SBSO Bolsters Fight Against Rural Crime
State Grant Helps Reinstate Full Time Rural Crime Deputy
Santa Barbara - December 15th, 2011
The fight against rural crime in Santa Barbara County is getting a boost thanks to a State grant obtained by the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office.
The $117,200 grant will help pay for a deputy who can work full-time patrolling rural areas and investigating crimes that affect the ranching and agricultural industries which are a vital part of the local economy.
In 2010, the Sheriff’s Office investigated 132 rural crimes which included vandalism, and also the theft of farm equipment, supplies, live stock and various ag property. The combined property loss was more than $577,000 that year of which $383,351 has been recovered.
Through nearly all of 2011, the Sheriff’s Office has investigated 116 rural crimes for a combined property loss value of $502, 208 of which $109,210 has been recovered.
The Sheriff’s Office had eliminated the rural crimes deputy position at the beginning of this fiscal year when the grant money that previously funded the position appeared to have been lost due to statewide budget cuts.
The Sheriff’s Office recently learned that the state has reinstated the grant money which will pay for the full-time rural crime deputy position. The funds are for Fiscal Year 2011-2012, however, any unused grant funds may be used in FY 2012-2013.
"I am very pleased that funding has been secured to maintain this important program" said Sheriff Bill Brown." "Deputy Sheriff John McCarthy, who leads our Rural Crime Program, and several other deputies who have been collaterally trained continue to do a superb job in investigating these unique crimes. They have been successful not only in apprehending criminals who victimize our farmers, ranchers and others who live in rural areas, but more importantly they work directly with members of our agricultural community to prevent many such crimes from occurring in the first place."
Business Hours: (805) 681-4100
EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org |
