Thread: CA. County to lay off deputies, hand out gun permits

New county budget calls for deep sheriff's department cuts

By Robert Lewis
rlewis@sacbee.com

Sacramento County is proposing to lay off 370 Sheriff's Department employees including 300 deputies as the department looks to cut more than $80 million from its budget, Sheriff John McGinness said today.

The cuts will be part of a proposed budget the county is scheduled to make public later today. Sacramento County is facing a projected $180 million general fund shortfall in the fiscal year starting July 1.

"If these numbers hold, it will be sufficiently significant the public will notice the difference," McGinness said. "I'll make my case next week to the board that this is an unacceptable cut."

McGinness had originally projected he would have to cut 606 positions. Of that number, 103 were vacant. He's now proposing to cut all 211 vacant positions currently on the department's roster, which helped drop the number of proposed layoffs.

The impact, however, is virtually the same, McGinness said. The department has used the money from funded vacant positions to pay for cheaper "on call" deputies and extra help - many of them department retirees who work in places like the jails or the courts.

Like most cities and counties throughout the state, the recession has battered Sacramento County's sales and property tax receipts. The state's woes have put extra pressure on the county, which gets 70 percent of its general fund money from the state and feds.

Critics, however, have said the county can't place all of the blame on the down economy. They have said County Executive Terry Schutten was too slow to grasp the enormity of the market downturn and didn't begin dealing with the problem early enough. In early April, McGinness called for the Board of Supervisors to fire Schutten.

Budget hearings begin next week and the proposed cuts are far from certain. Unions and county officials are still negotiating possible contract concessions. The department might be able to reduce the layoffs by about 70 deputies if the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs' Association agrees to forego some raises, McGinness said.

The board -- which has said public safety is its top priority - also could restore some funding. That money, however, would have to come from somewhere, meaning other departments could face even greater cuts.

http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/1922580.html

In an interview on TV tonight the Sheriff said that he would hand out more concealed weapons permit so that people can protect themselves.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

In an interview on TV tonight the Sheriff said that he would hand out more concealed weapons permit so that people can protect themselves.

Good for him!!

What do you suppose the response will be from the likes of Pelosi and the other gun control freaks, JD2?

Is there a chance that the mob in charge in Sacremento will try to enact legislations of some sort to prevent a more well armed populace? I would assume that this would be an absolute waking nightmare for them.

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

In an interview on TV tonight the Sheriff said that he would hand out more concealed weapons permit so that people can protect themselves.

What channel

Originally Posted by jp_48504

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

In an interview on TV tonight the Sheriff said that he would hand out more concealed weapons permit so that people can protect themselves.

What channel

One of the 10:00 p.m. news stations, 51, 6,5 or 14 L.A.

Found this online.

More Concealed Weapon Permits Possible

Sacramento County Sheriff May Consider Changes Amid Budget Cuts

POSTED: 11:19 am PDT June 15, 2009
UPDATED: 7:46 pm PDT June 15, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Faced with the potential loss of 300 deputies due to budget cuts, the Sacramento County sheriff may consider issuing more concealed weapons permits.

SURVEY
With law enforcement cuts possible, would you consider applying for a concealed weapon permit?
Yes.
No.

Results / 83% yes / 17% no

Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness said at a public budget workshop in May that if the cuts happen, people would wait "long, long periods of time for the most basic public safety services, specifically uniformed officers in the field."

Comment: What Are Your Thoughts?
Spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran called the move a worst-case scenario, depending on how the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors allocates money in its budget.

"With the anticipated decrement in patrol staffing, and the resultant potential for inadequate patrol officer staffing, I will have to reconsider the criteria for issuance of CCWs [concealed weapons permits]. Nothing is etched in stone, but as circumstances change, we need to address public safety in an environment with too few patrol officer positions to meet traditional expectations," McGinness said in a statement.

Currently, only about 260 people in Sacramento County carry concealed weapons and their required permits.

"I have to be open to the potential that there will be more people in need of the ability to protect themselves as individuals," McGinness said.

Becca Gonzalez, a gun control advocate with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence calls the idea "irresponsible."

"I think it will actually go in the opposite direction by increasing gun violence in the community," Gonzalez said.

The current criteria for permit applications is as follows: one-year residency in Sacramento County, U.S. citizenship, at least 21 years of age, no criminal history, and successful completion of a handgun training class.

Permit holders must complete a refresher course every other year upon renewal from a department-approved training facility and/or instructor, according to the department's Web site.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department could lose 370 of its employees, including 300 deputies, because of severe county budget cuts.

Supervisors are looking at possibly cutting other departments in other to restore cuts that could affect the sheriff's department. A final vote is expected either Wednesday or Thursday.

KCRA.com

http://www.kcra.com/news/19758319/detail.html

Originally Posted by azwreath

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

In an interview on TV tonight the Sheriff said that he would hand out more concealed weapons permit so that people can protect themselves.

Good for him!!

What do you suppose the response will be from the likes of Pelosi and the other gun control freaks, JD2?

Is there a chance that the mob in charge in Sacremento will try to enact legislations of some sort to prevent a more well armed populace? I would assume that this would be an absolute waking nightmare for them.

The people already own the guns. The only thing that would change would be more concealed weapons permits.
-------------------------------------------------

[b]"California is a “May Issueâ€

I've been thinking of getting a CW permit for the last few months. What stopped me is the time involved in getting one. I hope they will make it easier for legal law abiding citizens to protect themselves if the law can't.