Proposed state legislation would allow retired officers to return to work full time in Vallejo

VALLEJO – A bill introduced by state Sen. Bill Dodd last month would allow retired officers to return to work full time for the Vallejo Police Department or the Solano County Sheriff’s Office while still collecting state pensions to bolster police staffing in Vallejo. 

The bill, SB 1379, was introduced on Feb. 16. It would suspend limits on the number of hours retired police officers, dispatchers and administrative police personnel can work while collecting a state pension until Jan. 1, 2029, if they work in Vallejo or Solano County.

Under current state law, retired employees can’t work more than 960 hours per year, or about 18 hours per week. According to the text of the legislation, Dodd proposed it to address short staffing in the Vallejo Police Department. 

“The urgent substantial understaffing of the City of Vallejo Police Department constitutes a risk to public health and safety, as the Vallejo City Council declared a state of emergency pertaining to the major staffing shortage,” the legislation states.

According to a fact sheet provided by Dodd's office, the 960-hour limit for retired employees was designed to prevent them from exploiting the retirement system by working full time.

"However, the Vallejo Police Department is in desperate need of help," Dodd's office said. "Because of this staffing shortage, Solano County Sheriff is pressured with responding to calls for service in Vallejo. Therefore, the 960 hour limit should also be waived for Solano County Sheriff, as it provides extra help if officers need to respond to calls in Vallejo."

The Vallejo City Council declared a staffing emergency in the police department in July, which gave the city manager and police chief new powers to try to address staffing levels, including seeking help from the Solano County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol. 

Initially, those agencies were reluctant to step in, particularly because the city had been negotiating with the Vallejo Police Officers Association on a new contract for over a year. The city approved a new contract with the VPOA in November. 

This week, some Vallejo residents started circulating a change.org petition urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to deploy CHP officers in Vallejo, similar to how the CHP recently deployed officers to Oakland. The petition received 388 signatures by Thursday morning. 

“We believe that additional support from California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Sheriff officers could significantly help address this issue,” petition organizer Paula Conley wrote. “Their presence would not only bolster our local law enforcement capacity but also serve as a deterrent for potential criminals.”

On Tuesday, the City Council plans to take the next step to asking the sheriff’s office for direct staffing support in Vallejo. City staff has proposed negotiating a yearlong contract with the county which would provide staffing support from the sheriff’s office for $6-8 million.

According to a report from Assistance City Manager Terrance Davis, the sheriff’s office made a preliminary proposal to the city which would provide 11 deputies to work 10 hours per day, four days per week to respond to high priority calls, requests for emergency assistance from Vallejo police, and to conduct crime suppression efforts in targeted areas. Any contract would require approval by the Solano County Board of Supervisors. 

The City Council will take up the request at its meeting Tuesday, which starts at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers at 555 Santa Clara St. Residents can participate in the meeting in person or remotely via Zoom.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from Dodd's office.