RR2265
06-06-2009, 06:53 AM
:eek:The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department could lose 370 of its employees, including 300 deputies, because of severe county budget cuts.
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.
Sheriff John McGinness is set to appear at a budget workshop next Tuesday.
"There will obviously be a discernable difference in the quality of life in these communities if these numbers hold," McGinness said.
Sacramento County's top law enforcement officials warned earlier that a dire budget situation could have devastating effects to public safety.
McGinness said at a public budget workshop in May that people would wait "long, long periods of time for the most basic public safety services, specifically uniformed officers in the field."
Rank-and-file officers would need to be cut, the sheriff said, and investigations would be gutted.
"Not only are people going to suffer in terms of their quality of life, but business is never going to thrive," McGinness said.
The county's budget hole is nearing $190 million, and it could be $30 million bigger next Tuesday if voters shoot down statewide budget propositions.
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.
Sheriff John McGinness is set to appear at a budget workshop next Tuesday.
"There will obviously be a discernable difference in the quality of life in these communities if these numbers hold," McGinness said.
Sacramento County's top law enforcement officials warned earlier that a dire budget situation could have devastating effects to public safety.
McGinness said at a public budget workshop in May that people would wait "long, long periods of time for the most basic public safety services, specifically uniformed officers in the field."
Rank-and-file officers would need to be cut, the sheriff said, and investigations would be gutted.
"Not only are people going to suffer in terms of their quality of life, but business is never going to thrive," McGinness said.
The county's budget hole is nearing $190 million, and it could be $30 million bigger next Tuesday if voters shoot down statewide budget propositions.