Committee approves sending sheriff overtime appropriation ordinance to full Board after hearing on staffing and spending

The Committee considered an ordinance on July 15 that would reallocate existing budget lines and appropriate approximately $1.9 million in prisoner revenue while de‑appropriating about $12.1 million from retirement fringe benefits, vehicles and capital projects to cover projected overtime spending in the Sheriff’s Office for FY25‑26.

Patrick Leung, chief financial officer for the Sheriff’s Office, explained the overtime increase is driven chiefly by staffing required for reopened annex facilities (staffed largely with overtime), higher court and hospital coverage demands, and other operational deployments. He said the department has accelerated hiring (118 deputies hired year‑to‑date) and implemented retention and rehire programs (RIP) and detailed new recruits to reduce overtime pressure as they complete academy and jail‑training programs.

The Budget and Legislative Analyst noted the overtime budget was exceeded in February 2026, recommended the Committee hold a hearing on overtime management and warned about the practice of shifting funds from maintenance and capital to cover personnel overtime (raising litigation and sustainability concerns). Committee members pressed for coordination with the Controller, the Mayor’s Office, and the Capital Planning Committee on using certificates of participation and other capital resources to address facility needs and reduce structural overtime demands.

After discussion the Committee voted to refer the ordinance to the full Board with recommendation (Dorsey, Sauter, Chan — ayes).