Layoffs Loom for Fresno County Sheriff's Office

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Sheriff Margaret Mims announced tax revenues are down and her department faces a nearly $4-million budget deficit. The Sheriff said that number includes money her department is accused overbilling for court house security.

Sheriff Margaret Mims now faces a nearly $4-million dollar deficit. The Sheriff's Department has already endured a round of layoffs. Last year they lost 30 correctional officers ... 13 community service officers ... but Sheriff Mims managed to avoid laying off her deputies. Sheriff Mims said this time the situation is different, "There are going to be layoffs, everything is on the table, including professional staff, correctional officers and deputy sheriffs."

Sheriff Mims faces a financial assault on a different front and it's heading to mediation. Action News obtained a state audit last year. Inside, the document accuses the Sheriff of over-billing the Fresno Court system by more than a million dollars for providing court security.

Presiding Judge Bruce Smith told Action News over email, they still want the Sheriff to pay back the money but the exact total is not known. Smith wrote, "There is an amount due to training expenditures and payments which amount to approximately $1-million and another amount for overtime/replacement costs which involves a very detailed review that is not yet completed."

Both the Sheriff and court system hope to resolve their financial issue without filing a lawsuit. But, the overbilling problem will only add to the Sheriff's budget deficit.

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fresno county sheriff department, fresno county, economy, budget cuts, local, andres araiza

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