Sheriff-Coroner
Overview
Mission Statement
To ensure public safety in the County of Santa Cruz. We accomplish this through open communication and collaboration with our community as well as continuous professional development of staff to address crime and promote innovative corrections solutions.
Department Overview
The Sheriff-Coroner is an elected official, empowered by the California State Constitution, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the County. The Sheriff-Coroner provides patrol services and conducts investigations in the unincorporated areas, operates the County's adult correctional facilities, provides court security for the Superior Court, serves civil processes, and as Coroner, investigates the cause of sudden or unexpected deaths. The department is committed to the preservation of public safety through innovative service partnerships, improvements to correctional facilities that focus on the safety of inmates and staff.
Budget Summary
Department Budget Overview
Budget Summary of Changes
The Sheriff-Coroner budget reflects funding for the Recovery Center and with the completion of the state-of-the-art DNA laboratory, the department will begin the three-year accreditation process.
The Sheriff-Coroner budget includes scheduled and negotiated salary and benefit increases. The budget also recommends funding 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Criminalists for the DNA laboratory, including funding to offset staff and operational costs, and start the accreditation process (year one of three).
The budget recommends adding 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator and deleting 1.0 FTE vacant Deputy Sheriff for the Alcohol Nuisance Abatement Program. Adding a Program Coordinator position to the Alcohol Nuisance Abatement Program will provide consistency to the public with assistance from Deputy Sheriffs for compliance and enforcement.
Supplemental Budget Summary of Changes
The Supplemental Budget appropriates grant awards for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) ($1,250,000 for three and a half years) and CalAIM Justice Involved Round 3 ($3,500,000 for two years) funding. The MAT grant funds 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator, medications, and a contract with Janus of Santa Cruz to provide relief to individuals in jail suffering with opioid use disorders and alcohol dependence. The CalAIM grant will be used to plan and implement the newly required pre-release and re-entry services for eligible individuals in custody. Funding builds capacity in necessary infrastructure and personnel, and deliverables must be completed by October 2026. The grant funds 2.0 FTE Program Coordinators, 1.0 FTE Senior Departmental Administrative Analyst, miscellaneous equipment, supplies and professional services for contract services. Supplemental changes also include funding for replacement of Livescan fingerprinting equipment.
Adopted Budget Summary of Changes
The Adopted Budget adds $2,170,877 in expenditures and $1,509,722 in revenues. The changes are from $150,000 in added expenditures tied to 2023-24 revenue agreements that continue into 2024-25. They also include $671,649 in 2023-24 unspent contract expenditures that continue into 2024-25, and $1,349,228 in expenditures and $1,509,722 in revenues added as part of 2024-25 concluding budget actions to finance contractual increases for medical, mental health, dental, and pharmaceutical services provided at the County’s correctional facilities.
District Sales Tax Contribution
Patrol
The District Sales Tax contribution of $2,120,500 supports the Patrol Division, which provides 24-hour emergency and non-emergency law enforcement services, response, and criminal investigation to unincorporated areas. This is part of the existing General Fund contribution to Patrol but is being shown separately beginning in 2024-25.
Community Services
The District Sales Tax contribution of $1,000,000 supports the Community Services Division’s work with neighborhood residents to identify problems and work together to find long-term solutions. Community Service Centers operate in Davenport, Boulder Creek, Felton, Live Oak/Soquel, Aptos, and Watsonville. This is part of the existing General Fund contribution to Community Services but is being shown separately beginning in 2024-25.
Open the Services Overview or Operational Plan Objectives below for more details.
Department Operations and Performance
Budget Details
The charts below show department expenditures and revenues by division and service. Click on the pie charts to drill down for more detail. Complete detail can be found on the County's Transparency Portal.
Expenses by Service
Expenses and Revenues over time
Personnel Details
The chart below provides the department personnel detail by division, service, and classification.