Lemon Grove pilots community-oriented policing program

Lemon Grove recently added two new sheriff’s deputies whose sole duties will be community-oriented policing, thanks to a recent voter-approved tax hike.

Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Barry said their hiring “couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Lemon Grove residents approved the 1-cent sales tax last year, a proposal that was pitched to voters as an opportunity to fund infrastructure repairs and increase public safety.

Of the $5.9 million generated by the tax increase during the last fiscal year, $557,000 was put toward spearheading Lemon Grove’s first Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) program.

“We’ve been the only Sheriff’s station department that didn’t have a specialized (COPPS) team,” Barry said. “Now we have one. It’s in the pilot phases, but Measure T gave us the ability to give it a try. So far, so good.”

Two COPPS-focused deputies were hired at the Sheriff’s Office substation in Lemon Grove in October. Their station is now home to 13 deputies, including the recent hires.

In contrast to regular deputies, Barry said their sole responsibility is to patrol the neighborhoods and do “completely proactive police work,” such as investigating theft and helping with homeless outreach. They are not responsible for responding to radio calls, unlike regular deputies.

The addition has been transformative for day-to-day operations, he said, by easing the workload for the other deputies while creating bandwidth for preventative investigations.

“We try to focus them on crimes within the community that are low-level, whether that be narcotics, gang activity or assisting with the homeless predicament,” Barry said.

These deputies have helped with locating new homeless individuals in the area and connecting them with a local nonprofit that provides housing and other services, he added.

Already, the new COPPS team has successfully conducted counter-theft operations in the neighborhood.

The Lemon Grove substation has fewer personnel in comparison to other stations in the county.

After the Rancho San Diego Sheriff’s Station was opened in 2014, Barry said a “fairly sizable chunk” of the personnel at his substation were transferred, and they have since operated with lower staffing.

“When we got these COPPS deputies, that was a huge benefit at the station,” Barry said. “It definitely lightened the workload. Sometimes it is not so noticeable (to the public) immediately, but it’s very noticeable behind the scenes.”