Public Safety · Live Oak, CA
Live Oak Halves Police Coverage Starting Dec. 1
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 that cuts police patrol coverage from two deputies to one deputy around the clock beginning Dec. 1. The reduction saves approximately $1 million annually as the city addresses a structural budget deficit. Under the new service model, serious crimes and emergencies will still receive deputy response, while lower-priority calls such as noise complaints, parking violations, noninjury traffic accidents, and shoplifting will be redirected to a city-operated AI platform called Readyly or to code enforcement. The Sheriff's Office will test the new system starting Nov. 4 before the Dec. 1 transition. The agreement runs through Nov. 30, 2027, and Sutter County's Measure G, a proposed 1% sales tax for public safety on the Nov. 3 ballot, could provide additional funding.