San Bernardino County to help fund sheriff’s deputies assigned in Adelanto

The city of Adelanto will get a financial boost from San Bernardino County in order to pay the budgeted cost of two Victor Valley Sheriff's Station deputies.

The possible reduction in public safety staffing was the result of a third party security company decreasing reimbursements to the city.

In June 2010, Adelanto sold its correctional facility to the GEO Group to secure additional revenue opportunities for the city. In the agreement, GEO reimbursed the city for the cost of two deputy positions dedicated to targeted patrol and crime-reduction operations within Adelanto. The reimbursement also covered the cost to staff calls for service at the nearly 2,000-bed Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center.

GEO's revenue

The decrease in GEO’s revenue comes from a reduced bed counts at the detention processing facility, sheriff’s officials reported on Thursday.

Earlier this year, the private prison announced its intention to lay off 112 employees in April at the controversial ICE center. The letter, dated Feb.15, was sent to Adelanto Mayor Gabriel Reyes, San Bernardino County Workforce Development Director Brad Gates, and California’s Employment Development Department.

The ICE facility was nearly empty as of last summer, the Associated Press reported in July. The detention center was reporting an average daily population for the fiscal year to that point of 49 detainees despite the government paying it for at least 1,455 beds per day, according to the July report.

The Adelanto facility has also faced heat from immigration rights activists, watchdog groups and government authorities for health conditions its immigrant detainees have faced under GEO Group’s ownership in recent years.

Keeping the community safe

Adelanto contacted the sheriff's department about the revenue shortfall and requested to remove the two positions from the upcoming contract renewal between the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and the city effective July 2023.

Supervisors agreed to fund two deputy positions for one year, while the city works to determine how to reduce crime and pay for an increase in deputies, the sheriff's department reported.

The approximate annual cost of one deputy, with salary and benefits, is $230,648, according to the sheriff's department.

“Beginning in 2024, our city council and city staff are committed to including these two positions within the city’s budget, to ensure that these positions are kept well into the future," Mayor Reyes said. "I strongly believe that a safe community is a vibrant community and will ensure that our law enforcement capabilities continue to grow with our city.”

In a written statement, First District Supervisor Paul Cook said the cornerstone of a strong community is public safety, and that he’s proud to have secured the funding for his constituents.

"The two deputy sheriff positions will provide increased opportunities for community policing and engagement throughout Adelanto,” Cook said. “Our deputy sheriffs serve San Bernardino County residents with the utmost dedication and professionalism. I will continue to fight to ensure they have the resources and workforce necessary to keep our communities safe."

Sheriff Shannon Dicus said he’s grateful to work with stakeholders in Adelanto and Supervisor Cook to continue to provide law enforcement services in Adelanto.

“The Adelanto city manager, mayor and councilmembers have a clearly defined plan to increase revenue in the future,” Discus said. “I am committed to working with the city so they can increase much needed law enforcement services consistent with the community’s growth.”

Law enforcement in Adelanto

In 2001, city officials requested help for law enforcement after the sudden vacancy of its chief at the Adelanto Police Department.

At no cost to the city, the sheriff’s department provided a captain to temporarily fill the vacancy while city officials worked to determine the future of its police department.

In 2002, Adelanto officials contracted law enforcement services with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Approved by the board of supervisors and city council, the contract included one captain, one lieutenant, four sergeants, two detectives, 11 deputies, and four support staff.

Like other patrol stations, the Adelanto Sheriff’s Station provided services solely to the city.

Amid the 2009 recession, the city experienced financial difficulties and inquired with the sheriff's department about reducing the cost of the contract. At that time, the sheriff's department agreed to merge its Victor Valley Station with the Adelanto Station.

This revised contract eliminated the captain, two sergeants, and half of the lieutenant positions, which provided an annual savings of over $400,000 to the city.

Adelanto officials and the board of supervisors approved the new contract in 2010.

With this new law enforcement model of service, personnel assigned to the station serve the Adelanto and also the unincorporated communities of the High Desert.

As part of the agreement to merge the patrol stations, city officials and the board of supervisors entered into a lease agreement for the previous Adelanto Police Department building.

The sheriff’s department is in the planning phase to construct a Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station, which will end the lease agreement with Adelanto.

The new Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station is estimated to be operational within 18 months and will continue to serve Adelanto and unincorporated areas.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: San Bernardino County to help fund 2 sheriff’s deputies in Adelanto