By Patric Hedlund, TME

A contract proposal to allegedly solve the retention and recruitment crisis at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office burst from the lips of Kern County Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop Tuesday, July 23, as if he was exploding with excitement. He was speaking at the afternoon public meeting of the Board of Supervisors, just after their private executive session.

The deputy retention crisis occurred because Kern County Supervisors have insisted on continuous budget cuts to all county departments, including the sheriff’s office.

Now KCSO is “hemorrhaging experienced officers,” Kern Law Enforcement Association (KLEA) President Sergeant Richard Anderson said. Young deputies get their training in…(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

CAO Ryan Alsop making the offer Tuesday

The surprise contract offer announced to the public by Kern County CAO Ryan Alsop (left)—before the deputies’ union even saw it—struck union leaders as a publicity stunt that could make them look bad if Alsop’s ‘solution’ to the sheriff’s personnel crisis was exaggerated.

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This is part of the July 26, 2019 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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