Small Town News

Sheriff department maintains same level of services even with a near $1 million loss

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Despite a loss of almost $1 million in operating costs, the Lassen County Sheriff Department has been able to keep existing staff and maintain the same level of public safety services by reassigning staff to different positions within the department.

The sheriff's department receives its money from the Lassen County Board of. Supervisors, who passed a $104 million budget on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Last year, Warren said the department received $8.6 million. This year, he said he asked for $8.8 million but was immediately held to last year's number.

County departments received a reduction in services and supplies and to avoid layoffs and furloughs, Warren said he came up with an additional $700,000 in budget reductions. By reassigning staff, Warren said it freed up others to help with patrol functions, so patrol was not reduced.

Warren stressed that no matter what happened with the budget the sheriff's office still provides the same level of public safety.

He said he also appreciated the board of supervisors allowing him to come up with a solution on his own to avoid staff reductions.

The department also has lost the use of nine positions that remain allocated, but are unfunded; two were lost due to rearranging staff.

Warren said his number one goal is to provide the same level of service for public safety and his second goal is to find money so the department doesn't have to lose staff.

If it comes to the point where existing staff has to be cut, Warren said it's going to be difficult to provide the same level of public service.

Having developed budgets since 1991, Warren said this was the hardest budget he's worked on.

"I'm happy I didn't have to lay anyone off, but I'm not happy that I had to make so many cuts," he said.

Unfunded jobs include two deputy positions, two correctional officers, a correctional clerk, a dispatch position and the elimination of a correctional supervisor.

Staff rearrangements include moving a sergeant into the Lassen County Narcotics Task Force to cover for Sergeant Dave Martin, who was injured in a shooting incident over the summer, creating the loss of a patrol sergeant.

As a way to try filling the positions, Warren said he is looking for ways to increase revenue by pursuing grant money and possibly contracting with other agencies for services.

The operating budget covers four primary units -- the sheriff's office, dispatch center, the Lassen County Jail and the Lassen Community Correctional Center.

When fully staffed, Warren said the department employs a little more than 100 people.

Warren said he thinks the department provides good public safety patrol of Lassen County's 3.5 million acres. He said it also helps to have good working relationships with the Susanville Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.

The sheriff's office also receives grant money from COPS, the California Multi-Jurisdictional Methampheta-mine Enforcement Team and Rural Crime Money.

Warren said the grant money had been reduced, which also impacted the budget but the board of supervisors helped make up some of the loss.

Warren is up for election in June 2010 and he said he plans to file paperwork for reelection.

He said he has no intention of retiring and will continue to work on the budget with the same tenacity and not lay anyone off.



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© 2010 Westwood PinePress Westwood, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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