Bill to bolster Vallejo police staffing heads to governor’s desk

VALLEJO – A bill that would help bolster staffing in the beleaguered Vallejo Police Department was passed by the state Senate on Monday and is awaiting signature by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The bill, SB 1379, was introduced by state Sen. Bill Dodd in February in response to Vallejo’s declaration of a police staffing emergency. It would allow retired Solano County Sheriff’s deputies to return to duty full time as the city has sought assistance from the sheriff’s office in providing police services.

Retired law enforcement officers who are receiving a pension generally have the number of hours they can work capped at 960 hours per year, or about 18 hours per week. Dodd’s bill would lift that cap for Solano sheriff’s deputies as well as dispatchers and evidence technicians until 2027.

The bill sailed through the legislature with broad support. It passed unanimously in the state Assembly last week and 36-3 in the Senate, where three of nine Senate Republicans opposed it.

In a statement last week, Dodd called the Assembly’s passage of the bill “a big step toward addressing Vallejo’s public safety needs.” 

“These seasoned, retired professionals bring a wealth of training and experience, enhancing public safety, while saving taxpayers money,” Dodd said. “It’s a smart way to address this vexing problem and protect our community.”

The bill’s Republican opponents have engaged in inflammatory rhetoric against Democrats over crime, including Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, who on his website accuses Democrats of protecting "sexually violent predators over families."

State Sen. Kelly Seyarto, a former firefighter in Los Angeles whose website accuses "radical Democrat lawmakers" of trying to release "violent murderers" and "dangerous criminals," also voted no, as did Janet Nguyen of Orange County.

Representatives for Jones, Seyarto and Nguyen did not respond to requests for comment about their vote.

Dodd introduced the bill in response to the City Council declaring a local emergency because of police staffing levels in July 2023. 

Dodd’s office said that while the department is budgeted for 132 officers, it is down to 62 active officers, with only 36 officers assigned to the patrol division. Recruiting and training new officers can take up to two years, so to provide immediate relief, Dodd proposed bringing back retired officers.

Dodd’s bill initially would have allowed retired Vallejo police officers to return as well, but the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee amended the bill to eliminate that provision because of ongoing reforms in the department overseen by the state Department of Justice.

Interim Vallejo police Chief Jason Ta has floated the idea of seeking the sheriff’s support to address the staffing shortage since early last year, but the sheriff’s office has so far been reluctant to step in, first because the city was still negotiating a contract with the Vallejo Police Officers Association, and then because it lacked the resources to fill Vallejo’s gap.

The Vallejo City Council allocated $1.2 million in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay the county for the support from the sheriff’s office, however those funds were reallocated to pay for the bailout of a supportive housing project on Broadway. 

The Solano County Board of Supervisors also must approve the sheriff’s office sending deputies to Vallejo but has not taken action pending the passage of Dodd’s bill. If SB 1379 passes, the city will have to find additional funds to pay for sheriff’s deputies to take shifts in Vallejo.

Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara praised the bill in a statement released by Dodd’s office last week. “I would like to thank Sen. Dodd for addressing the dire need for help in Vallejo,” Ferrara said. “This important change will help us ensure the appropriate staffing levels for community safety.”

Vallejo Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Shawna Gilroy also praised Dodd’s efforts. “We are in full support of bringing back retired officers that are willing to continue to serve,” Gilroy said in a statement. “With the state of emergency in Vallejo we welcome the help to provide more protection and safety to our businesses, residents and community.”