AGOURA HILLS : U.S. Funds to Help Pay for New Deputy

Agoura Hills and Malibu have received a federal grant that will allow the two cities to add one deputy to augment law enforcement services provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Rep. Anthony Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills), who made the announcement Monday, said the grant is part of the 1994 crime bill, which will fund the hiring of additional police officers in communities throughout the nation.

Under the grant, each city will receive $25,000 a year for the next three years, said Lt. Jim Pierson of the Sheriff’s Department.

The two cities must pay $30,000 a year each for the next three years to stay in the program, he said. That amount is based on the $85,000 the Sheriff’s Department will charge the two cities for the deputy, said Pierson, who works out of the Lost Hills station.

And that is a discount, he said, because the agency normally charges about $108,000 a year for each deputy.

The Sheriff’s Department “cut out the administrative and overhead costs” to make it more affordable to the cities, Pierson said.

The cities will get the deputy for 20 hours a week each, said Malibu City Manager David Carmany. Malibu plans to use the officer for the city’s volunteer citizen crime patrol, in training, screening and monitoring volunteers, he said.

“This grant provides a way for Malibu to launch its citizen-based crime prevention effort,” Carmany said.

Agoura Hills has tentative plans to use the deputy in schools or for monitoring day laborers, Pierson said.

Cities are getting more mileage out of the grants by teaming up to pay for new officers, he said. “Many cities can’t afford it. This way, by sharing, they both can get a benefit.”