Sheriff asking San Mateo County officials for hiring help

Deputies are being required to work more overtime shifts to ensure adequate staffing levels and cover vacant positions, hurting morale and adding extra stressors. The Sheriff’s Office is losing two to three deputies for every one it hires, an unsustainable rate. Bolanos said he was concerned not only for deputies’ safety but also for public safety in general. The Sheriff’s Office deals with low staffing levels in core positions around patrolling, corrections and transportation, where a set amount is needed each day.

“We have to mandate deputy sheriffs and correctional officers work overtime, which causes fatigue and moral issues. Organizationally, it’s tough to manage,” Bolanos said.

There are currently around 100 positions unfilled; 73 are full-time vacancies. Around 24 are off for work-related medical leave, five for parental leave, and several more on various medical leaves. Bolanos said that in his 15 years in San Mateo County, deputy vacancies typically average around 30. However, the department has seen fewer people applying, resulting in a decline in numbers over the past two years during the pandemic. The Sheriff’s Office is the largest agency in the county, with around 773 total staff. Bolanos’ goal is to return to pre-pandemic levels of 20 to 30 vacancies, a more manageable number.

Law enforcement, in general, is dealing with declining application rates around the country. Bolanos noted the pandemic, current job market forces and the social justice movement around policing made people second guess a law enforcement career. San Mateo County housing costs, some of the highest in the nation, also play a role. Many people are moving out to the East Bay in Alameda and Contra Costa counties for lower housing costs and similar pay and benefits in those locations.

Bolanos said it was unlikely vaccine hesitation plays a role, as COVID-19 vacancies were not mandated for the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies instead had the option of getting regularly tested. The Sheriff’s Office is seeing more interest in candidates from cities with mandates.

Bolanos asked the Board of Supervisors at its April 5 meeting to give pay raises to stay competitive during the hiring process. He noted the Sheriff’s Office faces competition from other county agencies and law enforcement outside Bay Area counties. Even if the county gives proposed increases, Sheriff’s Office salaries would still rate in the middle of the pack in the county, Bolanos said. He noted deputies had not had a pay rise since January 2020.

“I need my folks to have a competitive salary,” Bolanos said. “In order to be competitive, I would like my folks to be compensated at or near the top in terms of salary and benefits.”

The county has made efforts to be more competitive in the hiring process. The Board of Supervisors passed a March 8 resolution to implement a pilot program to recruit more deputies and correctional officers through hiring bonuses. Deputy sheriff trainees and correctional officers get $15,000, while promotions from correctional officer to deputy sheriff and lateral deputy sheriffs get $30,000.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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