Police Get $9.5 Million in Stimulus Money; Sheriff Shut Out

The Sacramento Police Department will receive $9.5 million in federal stimulus money to help fund the hiring and rehiring of dozens of officers. The money -- part of $1 billion in grants handed out nationwide under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 -- will fund between 30 and 35 Sacramento police officer positions over the next three years, federal and police officials said. The department has 696 officers, down from around 800 two years ago, spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said. Other area law enforcement agencies that will receive funding include:
• Auburn: $262,225
• Grass Valley: $279,137
• Marysville: $281,833
• Placerville: $320,141
• West Sacramento: $973,356
• Woodland: $836,190
Sheriff John McGinness said he was shocked to see his department wasn't on the list of departments set to receive stimulus funds. "I can't imagine we wouldn't be. Nobody is taking a bigger hit than we are," McGinness said. "I'm stunned." McGinness said he had applied for $32 million in stimulus funds and had guessed that his department would at least get half that much.
"I don't know what may have gone wrong. I still hold hope. We haven't seen the whole list."
Sacramento County faced a massive deficit -- as much as $180 million -- before the Board of Supervisors made significant cuts across departments including the sheriff's. The board passed a $2 billion general fund budget last month.
Throughout the fiscal carnage, officials have regularly said stimulus funds could ease the pain. McGinness said he hadn't budgeted assuming the stimulus money would be there, but he had hoped the funds would minimize the layoffs that are set to take effect this Saturday. The department is scheduled to lay off more than 130 sworn officers.
http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/2064021.html
Published Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2009

Who Will Be There When You Need Help? Maybe No One If You Don't Speak Up!

Attend the SACRAMENTO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

When: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Time: 2:45 Agenda Time for Sheriff Presentation;
Citizen comments allowed at conclusion of Sheriff Presentation

Where: County Administration Center, 700 H Street Room 1450

Why: Tell your Board of Supervisors that your safety matters and help keep Sacramento County…YOUR COMMUNITY… a thriving place to live and work!!

THE FACTS
· The Sac County Sheriff’s Dept currently patrols 844 Square Miles and serves over half a million citizens.
· This fiscal year the Sheriff Dept has taken $57 Million of the County of Sacramento’s $180 Million budget deficit.
· That amount of money has caused the Sheriff’s Dept to cut 209 FULL TIME DEPUTIES, 50 civilian Employees AND OVER 400 ON CALL DEPUTIES come August 1, 2009.
· Although the Sheriffs Department makes up only 7% of the county budget, the department is being held responsible for 31% of the 2009‐2010 total deficit.
· To help ease the deficit, deputies voted to give up the raises they were contracted to receive for the next two years, while the Board of Supervisors allocated $8.6 MILLION TO THE GOLF FUND (a program designed to maintain aging county golf courses, which in 2005 was stated to be a self‐sufficient program) (SACBEE.COM).

BECAUSE OF THE LOOMING STAFFING SHORTAGE

· Proactive Law Enforcement activities will BE SEVERELY DIMINISHED.
· The 38 cars currently patrolling will be reduced to 10 cars, pre-1970 patrol staffing levels (SACBEE.COM).
· Service Centers, Air Operations, and Problem Oriented Policing (POP) will cease to exist.
· If your business or your home has been burglarized, robbed, embezzled, or stolen from, YOU MAY NOT GET A RESPONSE!