Tehama Deputies Suspend Daytime Patrols Amid Unprecedented Staffing Shortage

The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) will suspend daytime patrols, starting Nov. 20, due to “catastrophic staffing shortages.” The California Highway Patrol will be responding to “life-threatening emergencies” during those hours. 

TCSO has lost 20 employees and is having trouble recruiting new ones. Its jail is operating at around 60% of staffing capacity. 

“Most recently, staffing shortages in the custody division have forced the Sheriff’s Office to reassign Deputies from the operations division to fill vacancies within the courts and jail facility,” the county said. “This unfortunate, but necessary restructuring has left the operations division with insufficient staff to sustain 24-hour patrol services.”

The staffing crisis at TCSO is part of a large, nationwide phenomenon affecting public safety departments. 

To aid recruitment, TCSO is working with the County Board of Supervisors to raise wages. 

Read more at KRCR.  

Image Credit: TCSO