Governor signs bill to bolster Vallejo police with retired sheriff’s deputies

VALLEJO – Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that would allow retired Solano County Sheriff’s deputies to return to duty full time on Sunday, clearing the way for the sheriff’s office to lend assistance to the beleaguered Vallejo Police Department.

The bill, SB 1379, was introduced by state Sen. Bill Dodd in February in response to Vallejo’s declaration of a police staffing emergency last year. 

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 lifts that cap for Solano sheriff’s deputies as well as dispatchers and evidence technicians until 2027.

In a statement on Monday, the sheriff's office said that Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara contacted Dodd to request the change so that he would have the resources to help address the Vallejo staffing shortage.

“We are committed to assisting the city of Vallejo and those who live, work and visit Solano County to meet their public safety needs," Ferarra said in a statement. "We will be working with the community in a respectful manner to address this temporary public safety issue.”

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

The Vallejo City Council previously 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 earlier this year.

Dodd’s office said that while the Vallejo Police 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 bill sailed through the legislature with broad support. It passed unanimously in the state Assembly in August and 36-3 in the Senate, where three of nine Senate Republicans opposed it.

In a statement, 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.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara.