Bill allowing retired officers to serve full-time in Vallejo takes next step

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that the bill has not yet been signed into law.

VALLEJO, Calif. ( KRON ) — Retired law enforcement officers could soon be allowed to come back out of retirement and serve the Vallejo area as a member of the Solano County Sheriff’s Department full-time.

Sen. Bill Dodd, author of “The Public Safety Bill,” made the announcement after the bill was unanimously approved at the state assembly this week.

“Today we take a big step toward addressing Vallejo's public safety needs by allowing retired deputies to work more hours for the Sheriff's Office,” Sen. Dodd said.

According to Dodd, the Vallejo Police Department has become “severely understaffed.” The department can have up to 132 sworn-in officers for the city. Currently, VPD has 62 sworn-in officers serving Vallejo’s 123,000 residents, with only 32 officers working the patrol division.

This prompted the city council to declare “a local emergency.” As a solution, Dodd’s bill would allow retired officials to work full-time for the sheriff’s department instead of the legal limit of 960 hours spread across a three-year window.

“These seasoned, retired professionals bring a wealth of training and experience, enhancing public safety, while saving taxpayers money. It's a smart way to address this vexing problem and protect our community,” Dodd said.

Dodd believes the passing of the bill would help the Solano County Sheriff’s Office respond to more emergency calls. “The state has also previously allowed retired employees to meet urgent staffing needs with similar exemptions,” Dodd said.

The Vallejo Chamber of Commerce said they were “thrilled” with the decision. “We are in full support of bringing back retired officers that are willing to continue to serve. With the state of emergency in Vallejo we welcome the help to provide more protection and safety to our businesses, residents and community,” Shawna Gilroy, the chamber’s president, said.

Next, the bill will go to Gov. Gavin Newsom for signature after a Senate concurrence vote.

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