Governor Signs Sen. Dodd’s Vallejo Public Safety Bill
SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, announced today Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed his legislation that would help address chronic police staffing shortages in Vallejo by allowing qualified, retired law enforcement officers to work up to full-time for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, providing the additional deputies needed to aid Vallejo during the staffing emergency.
“With this new law we take a big step toward addressing Vallejo’s public safety needs by allowing retired deputies to work more hours for the Sheriff’s Office,” Sen. Dodd said. “These seasoned, retired professionals bring a wealth of training and experience, enhancing public safety, while saving taxpayers money. It is a smart way to address this vexing problem and protect our community. I thank the governor for signing this bill.”
The Vallejo Police Department has become severely understaffed, prompting the city council to declare a local emergency. The department is authorized to have 132 sworn officers for the city of 123,000 people but is down to 62, with just 36 officers assigned to the patrol division. On average, it takes up to two years to recruit and train new officers. A cost-effective interim solution is to use retired deputies and other law enforcement officers. However, existing law prevents them from working more than 960 hours per year, leaving gaps in staffing.
In response, Sen. Dodd introduced Senate Bill 1379, which allows qualified retirees to exceed the 960-hour limit for the next three years. The waiver would also apply to dispatchers and evidence technicians. The bill would allow Solano County Sheriff’s Office to respond to more emergency calls in Vallejo by giving them the necessary deputies to do so. The state has previously allowed retired employees to meet urgent staffing needs with similar exemptions.
SB 1379 is supported by the Vallejo City Council, Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara, Solano County Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce and the California State Sheriff’s Association. It was approved by both the Assembly and Senate before being signed by the governor.
“We are committed to assisting the city of Vallejo and those who live, work and visit Solano County to meet their public safety needs,” Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara said. “We will be working with the community in a respectful manner to address this temporary public safety issue. I would like to thank Sen. Dodd and his staff for their assistance and understanding of this public safety need and this pragmatic solution to the city of Vallejo’s public safety need”
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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. More information on Senator Bill Dodd can be found at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.