Title
Receive a report on Sheriff’s Office reclassification
a. Approve to amend the Sheriff’s Office Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Adopted Budget, 1001-230015-60000, to reclassify one vacant (1.0) Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Corrections Facility Support Specialist to one (1.0) FTE Deputy Sheriff - Corrections, as indicated in Attachment A, effective October 13, 2026 (4/5ths vote required); and
b. Authorize the Auditor-Controller to incorporate the approved changes in the Sheriff’s Office FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget; and
c. Direct the Human Resources Department to implement the changes in the Advantage Human Resources Management (HRM) system.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Budget Committee:
a. Approve to amend the Sheriff’s Office Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Adopted Budget, 1001-230015-60000, to reclassify one vacant (1.0) Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Corrections Facility Support Specialist to one (1.0) FTE Deputy Sheriff - Corrections, as indicated in Attachment A, effective October 13, 2026 (4/5ths vote required); and
b. Authorize the Auditor-Controller to incorporate the approved changes in the Sheriff’s Office FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget; and
c. Direct the Human Resources Department to implement the changes in the Advantage Human Resources Management (HRM) system.
SUMMARY:
The Sheriff’s Office is seeking approval and authorization from the budget committee to reclassify one vacant (1.) FTE Corrections Facility Support Specialist to one (1) Deputy Sheriff - Corrections.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office operates the Monterey County Jail which has an average daily population of over 800 incarcerated persons. The Jail operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DISCUSSION:
The Monterey County Jail continues to face increasing operational and security demands that exceed the capabilities of the current Corrections Facility Support Specialist classification. To meet these needs and maintain compliance with state standards, the Sheriff’s Office is requesting conversion of this position to a Deputy Sheriff. This change is essential to sustaining the safety, security, and operational effectiveness of the facility.
A primary concern is contraband control. The introduction of prohibited items-whether through inmate movement, vendor deliveries, or unsecured materials-poses significant risks to staff, incarcerated individuals, and the public. Effective interdiction requires the authority to search persons, property, housing units, and deliveries. These duties require peace officer powers and cannot legally or safely be performed by civilian personnel. A Deputy Sheriff brings the training and authority necessary to enforce jail security protocols, oversee contract vendors, and maintain the integrity of facility operations.
Inmate supervision and movement also require sworn staff. Deputies escort incarcerated individuals both within the secure perimeter and to outside destinations such as hospitals and courts. These tasks involve maintaining custody, applying restraints, and responding to escape attempts, assaults, or medical emergencies. Civilian classifications lack the California POST training, peace officer authority, and defensive tactics skills required to safely perform these functions. Without a sworn position dedicated to this role, deputies must be reassigned from essential posts, reducing operational flexibility and increasing overtime.
Deputies also provide critical emergency response capabilities. Violent incidents, disturbances, medical emergencies, and other high-risk situations arise in correctional environments and require personnel trained and legally authorized to intervene. Civilian staff cannot perform these duties, and delays in emergency response increase the likelihood of injury, liability, and operational disruption.
Deputy Sheriffs play a critical role in overseeing inmate work and program areas-such as laundry, kitchen operations, educational programs, and reentry services-where sworn authority is required to conduct searches, prevent contraband introduction, enforce security protocols, and respond to emergencies. Civilian staff are not trained or authorized to perform these functions, particularly in high-risk inmate work settings where peace-officer capability is essential.
Under California Penal Code § 4025(e), inmate welfare fund revenues-derived from commissary, hobby craft, and telephone use-“shall be expended by the sheriff primarily for the benefit, education, and welfare of the inmates.” It explicitly authorizes the use of those funds for maintenance of jail facilities, including “the salary and benefits of personnel used in the programs to benefit the inmates,” such as education, treatment, or reentry programs. Counties such as Ventura, Merced, Placer, and Los Angeles routinely use these funds to support staff whose duties directly relate to inmate welfare, education, reentry, or facility safety.
Moreover, Penal Code § 4025.5 allows counties to use inmate welfare funds for reentry services-including case management and assistance-post‑release, again endorsing personnel support. Given that Deputy Sheriffs play a vital role in delivering and overseeing inmate welfare programs-such as educational, counseling, classification, reentry and safety components-their salary and benefits fall squarely within the statute’s scope. Funding such a position directly from the inmate welfare fund supports enhanced programming capacity, ensures professional oversight, and complies with state law permitting personnel expenses where primarily linked to inmate benefit.
Given these statutory provisions and operational realities, funding a Deputy Sheriff position through the inmate welfare fund is appropriate and consistent with state law. The position directly supports inmate programs, ensures safe and compliant operation of inmate work assignments, and provides the professional oversight required to maintain a secure correctional environment.
Failure to convert this position would result in ongoing operational, security, and legal risks. Contraband vulnerabilities would persist, inmate transports would continue to divert sworn staff from critical assignments, and assigning law-enforcement duties to non-sworn employees would violate state regulations and expose the County to litigation and compliance findings. These pressures contribute to staff fatigue, reduced moral, and the placement of civilian employees in situations beyond their training and legal authority.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has approved the agreement as to legal form. Monterey County Human Resources Class & Compensation has approved the Requests to Classify the positions
FINANCING:
The reclassification of this position will result in additional yearly salary and benefits expenses of approximately $30,639, for the remainder of FY 2026-27, assuming the position is filled in December 2026. This increase will be absorbed within the Sheriff’s Office budget funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund as authorized in Penal Code § 4025.
Prepared by: Timothy Lanquist, Chief Deputy, ext. #3887
Reviewed by: Nicole Davis, Chief Deputy, ext. #3807
Approved by: Tina Nieto, Sheriff/Coroner, ext. #3750
Attachments:
Class Comp RTC
Attachment A
Resolution