Los Angeles is already experiencing a sharp uptick in crime, directly attributable to Arnold and Jerry opening the prison gates to vicious criminals.
Now the Sacramento Sheriff is going to make the situation for Californians worse.
“The Sheriff’s Department has a $10.7 million shortfall, which means once again Sheriff Jones is in the position of pleading with the county to spare his department from severe cuts and he’s playing hardball at the negotiating table: At a budget hearing this week, Jones suggested that if supervisors approve the $10.7 million budget cut for his department, he will be forced to release 540 inmates early from local jails. Concerns about residents’ safety could persuade the board, as Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan previously commented that “Public safety is the basic role of government. If we don’t provide for that adequately, nothing else will fall into place.”
Instead of telling Judges that the safety of Californians is the first role of government, both determined that criminals were more then our families being safe. Sadly, other counties are already totally releasing criminals to the streets.
Sacramento Sheriff Threatens Early Release of Hundreds of Inmates if County Approves Cuts
California County News, 6/13/12
Sacramento County is facing its fifth consecutive deficit budget and the recent budget proposal released by County Executive Brad Hudson is comprised of a $60 million deficit for all departments, so maintaining existing services appears unlikely. Supervisors have been left to tangle with how to prioritize cuts and spending and if Sheriff Scott Jones has his way, more funds for public safety could have a major impact on other services, such as the Department of Human Assistance.
The Sheriff’s Department has a $10.7 million shortfall, which means once again Sheriff Jones is in the position of pleading with the county to spare his department from severe cuts and he’s playing hardball at the negotiating table: At a budget hearing this week, Jones suggested that if supervisors approve the $10.7 million budget cut for his department, he will be forced to release 540 inmates early from local jails. Concerns about residents’ safety could persuade the board, as Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan previously commented that “Public safety is the basic role of government. If we don’t provide for that adequately, nothing else will fall into place.”
If the cuts are imposed on the Sheriff’s Department, it is believed that 36 correctional deputies would lose their jobs and Jones is threatening that it would force the county to release inmates early for the first time in at least the 20 years.
The Bee reports: “Jones said he doesn’t know what types of offenders he would release early from the jails, as the department is just starting to look at the possibility. He said the releases certainly would not be done all at once, and would be done in consultation with other law enforcement agencies.”
Jones also cautioned that under the proposed cuts, the number of patrols would have to be limited and the department would have to stop responding to certain crimes.
In the past five budget cycles, the county has been forced to cut funding for about 4,000 employee positions while personnel costs continue to rise. The Bee also notes that thanks to a deal negotiated in 2009, “Deputy sheriffs are getting a 5.7 percent raise in the coming fiscal year, which is the biggest reason for the jump in county salary costs.”
