It's no accident that our Sheriff's Department is a regional, if not national leader in cutting edge technology and performance in public safety services. Years of dedicated efforts from line-level deputies to top managers secured the "triple crown" program accreditations from the nation's top three rating agencies.

Every member of our Department should be proud of our accreditation achievements and the exceptional quality of public safety services that evolve from that kind of official recognition.

Establishing a department as a top-notch public safety agency is a daunting challenge. Few departments have achieved the kind of success we enjoy in Alameda County, and I give credit to our department's management for their pursuit of the very best in every aspect of public safety service. Maintaining that status and high level of service is just as difficult.

There is an extremely long list of details that must all be consistently in place to sustain our current quality of services. As with any complicated prospect, there are a million ways for decision-makers to go off track, but only one way to do it right.

The three basic categories that constitute the 'must have' items to sustain our current levels of quality service are: The right personnel, the right training, and the right equipment. It's no secret that all three cost money.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff's Department have both invested consistently in all three categories, and that's why we have been so successful.

The looming budget deficits at the state and local level could test our County leaders' dedication to public safety services as soon as this year. The Governor is asking for a 10% cut from every state agency. Similar reductions in state support to local agencies are to be expected. The majority of our county's General Fund resources are derived from property and sales taxes passed back to our county from state coffers, causing renewed concerns that the Governor and the Legislature could once again decide to withhold funds needed for local services. The Governor's current budget proposal already includes provisions that would significantly delay some of these pass-through funds.

That's is why our association is already talking to local leaders, news reporters and elected officials in an effort to build consensus around the idea that our county's collective interests start with confidence that our streets are safe. Of course, safe streets depend on maintaining our current levels of quality public safety services - most notably the three categories outlined above - personnel, training and equipment.

Efforts underway by your ACDSA Board of Directors will engage local opinion leaders in a program to support the programs that provide the safe streets. Helping these people to connect the dots between dedicating sufficient resources and safe streets will help our elected officials understand that residents and businesses are depending on them to maintain the kind of quality public safety programs people expect and deserve.

Most importantly, the ACDSA Board of Directors remains dedicated to help make sure that, even in tough economic times, our department will maintain the high levels of excellence that have warranted the "triple crown" accreditation, and made us among the most appreciated police personnel in the state.