Officials in Hennepin County at odds with commissioner over sheriff's office role in public safety

Behind the flashing light and 911 calls, there's another problem building in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

The sheriff's office is short on money, $15.4 million to be exact. And while the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved covering the overrun, most of which will come from the county's unrestricted fund balance, frustration is clearly building. 

Some commissioners say the sheriff's office keeps overspending. 

Commissioner Marion Greene questioned whether the sheriff's office should even be providing public safety. Greene says that responsibility belongs to local police departments. 

"I'm not willing to fund the sheriff to provide public safety for Hennepin County," Greene said last week. 

The reaction was swift. More than 40 area mayors and police chiefs signed a letter of support defending what they call a system that keeps people safe. 

"The Sheriff's statutory obligation under Minnesota law is to 'keep and preserve the peace' within the county, a mandate that is long-established and essential. Commissioner Greene's suggestion that local police departments can absorb this responsibility is not grounded in reality, tradition, or Minnesota law," the letter said.

The document also called on the need for investment and appropriate funding for the sheriff's office. 

Sheriff Dawanna Witt took to Facebook to thank her law enforcement partners for the support and recognition. 

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says with his department still short-staffed, sheriff's deputies are not optional, but critical.

"Sheriff deputies help provide public safety in the city of Minneapolis every single day," O'Hara said. "We can't do anything large in this city without the help of sheriff deputies."

The sheriff's office warns the financial problem isn't going away because they don't have enough funding for the approved number of positions, meaning the office will be more than $9 million over budget without additional funding.

Greene ultimately voted to cover the deficit. She has not said whether she stands by her comments.

In a statement, she said in part, "With current budget constraints, it's crucial that all parts of the county organization stay within budgets so that we can provide critical services without interruption. At times, justified overruns happen, and in support of my commitments to county taxpayers and residents, I have to understand overspends regardless of budget or office."