The union representing sworn sheriff’s deputies and supervisors has a new 1-year contract granting modest raises, narrowing a pay gap based on seniority and bumps up health insurance costs to the employees.
All told the new contract that covers Jan. 1, 2027 to Dec. 31 of the same year will cost some $2.63 million more to the Sheriff’s Department budget.
The new contract is under the blanket of the Sworn Deputy Sheriff’s Association or SDSA and consists of three bargaining units, and a total of 144 employees —
“The Sworn Deputy Sheriffs’ Association (SDSA),” reads a report out of Human Resources, “is the exclusive representative for employees in the Sworn Law Enforcement Unit, Bargaining Unit (BU) 27, and Sworn Law Enforcement Supervisory Unit, [bargaining unit] BU28.”
The new contract was negotiated by union reps and someone from the County Executive’s Office, the Auditor’s Office, and County Counsel’s Office. The sides negotiated from early May to Aug. 6 on new terms to the SDSA’s contract.
Under “Wages” and taking effect Jan. 1, all salaries will go up 3%. Also, “a salary equity increase of 3.20% shall be applied to all BU27 employees in the Deputy Sheriff and Sheriff’s Senior Deputy classifications,” the report said.
The union has a “wage differential” currently of 1.7% for employees on the Tier 3 level on the salary scale. That will reduce to 0.7% Jan. 1.
Prior to negotiations starting, the report said the County conducted a survey of similar-sized agencies, “comparing the salaries and benefits for SDSA represented classes to other similar classifications at other similar employers. Together, the across-the-board increase and equity increases are intended to increase salaries for BU27 classifications to be competitive with surveyed employers.”
The new contract doesn’t change the employee contributions to their pension plans, but the County has the right to return to the table and make adjustments to this that might come along with new pension legislation the State may pass.
The cost for health insurance is going up. For those in a plan covering just the employee, the monthly cost for health insurance is jumping from $900 to $1,053/mo.
Employees with a single dependent will go from $1,567/mo. to $1,752/mo.
And for employees with two or more dependents, the costs are going from $1,934/mo. to $2,158/mo.
“The costs,” the report said, “are based on actual payroll costs and number of existing employees represented by BU27.
“The total County cost in 2026-27 with these BU27 increases is projected to be $37.4 million for the currently filled positions,” the report said.
Whether the department fills all vacant spots will make a big difference in the new contract and the costs to the County.
“The current vacancy rate for BU27 is 3.91%,” the report said. “A change of vacancy rate of 1% up or down represents a cost change of plus or minus $10,998 for FY 2026-27 and $26,371 in annual ongoing costs.
“Assuming full staffing levels with no vacant positions, the potential increased costs associated with the new MOU could be up to an additional $1,142,769 for FY 2026-27 and up to $2,740,131 in additional annual ongoing costs.”
If the costs do go up enough to bust the budget, the County has a plan to bridge any shortfall.
“Departmental savings and/or unanticipated revenue,” the report said, “will be the primary source of funding for unbudgeted expenditures associated with the compensation increases included in the MOU. To the extent departmental savings are not sufficient to cover the amount, a transfer from other revenue sources including General Fund Contingencies to FC 136 – Sheriff-Coroner may be necessary, subject to Board approval.
“Staff will provide a recommendation to the Board as part of the third quarter report. Third quarter is when many such year-end adjustments are made.”
The SLO County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office is responsible for law enforcement activities throughout the County but concentrates mainly on the unincorporated towns and areas between the towns. The department is the main law enforcement agency for Los Osos, Cayucos Cambria and San Simeon on the North Coast of SLO County.
It serves several missions — from operating the three County Jails, to supplying court security and bailiffs, a Search & Rescue Unit, Bomb Squad, Narcotics Task Force, Gang Unit, canine units and much more.
The current Sheriff, Ian Parkinson, has been in office since 2011, having won the position after previous Sheriff Pat Hedges retired. Sheriff Parkinson came to the department from the San Luis Obispo City Police Department and got his start in Law Enforcement working for the Morro Bay Police Department.
