Recently, the County Board of Supervisors agreed to allocate additional funding for law enforcement agencies to increase patrols in Los Angeles County’s unincorporated areas. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will receive a funding increase in the amount of $7.3 million dollars, and will use the money to hire an additional 67 deputies.
Of the 67 additional deputies, 6 will be stationed at the SCV Sheriff’s Station to assist in patrols. Currently, the deputies stationed there are responsible not only for the Santa Clarita Valley, but for Agua Dulce, Stevenson Ranch, Castaic, Westridge and the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country and Saugus.
The reason for the additional funding is because of a report that was published earlier this year citing inadequate numbers of patrol officers in unincorporated areas. The report advised another 118 deputies (with a $19.5 million dollar price tag) were needed in order to better service the citizens living in unincorporated areas.
Not all of the 118 new deputies will be hired at once, though, as the LASD plans to spread the hiring out over the next couple years. The 67 slated to be hired immediately are the first batch of deputies to be worked into the system.
Additional deputies will help the SCV Sheriff Station not only increase the presence of law enforcement officers in unincorporated areas, but also to respond faster to calls coming from those out of the way areas.
