Sheriff touts falling county crime rates

December 11, 2009

Valencia County Sheriff Rene Rivera this week touted falling crime rates throughout the county that he says is a result of having newly hired deputies more active throughout the county.

In late October, Rivera hired three new deputies.

“The burglaries and so on have dropped quite a bit,” he said. “It’s working really good.”

As a part of Rivera’s plan for better law enforcement in the county, the deputies have been placed full-time in the Meadow Lake and El Cerro Mission areas, the Rio Communities and Jarales areas, and in Highland Meadows. The deputies have spent their first month and a half getting acquainted with residents.

“They’re getting to know the community really good,” Rivera said.

He said his plan has produced positive results. While he hasn’t made the hard numbers public yet, he said he’ll soon be presenting that information to the county commission.

“I will be giving the commission what’s been happening out there — how the crime has been dropping since I placed those deputies out there,” he said.

Community members supportive of the sheriff department’s effort are saying they’ve been impressed with the deputies assigned to their areas, including the new deputy in Rio Communities.

“I find her effective, very responsive,” said Sue Moran, who works in Rio Communities and lives just south of there. “She’s been out in the community a number of times. She’s been very helpful.”

Posted in: Police