Residents Petition for Public Safety Funds

A volunteer group has sent more than 1,000 signatures to state officials asking them to keep the budget ax away from funds that could hurt law enforcement and fire-protection services in the Crescenta Valley area, officials said.

The Crescenta Valley Sheriff Support Group started its petition drive last month after learning that the governor’s proposed budget calls for a $2.6-billion shift from local government services to schools. Counties and cities would be freed from various state requirements for services, except those for public safety.

Sheriff’s officials think that a worst-case scenario would mean a 25% cut in their services--ranging from layoffs to closures of stations, including the one in La Crescenta.

“We just felt that we had to express concern for this,” said Barbara J. Strawn, a support group board member.

The petitions, which include 1,100 signatures, were addressed to Gov. Pete Wilson and the Legislature.

“I think it’s fantastic,” said Capt. Michael Quinn, who heads Los Angeles County sheriff’s station in La Crescenta and a small substation in Altadena, which also faces possible closure. “The response is overwhelming.”

The La Crescenta facility now has an $11-million budget, a majority of which pays for personnel salaries. It serves a population of 120,000 and covers La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge, Montrose, Altadena, 260 square miles of the Angeles National Forest and Lopez, Kagel, Little Tujunga and Big Tujunga canyons.

County fire stations servicing those areas could also face closure, officials say.

In addition to the signature campaign, the Crescenta Valley volunteers have handed out 2,000 stamped postcards to residents asking them to sign and mail them to Wilson, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and county Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

Each states, “I am concerned about public safety in my community and I support full funding for law enforcement and fire protection.”

Meanwhile, the group is collecting signatures to mail to county supervisors later this month, Quinn said.

The petitions have been “well-circulated throughout the area,” he said. “We have people (from the group) walking the neighborhoods. . . . We’ve got some business people who have them in their businesses.”