Jailhouse Scare Tactics

Coming Saturday to the Crescenta Valley sheriff’s station: the open house and haunted jail.

Now, wait a minute. Don’t sheriff’s deputies use that slammer for the people they arrest?

Well, yes. But they’re emptying it for their seasonal scarefest.

“We send all of our people in custody to our sister station in Altadena,” said Deputy Jean Verdini, community relations officer.

The seven cells and hallway are decorated by students from Crescenta Valley High School’s drama department and helpers from Parents Without Partners and other groups, including citizen volunteers from the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Support Group.

While the haunted jail may be the main attraction for most people, Verdini said the fund-raiser brings people in to the station open house.

“Every sheriff station (in Los Angeles County) is asked to do this on an annual basis for the community,” she said.

But up until two years ago, the community wasn’t exactly showing up in droves. “We would get maybe 1,000 people to come.”

Then the Santa Clarita station had a haunting and pulled in between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors.

“It was such a good idea, we decided to do it,” Verdini said.

The first event doubled attendance at the open house. This will be the third, and they’re expecting up to 5,000 people.

Verdini said the haunted jail isn’t suitable for children younger than 6, but an attended play area is available for the little ones while the more stouthearted are getting their pants scared off.

The open house and haunted jail, 4554 Briggs Ave., La Crescenta, will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The open house is free; the jail costs $2.

Other spooky happenings this weekend include the Glendale Family YMCA’s infamously frightening haunted house, 206 E. Wilson St., which will be open Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Oct. 27 and 28 at the same times. Admission is $5.50.

On Wednesday, the Glendale Public Library, 222 E. Harvard Ave., will have a free spooky craft program with stories for children 5 and older from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.