CV Sheriff’s Station has ‘clean record’

LA CRESCENTA — Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies based in the Crescenta Valley used a relatively little force when arresting people who resist or interfere with investigations, according to an independent report released Friday.

The biannual report reviews the so-called obstruction arrests and the force used, and hate crime investigations by the Sheriff’s Department and its stations.

The report’s creator, Merrick Bobb, special counsel monitoring the department for the county Board of Supervisors, reviewed obstruction arrests made from 2004 to 2009.

Bobb is also part of the legal team hired by Burbank to review reform of its troubled police department.

Throughout most of the six-year span, Crescenta Valley deputies average a little more than one incident of use of force per every 100 arrests, according to the report. That was down from roughly two incidents per every 100 arrests for 2005 and 2008.

“We are always trying to do the best that has ever been done, and we are contract-city tested,” Capt. David Silversparre said. “We have people like Merrick Bobb and the Office of Independent Review that look over our shoulders and try to make it the best service possible for the community.”

Crescenta Valley Town Councilwoman Danette Erickson said the report’s results were consistent with the community’s good relationship with sheriff’s deputies.

“I am very pleased that our community has such a good community that our sheriffs don’t have to use force,” she said.

The Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station is one of eight that make up Region 1.

Bobb said there were no incidents that stood out in Crescenta Valley related to the report.

“The Crescenta Valley has that very, very clean record — it’s a good thing,” Bobb said.