SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — As retirements, resignations, normal recruitment issues and vaccine mandates continue to impact law enforcement staffing levels, San Diego County supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to develop plans to address potential sheriff's department staffing shortages.
As requested in a letter by Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond, the board directed Helen Robbins-Meyer, chief administrative officer, to return within 180 days with updates and recommendations.
“I wanted them to quantify it. I’m not an expert in the field. I wanted them to work with the sheriff and I want them to come back with some solutions for us to choose from,” Anderson said.
Deputies provide law enforcement for the county's unincorporated regions, along with nine cities.
As of this month, 15 San Diego Police Dept. employees received a notice of termination for not being fully vaccinated. It’s unclear how many of them are actually sworn police officers.
“There are vaccine mandates and there’s reason to be concerned. While we haven’t seen a mass exodus, it hasn’t been enforced yet. Once it is, potentially, we could have a mass exodus. Then, what do you do if you can’t cover all the patrols?” Anderson said.
As suggested by Supervisor Nora Vargas, county officials will also review staffing for related public safety departments, including probation, and county-funded youth programs.
According to a joint statement from Anderson and Desmond, applications to the sheriff's department have decreased 25% during the past year, and decreased 36% between 2018 and 2021.
While the county has regional mutual aid agreements with other law enforcement agencies, there's a concern that there may not be enough deputies available to serve communities in need, Anderson said.
"It's so important those deputies are there for us when we need them most," Anderson said, adding he wants to get ahead of the issue.
In a statement, Desmond said public safety is the No. 1 priority for the government, and with violent crime on the rise, "it is imperative that San Diego County have the necessary public safety officers."
"These brave men and women have put themselves in harm's way and now are looking at staffing shortages, which will lead to burnout," Desmond added. "We must make sure they have all the tools to help them succeed."
Although she voted yes, Vargas said the board letter was "a little premature."
Vargas said the future replacement for Sheriff Bill Gore, who is retiring in February, should have a chance to define the department's mission. Supervisors will meet in March to choose a temporary replacement.
Vargas suggested that the county should look at the root causes of crime and pursue equity-based solutions, including mental health services and drug treatment.
"Our sheriff's department has been under scrutiny, and rightfully so," Vargas said, adding that there needs to be fundamental change in criminal justice and policing systems.
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