Santa Barbara County Bill Brown Stations Sheriff - Coroner Headquarters Buellton P.o. Box 6427 • 4434 Calle Real •*

The Sheriff’s detention facility heads were not consulted during the budget preparation process. Response to Finding 1: The Sheriff’s Office disagrees with this finding. The Sheriff's Office Chief Financial Officer (CFO) did have less “input” from jail managers, and all managers during the last five years, due to the simple fact that because of huge revenue shortfalls there were no plans to increase the budget. To the contrary, the Sheriff's budget and staffing were slashed during that time. Nevertheless, the statement that the “Sheriff Detention facility heads were not consulted” is inaccurate. The report mentions that the Sheriff's Office changed its budget development process beginning in 2008. It was 2008 that the recession hit. The Sheriff's budget was under great strain from 2008 through 2014, meaning that there were no funds to increase services, supplies and/or personnel. All cost-center managers were asked to inform the CFO of known increases that were required to be funded, such as increases in professional services contracts, e.g. the Corizon contract for jail medical and mental health services. Any other budget expansion requests were discouraged, and all other line item amounts remained the same.

The Santa Maria Sheriff's Branch Jail is in need of operational equipment. Response to Finding 2: The Sheriff's Office partially agrees with the finding. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office has conducted an evaluation of the requested operational equipment for the Santa Maria Branch Jail and has purchased equipment deemed necessary. Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office Response to the of 2 While the Sheriff's Office strives to maintain the safety and security of our facilities within the limits imposed by fiscal reality, we have provided the Santa Maria Branch Jail with all necessary equipment. We do so by purchasing appropriate equipment, sharing equipment with other entities within the Sheriff's Office, and utilizing existing equipment not currently in use.

Inmates of the City of Lompoc Jail are left unattended when the jailor escorts other inmates across the parking lot to the court holding facility. Response to Finding 3: The Sheriff’s Office disagrees with this finding. The Sheriff's Office is committed is committed to operating safe and secure custodial facilities. However, the Sheriff's Office cannot dictate the Lompoc Police Department’s policies, in this case the escorting of prisoners.