Former Mono County Sheriff Dan Paranick retired last year, but promptly went to work in Sacramento. The State Sheriffs’ Association asked Paranick to serve as their Executive Director, in charge of 6 employees, a lobbyist and more. Paranick has worked on major state issues related to law enforcement.

The Sheriff’s Association, for one thing, joined the Governor to defend a lawsuit filed by state prison inmates who allege that the overcrowding in prisons has deprived them of rightful medical treatment and other services. That suit calls for the release of 40,000 inmates.

Paranick said the Sheriffs Association and California Police Chiefs joined in that suit in defense of the Governor to stop the release of the 40,000 inmates. Paranick said the California prison system is designed for 82,000 inmates. They can sleep 132,000 in beds. We have 172,000 in custody today. The suit would reduce the prison population.

We have been involved in trying to come up with alternatives to the release of all of those inmates onto the streets because this will eventually plug up the county jail systems.

Paranick said as Executive Director of the State Sheriffs Association he has also dealt with matters connected to the state budget deficit. He said that the deficit amounts to $16 to $20 billion. There will be a lot of cuts, he said. Everything from education to welfare and public safety services. Paranick said that he learned in a meeting with the Governor that California spends $600 million more than comes in every month.

Paranick said it was a humbling experience to be asked to serve as executive director of the Sheriff’s Association. He also said he’s ready to retire.

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