Amador County – During an Amador County budget discussion Tuesday, The Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff discussed areas of potential reduction, management and comparing the department to other counties.

Supervisor John Plasse said back when Teri Daly was County Administrative Officer, Amador County Sheriff’s Department was seen as kind of a training ground, and experienced deputies would leave for other counties. He said Daly did a study of deputy payrolls and compensation rates, comparing other counties to boost local salaries. Plasse asked if they should not also compare management and operation costs with other counties.

Sheriff Martin Ryan agreed, but said it may be hard to compare. Supervisor Brian Oneto said Calaveras County has one incorporated town, while Amador has three cities, each with its own police department.

Ryan said it was not what we want but what we need. He said: “I am not an empire builder” and he is comfortable with where we are and wouldn’t be comfortable with a reduction of oversight.

Oneto asked if Ryan had considered a reduction in upper management. Ryan said his department was pretty streamlined and he wouldn’t ask for a reduction in management.

Supervisor Ted Novelli said “your upper management does jump in the ditches.” Oneto said the sheriff’s department has the big dollars, but the road department is also important to public safety, and when roads are not made correctly, lives are in danger. Ryan said deputies take away civil liberties in arrests and carry deadly weapons which they have used, and he did not want to take away the important oversight his management has.

Forster said he was surprised to see Undersheriff Jim Wegner making a field call in his district. Ryan said on Monday, April 30, Wegner was part of the Willow Springs shooting response. Wegner said he was headed home and came back to help because he knew they were short-handed.

Ryan said shots were fired, a man was down and two deputies responded where seven people also arrived in two vehicles. When the suspect came out of a garage with a rifle in his hand, they talked him out of the weapon. Ryan said during the incident there was also a stabbing reported, and the response time was 2 hours.

Ryan said CHP is down nine positions. They do get mutual aid backup from city police departments, when they are available, but you will not see them going up to Pioneer.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.