Sacramento County Sheriff Warns $14M Cut Could Remove 50 Deputies

Sheriff Cooper says the proposed budget reduction would force his office to pull more than 50 deputies off the streets.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper says a proposed $14 million budget reduction could force his office to remove more than 50 deputies from patrol, warning that response times and specialized units would take a hit. County officials say the budget process is still in its early stages and no final decisions have been made.

Why it matters

The potential cuts to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office come as the county grapples with a budget deficit and asks departments to review potential reductions. Sheriff Cooper warns the cuts could undo recent progress made in areas like the Homeless Outreach Team and specialized units.

The details

Cooper said the 2.5% reduction would translate to a $14 million cut for his department. He said that would mean eliminating the Homeless Outreach Team, Problem-Oriented Policing teams, the full-time gang unit, and the river reinforcement team. County spokesperson Kim Nava said departments have been asked to review reductions in a way that minimizes impacts to services and field positions, but Cooper questioned the county's claim that no specific number has been set.

  • Sheriff Cooper met with county officials about a week ago.
  • Departments are expected to submit their budget proposals in early March.
  • The county executive's recommendations will be released on May 29.
  • The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take up the recommendations in a public meeting in June.

The players

Jim Cooper

The Sacramento County Sheriff who warns the proposed budget cuts could force his office to remove more than 50 deputies from patrol.

Kim Nava

A spokesperson for Sacramento County who says the budget process is still in its early stages and no final decisions have been made.

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What they’re saying

“That's very disconcerning and the reason being in the sheriff's office, the jails are mandated. I've mandated staff. I can't cut from the jails. Same things with courts. And besides jails and courts, my biggest other numbers come from patrol and detectives.”

— Jim Cooper, Sacramento County Sheriff (abc10.com)

“We have asked departments to look at things in a way where we're saying that minimal impact to services and minimal impact to field positions, right. So, the Sheriff's Office will let us know what reductions they could live with. What they can't live with.”

— Kim Nava, Sacramento County Spokesperson (abc10.com)

What’s next

The county expects departments, including the Sheriff's Office, to submit their budget proposals in early March. The Office of the County Executive will analyze those submissions and meet with department heads to discuss potential impacts. The county executive's recommendations will be released on May 29, with the Board of Supervisors scheduled to take them up in a public meeting in June.

The takeaway

The potential cuts to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office highlight the difficult budget decisions facing local governments as they grapple with deficits. The proposed reductions could undo recent progress made by the department, raising concerns about public safety and the ability to maintain specialized units and services.