Logo courtesy of the City of Live Oak

LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - Live Oak will have just one sheriff’s deputy on patrol at a time beginning Dec. 1 under a new law enforcement contract that cuts police coverage in half as the city struggles with a budget deficit.

The Live Oak City Council voted 4-0 on Oct. 21 to approve a one-year, $1.85 million contract with the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office, reducing the city's annual law enforcement costs by approximately $1 million. Councilmember Nancy Santana was absent.

The reductions will affect how deputies respond to calls for service, with serious crimes and emergencies taking priority. Some lower-level complaints will be redirected to a city-operated system rather than handled by deputies.

Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes said the reductions are necessary because the city can no longer afford its previous level of police coverage.

"As Sheriff, I cannot subsidize services to the incorporated City of Live Oak, so staffing will have to be reduced, resulting in a need to prioritize the types of calls we can safely respond to," Barnes said.

Under the new agreement, the Sheriff's Office will provide four deputy sheriff positions, one sergeant position and dispatch services. Patrol coverage will decrease from two deputies to one deputy around the clock.

Barnes said the new staffing represents approximately half the number of deputies funded under the previous contract.

The change comes after the City Council voted in October 2025 to cancel its existing law enforcement agreement for budgetary reasons. That contract expires Nov. 30.

During the Oct. 21 council meeting, City Manager Ben Moody said the city has been working to address a structural budget deficit by reducing discretionary spending, adjusting water rates, postponing capital projects and renegotiating public safety contracts.

Moody said the reduced police contract brings expenses closer to what the city can sustainably afford.

"This comes at a cost. Those savings are reduced services," Moody told the council.

The reductions could also mean longer response times, particularly when the lone deputy on patrol needs backup.

Moody acknowledged that the changes would affect residents' quality of life, particularly when responding to nonemergency complaints.

To help manage those calls, the city has purchased Readyly, an artificial intelligence-powered platform intended to handle routine public inquiries and service requests.

According to the Sheriff's Office, all calls for service will initially go through sheriff's dispatchers, who will determine whether a deputy should respond or the call should be transferred to Readyly.

The Sheriff's Office will begin testing the system Nov. 4, ahead of the Dec. 1 transition. During the testing period, calls involving abandoned vehicles, loud music, parking violations and vandalism may be directed to the platform.

Other nonemergency complaints could be referred to city code enforcement or public works personnel for follow-up. Depending on the circumstances, some complaints could receive delayed responses or no response.

Under the new service model, the Sutter County Sheriff's Office will continue responding to emergency and higher-priority incidents, while certain lower-priority calls will no longer receive a deputy response.

Calls that will continue receiving a response include assaults, domestic violence, robberies, burglaries, shootings, homicides, kidnappings, child and elder abuse, traffic accidents involving injuries, missing persons, sexual assaults and other serious incidents.

Deputies will also continue responding to certain calls involving suspicious activity, including prowlers, as well as traffic hazards, verbal disturbances, stolen vehicles and other designated service requests.

Calls that will no longer receive a deputy response under their listed priority classifications include noninjury traffic accidents, suspicious persons or vehicles, harassment, trespassing, vandalism, reckless driving, DUI complaints, welfare checks, theft, shoplifting, noise complaints, parking violations and abandoned vehicles.

Residents can review the full list of calls receiving a response and those excluded under the new contract at suttersheriff.gov under "Services" and "Calls for Service - Live Oak."

Moody said the city has reduced expenditures by $3.5 million while attempting to maintain essential services.

"We remain committed to responsible financial management, exploring new revenue opportunities, and ensuring our residents continue to receive the public safety services they deserve," Moody said.

Barnes, who also lives in Live Oak, addressed the council Oct. 21 and described the new contract as a "minimum level of service."

He acknowledged that the staffing reductions are "not optimal," but expressed hope that the arrangement would be temporary.

"I'm not going to let the City of Live Oak suffer. … We hope to get through this rough patch and continue on as good partners," Barnes told the council.

Vice Mayor Aaron Pamma expressed concerns about how the reduced staffing would affect residents, while Councilmember Ashley Hernandez said the city was attempting "to do the best we can with what we have."

Mayor Jeramy Chapdelaine described the situation as "a lose-lose" but said continuing to fund services the city cannot afford would be irresponsible.

"We're in a terrible spot," Chapdelaine said, adding that the city had already reduced other spending to a minimum.

The agreement runs through Nov. 30, 2027, giving the city an opportunity to reconsider staffing levels if additional funding becomes available.

One potential funding source is Sutter County's Measure G, a proposed 1% sales tax for public safety services on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Moody said approval of the measure could eventually provide additional revenue to help support public safety costs.

The Sheriff's Office has provided law enforcement services to Live Oak since December 1979. Despite the reductions, Barnes said his office remains committed to its partnership with the city and hopes future revenues will allow police staffing to increase.