Assembly passes Dodd’s Vallejo public safety bill – The Vacaville Reporter

State Sen. Bill Dodd announced Thursday that the Assembly unanimously approved his legislation designed to address the chronic police staffing shortage in Vallejo. This comes nearly three months after the state Senate passed House Bill 1379.

The bill aims to allow qualified retired police officers to work up to full-time for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, providing the additional officers needed to assist Vallejo during the staffing emergency.

“Today we are taking a major step toward addressing Vallejo’s public safety needs by allowing retired deputies to work more hours for the Sheriff’s Office,” said Dodd, a Democrat who represents District 3. “These seasoned, retired professionals bring a wealth of training and experience, improving public safety while saving taxpayers money. It’s a smart way to address this very troubling issue and protect our community.”

SB 1379 is supported by the Vallejo City Council, Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara, the Solano County Deputy Sheriffs Association, the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce and the California State Sheriffs Association. It was approved earlier this week in a unanimous, bipartisan vote in the Assembly. It now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature after a vote of approval in the Senate.

The bill was passed by the Assembly during a difficult time for the Vallejo Police Department, which had severe staffing problems that led the City Council and interim Vallejo Police Chief Jason Ta to declare a local emergency last summer.

Council members voted unanimously to give Ta and then-City Manager Mike Malone the power to make unilateral decisions regarding public safety in Vallejo. This means Ta will not have to consult with either the council or the Vallejo Police Officers Association before making decisions about law enforcement in the city.

“I need help,” Ta told officials at the July 2023 meeting. “I need you to be aware of this. I need the public to be aware of this.”

The staffing shortage has been glaring over the past two and a half months, and the city has had 10 of its 15 homicides this year during that period, many of them occurring on or near Sonoma Boulevard.

The department is authorized to have 132 sworn officers for the city of 123,000, but as of August that has been reduced to 62, with only 36 officers assigned to the patrol division. On average, it takes up to two years to recruit and train new officers. A cost-effective workaround is to use retired officers and other law enforcement personnel. However, current law prevents them from working more than 960 hours a year, leaving gaps in staffing.

In response, Sen. Dodd introduced Senate Bill 1379 earlier this year. The bill would allow qualified retirees to go over the 960-hour limit for the next three years. The exemption would also apply to dispatchers and evidence technicians. The bill would allow the Solano County Sheriff’s Office to respond to more emergency calls in Vallejo by providing them with the deputies needed to do so. The state has previously allowed retired employees to fill urgent staffing needs with similar exemptions.

“I want to thank Senator Dodd for addressing the urgent need for relief in Vallejo,” Ferrara said. “This important change will help us ensure adequate staffing for the safety of the community.”

The Vallejo Chamber of Commerce was quick to express its approval.

“We are fully supportive of returning retired officers who are willing to continue serving,” Chamber President and CEO Shawna Gilroy said in a news release. “With the state of emergency in Vallejo, we appreciate the help to provide additional protection and safety for our businesses, residents and community. The Vallejo Chamber of Commerce will continue to support our emergency services personnel in an effort to make our community the best it can be.”

Originally published: August 15, 2024 at 1:48 p.m.