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The contract with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is the biggest expense on the town of Portola Valley’s annual budget. This year, as they pay more than $2 million annually for law enforcement services, council members and residents are expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of deputy presence around town.
During a recent Town Council meeting, council members approved a resolution that authorizes the mayor to work with the town manager to negotiate and execute a one-year agreement with the Sheriff’s Office.
Over the years, the Sheriff’s Office’s contract with Portola Valley has dramatically increased by over 57% since 2022. According to the staff report, the proposed contract rate for the town’s fiscal year 2025-26 law enforcement budget is about $2.3 million. However, the town has a credit balance of about $200,000 from the county, which it can use toward the Sheriff’s contract, decreasing the total cost to about $1.9 million.
Given the town’s current financial struggles, the Town Council is considering a shorter contract compared to its neighboring jurisdictions. In September, Woodside approved a five-year contract with the Sheriff’s Office starting at a rate of $3.1 million with a 7% annual increase.
In an effort to reduce costs, Portola Valley is considering alternate options for law enforcement services, including a joint Sheriff’s Office contract with Woodside and inquiring with other local jurisdictions about providing services to the town.
The town’s amended contract is for 0.25 full-time equivalent for an administrative sergeant which is equal to about 10 hours a week. The written contract also adds that if the town requests additional hours and deputy support, the town will be responsible for overtime costs.
Town staff shared during the Town Council meeting that it briefly communicated with the Sheriff’s Office financial director to negotiate an agreement but have had no luck with further communication.
“It’s a blue moon if I’ve ever seen a patrol person anywhere in my neighborhood, so maybe they should drive around a little more,” said Council member Rebecca Flynn. “Anyway, (it would) be nice to see them a little more frequently on the smaller streets.”
During the sheriff’s annual report presented by Capt. Frank Dal Porto, Mayor Judith Hasko questioned whether the Sheriff’s Office had changed its patrolling and monitoring or whether the community just hasn’t noticed its deputy’s presence.
Dal Porto explained that deputies provide the town with service 24 hours a day and deputies are trained to take different routes every day. It also depends on where they are receiving calls and whether they are involved in traffic enforcement, he said.
Assistant Town Manager Corie Stocker-Pedalino said deputies also fluctuate their patrol time between Portola Valley and Woodside.
Council members commented on the vague contract, seeking clarifications on what specific services are provided under their terms and whether they are actually dedicating a certain amount of hours in Portola Valley.
In the negotiation process, Vice Mayor Craig Taylor expressed his desire to see more clarification around how much overtime would cost for additional services and, “how much are they really in Portola Valley?”
“Are they really here 24/7? I’ve heard a lot of comments saying ‘We don’t see them, maybe they’re here, maybe they’re not and maybe there’s a good reason,” Taylor added.
The concerns around overtime costs flowed into a discussion about the need for more affordable housing options for local workers and making “it more attractive” for new hirers.
“(The Sheriff’s Office) is having such a hard time hiring that we’re seeing more overtime costs because they’re having to fill the gaps because they don’t have enough personnel,” Council member Helen Wolter explained.
According to town staff, many deputies are commuting to San Mateo County from the East Bay due to the housing costs.
The Sheriff’s Office contract is guaranteed to increase every fiscal year, according to town staff. While the town continues to explore other options around law enforcement services, all council members showed support for staff’s negotiation efforts to obtain a one-year contract. The advantage to a one-year contract is that in the next fiscal year, it will give them another opportunity to negotiate if they were to continue seeking services from the Sheriff’s Office.
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A new contract is in order. Reports elsewhere in this publication hinted at artificially raised costs when new contracts were set out for other municipalities. This was alleged to be at the hand of the now removed Sheriff.
A new contract should stipulate not just the services and coverage, but how the Town ensures that these commitments are met day to day and week to week.
I have first hand experience of the support provided to the Town by SMC Sheriff’s department. Their staff and officers are excellent. Lets make sure we get them and at a realistic cost.