$100k grant likely for Sonoma Police Department

Despite the lack of a state budget – 53 days of political acrimony in Sacramento and counting – Sonoma Police Chief Brett Sackett is confident his department will benefit from a $100,000 state grant.
The allocation comes from the state’s Citizen’s Option for Public Safety program, which distributes $100 million annually to local governments for front line law enforcement.

Locally, since 2002, the money pays for about 70% of the cost of Community Service Officers, who handle parking enforcement, animal control, crime prevention, and several other services to the community.
“There is no indication that the program is in jeopardy,” Sackett said. “I’ve been told the money is already waiting for us at the county level.”
The funds are distributed from the State to the county, and will now be transferred to the city after approval by the city council last week. The city will apply the money to help offset the police services contract it has with the county Sheriff’s Department.

The funds cannot replace existing budgeted dollars, Sackett said, but instead must supplement existing funding and services.