Sheriff's office proposes $280.2 million FY27 budget with 33 new positions

Claudia Campos, Manatee County's interim chief financial officer, presented the sheriff's FY27 proposed budget at $280,200,000 and said the general fund is the primary funding source. She told the board the request includes 33 new positions (24 certified, nine civilian), $4.8 million in personnel costs, $2.2 million for capital tied to those positions and about $7.6 million in offsetting revenues.

"The FY 27 proposed budget for the Sheriff totals $280,200,000," Campos said. She described requested outside services of about $17.2 million for partners such as Anna Maria and specified SROs, court security and jail services among the items described. Campos said the total increases shown represent a roughly 4% increase over the adopted FY26 budget.

Commissioners and the chair noted some capital projects approved previously did not include operating staff. The chair said the medical wing had been capital-funded but not staffed and that the crossing-guard and traffic positions respond to new schools and growth. "So that's why you're seeing those figures here today," the chair said, explaining capital had been approved earlier but operating costs were not budgeted.

During Q&A, Commissioner McCann pressed for operational detail about traffic-enforcement staffing; the sheriff explained his office currently has 21 traffic deputies on staff and typically eight deputies assigned to daytime traffic patrol, with additional coverage in afternoons and nights. The sheriff also said the department has reduced overtime by about 30% as staffing increased.

The board took no final vote on the sheriff's separate appropriation at the meeting; staff will present the tentative budget documents and the board can pull items or make changes before final adoption.