Sacramento County funds sheriff’s POP team, delays decision on DA’s misdemeanor unit

Sacramento County supervisors voted Tuesday to fund the sheriff’s Problem Oriented Policing (POP) team while delaying a decision on funding for the district attorney’s misdemeanor unit until September. The meeting began with a motion to limit discussion to the POP team, which passed 4-1. The lone vote against the motion came from Board Chair Rosario Rodriguez. “I didn’t vote in support of that because I wanted to have a discussion about the misdemeanor department for the DA, which is a critical component of public safety,” said Rodriguez, who represents District 4. During public comment, some residents spoke against restoring funding for the POP team. “Do not restore funding for the sheriff’s POP or HOT teams or the DA’s office,” one speaker said. “Don’t just go for the default situation of the cops and the police enforcement is gonna solve all of my problems,” another added. Despite the opposition, the board voted 3-2 to fund the POP team (Rodriguez voting in favor), pushing the discussion on the district attorney’s misdemeanor unit to September. “The board decided to move the discussion about the DA’s misdemeanor unit and the funding for that, to September, when there is a finalized budget for the state of California,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. Ho said the impact of previous budget cuts is already being felt. “The positions that were eliminated in June were seven attorney positions that we normally use to hire attorneys out of law school to prosecute these misdemeanor cases, and then they begin to move into the office to handle more serious cases,” Ho said. According to the district attorney’s office, they file approximately 15,000 misdemeanor cases annually, including crimes such as DUIs, petty theft, drug offenses, and vandalism. One public commenter shared a positive experience with the POP team and the district attorney’s office. “One of the POP team members stayed with one of our families and found them a safe home within 24 hours, and I thank them for that. The district attorney helped with a mental health case we had going on for years, and a dad is able to be a dad again, and I appreciate that,” the commenter said. Ho stressed the importance of funding both law enforcement and prosecutorial efforts. “The deputies enforce the law. Prosecutors, we uphold the law. Judges apply the law. We all work in partnership. You know, funding deputies without funding prosecutors, it’s like building half a bridge,” Ho said. The district attorney plans to return in September to advocate for funding for the misdemeanor unit.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Sacramento County supervisors voted Tuesday to fund the sheriff’s Problem Oriented Policing (POP) team while delaying a decision on funding for the district attorney’s misdemeanor unit until September.

The meeting began with a motion to limit discussion to the POP team, which passed 4-1. The lone vote against the motion came from Board Chair Rosario Rodriguez.

“I didn’t vote in support of that because I wanted to have a discussion about the misdemeanor department for the DA, which is a critical component of public safety,” said Rodriguez, who represents District 4.

During public comment, some residents spoke against restoring funding for the POP team.

“Do not restore funding for the sheriff’s POP or HOT teams or the DA’s office,” one speaker said.

“Don’t just go for the default situation of the cops and the police enforcement is gonna solve all of my problems,” another added.

Despite the opposition, the board voted 3-2 to fund the POP team (Rodriguez voting in favor), pushing the discussion on the district attorney’s misdemeanor unit to September.

“The board decided to move the discussion about the DA’s misdemeanor unit and the funding for that, to September, when there is a finalized budget for the state of California,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho.

Ho said the impact of previous budget cuts is already being felt.

“The positions that were eliminated in June were seven attorney positions that we normally use to hire attorneys out of law school to prosecute these misdemeanor cases, and then they begin to move into the office to handle more serious cases,” Ho said.

According to the district attorney’s office, they file approximately 15,000 misdemeanor cases annually, including crimes such as DUIs, petty theft, drug offenses, and vandalism.

One public commenter shared a positive experience with the POP team and the district attorney’s office.

“One of the POP team members stayed with one of our families and found them a safe home within 24 hours, and I thank them for that. The district attorney helped with a mental health case we had going on for years, and a dad is able to be a dad again, and I appreciate that,” the commenter said.

Ho stressed the importance of funding both law enforcement and prosecutorial efforts.

“The deputies enforce the law. Prosecutors, we uphold the law. Judges apply the law. We all work in partnership. You know, funding deputies without funding prosecutors, it’s like building half a bridge,” Ho said.

The district attorney plans to return in September to advocate for funding for the misdemeanor unit.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel.