share your thoughts with me, you can reach my office at 916-874-5491 or emailSupervisorRodriguez@saccounty.gov
Rosario Rodriguez authored this community commentary. Rodriguez is the Sacramento County District 4 Supervisor, which includes the communities of Folsom, Rio Linda, Elverta, Antelope, North Highlands, Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Rancho Murieta, Sloughouse.
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