Sheriff Proposes To Chop Most Homeless Outreach Deputies, As Tiff With County Supervisors Grows
Written by 991KBU on May 5, 2020
One of the true bright spots in the L A County Sheriffs Office is its homeless outreach team.
Even critics of Sheriff Alex Villanueva … at the LA County Board of Supervisors … strongly praise important the sheriffs team of deputies who work with homeless people to get them off the street.
Malibu city officials have also heaped praise on the homeless outreach team.
But Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Monday announced plans to reduce homeless outreach services to help shrink his department’s budget deficit.
This … according to a memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
Villanueva said 10 positions are being cut from the Homeless Outreach Services Team, which helps connect people experiencing homelessness with shelters and other services.
The team will be reduced to six people, for a cost savings of $1.4 million, he said ion the memo uncovered by the L A Times.
The sheriff also proposes removing commanders and support staff at the Marina del Rey and Altadena stations … consolidated them into the South L.A. and Crescenta Valley stations, respectively.
Deputies will continue to patrol those areas, he said in the memo uncovered by The Times.
But about two dozen administrative positions, including captain and field training officer, will be eliminated.
The sheriff blames the county Board of Supervisors …. according to the L A Times.
He accuses the Board of Supervisors and chief executive officer of intentionally failing to provide a budget which meets the true needs of the department,
He said the board approved a $3.5-billion budget … he wants another 400 million to operate the department.
LA Times article: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-04/la-county-sheriff-closing-patrol-stations-budget-deficit?
