At a recent Town Hall Meeting in Phelan and just days before his official swearing-in as the next San Bernardino County Sheriff, Undersheriff Shannon Dicus announced the Department would be adding two additional deputies to the Victor Valley Station.
“Because we have such great support from the Board of Supervisors, we will be adding two more deputies to the Victor Valley Station, and it will take care of this area, and you’ll see patrols increase across all of our county stations,” said Sheriff Dicus as he was addressing the illegal marijuana grow situation that is currently plaguing the unincorporated areas of the county.
The Victor Valley Station is located in Adelanto and has substations in Lucerne Valley and Phelan. The station covers the unincorporated areas of the county, including Adelanto, Helendale, Oro Grande, Silver Lakes, El Mirage, Spring Valley Lake, Oak Hills, Wrightwood, and is contracted to serve the City of Adelanto. According to the Sheriff’s website, the Station has one captain, one lieutenant, eight sergeants, seven detectives, sixty-one patrol deputies, three sheriff’s service specialists, seven office specialists, two office assistants, one secretary, and two automotive officers.
The Lucerne Valley Substation patrols the Lucerne Valley area as well as unincorporated areas east of Apple Valley. This station is served by one sergeant, one detective, and seven deputies who patrol an area of about 6,000 residents.
The Phelan Substation’s patrol area includes Phelan, Pinon Hills, Wrightwood, West Cajon Valley, and portions of Oak Hills and El Mirage. One sergeant, one detective, and ten deputies are assigned to this station, which provides service for approximately 35,000 residents.
The addition of two additional deputies will help relieve some of the strain deputies at these stations are feeling daily. Calls for service for the entire Victor Valley Station are averaging about 82 per day, with an average of 22 of those calls coming from the Phelan, Pinon Hills, and Wrightwood areas.
During the town hall community safety event, which was held at the Phelan Community Park, the question of staffing of the Phelan substation was brought up by a resident who asked if a liaison officer could be assigned to the substation to give residents better access to the Sheriff. Sheriff Dicus took that opportunity to announce that the substation would be moving to the Phelan Community Park. “We’re working with [the Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District] in terms of station and access; you’re looking at the new station. It’s going to be right here in the park,” said the Sheriff as he pointed to the current administrative building for the PPHCSD. Once the new civic center is built on land adjacent to the park, the PPHCSD administration will move to that location. The sheriff’s substation will move from its current location on Phelan Road into the administrative building at the park left vacant by the PPHCSD. “As far as staffing, we have a lot of volunteers, and that’s where you can help us by becoming a COP. We use those folks regularly to make sure you have that presence at the station when the deputies are in the field.”
