200 Oppose Cuts in Sheriff’s Dept. Budget

More than 200 sheriff’s deputies, trainees, their families and supporters crowded into the Board of Supervisors’ hearing room Tuesday to protest $6.5 million in proposed cuts to the sheriff’s budget, reductions they say will result in layoffs.

As soon-to-be graduates of the Sheriff’s Academy stood up at their seats in the packed meeting room, Glen Kitzmann, president of the Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs’ Assn., called on the five supervisors to “look them in the eyes and tell them that you no longer need them.”

Some of the men and women carried babies. Many brought their spouses.

“Do not destroy the dreams of the 24 deputy sheriff’s trainees here today,” said Russell Grant, a trainee at the academy who spoke for his classmates. “They have made many personal sacrifices.”

County Chief Administrative Officer Harry Hufford is asking managers to cut $12.4 million from departments to help balance the budget and end a years-long trend of overspending.

The deputy trainees pointed to Proposition 172, the half-cent public safety sales tax, as proof that they are supported by voters and said that they are dismayed that the county is in such hard financial times during a soaring economy.

“Hopefully, we will convince them of how they’re going to hurt us,” Jason Wilkinson said after the meeting. “I don’t know why they’d spend all that money training us and then not hire us afterward.”

Wilkinson and the other recruits are expected to finish the academy in July.

The Sheriff’s Department pays trainees about $37,415 during their year at the academy. Although still in training, they are already on the county payroll and would become full deputies at graduation July 21.

But as the newest cops, they are also the most likely to go if layoffs are necessary.

“In essence, they will be walking across the stage to pick up a pink slip,” Kitzmann said after the meeting.

But even if the trainees are laid off by the county, many conceded that they would most likely be picked up by city police departments or other agencies.

But “that could take a couple of months and I’m not independently wealthy,” said Dan Ashmore, who brought his wife and 14-month-old son, Braden. “There are a lot of good people who could be getting laid off.”

Hufford is recommending that Sheriff Bob Brooks cut $6.5 million from his $151-million budget. Brooks said he agreed to an initial $3-million reduction, but that Hufford has since insisted on an additional $3.5 million.

Kitzmann said that as part of the cuts, 45 deputies and 24 trainees would be let go.

Supervisors did not comment at the meeting.

Afterward, Supervisor Frank Schillo said he empathized with the deputies.

“We’re all on the same side, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

But supervisors will be faced with tough decisions when final budget hearings begin next week and “have to support Harry as best we can,” Schillo said.

Health Care Agency Director Pierre Durand and his mental health chief, David Gudeman, have also resisted $2.6 million in cuts recommended by Hufford.

They were supported Tuesday by a handful of mental health advocates who showed up at the meeting to protest expected budget cuts in the Behavioral Health Department.

Roger Kroell, member of the Mental Health Advisory Board, argued that budget cuts there could in the long run be more costly than in other departments.

Housing and support for the mentally ill “is much less expensive than housing them in jails or in the revolving door of the streets and hospitals,” he said.

Kroell’s organization is sponsoring a rally protesting cuts at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the County Government Center in Ventura.