Special ops underway by Sheriff's Dept.

In addition to their normal patrols and response to calls, Fallbrook deputies are working special operations assignments in an effort to hold the line on crime during the holiday season.

“The goal is to keep the [Fallbrook] community as safe as we can with the resources we are given,” said Lt. Mike Barnett, commander of the Fallbrook Sheriff’s substation.

Barnett said deputies are conducting curfew sweeps, doing additional patrols in and around commercial business areas along Mission Road and Main Avenue to help minimize vehicle burglaries, and are even better prepared to deal with calls relating to individuals with mental health issues.

Curfew enforcement

Deputies conducted their first curfew sweeps of the holiday break the evenings of Friday, Dec. 17 and Saturday, Dec. 18 in Fallbrook. Even with the rainy weather, which has a tendency to keep many indoors, the deputies found offenders.

“Deputies made 12 traffic stops, 22 pedestrian stops, and arrested three juveniles for various offenses,” said Barnett. One juvenile, a gang member, was arrested for curfew violation, another for possession of alcohol in a motor vehicle, and a third for possession of marijuana.

“An adult was also arrested for possession of more than one ounce of marijuana,” said Barnett. Arrested was Angel Ramirez Gonzalez, 24, of Fallbrook.

Fallbrook has a 10 p.m. curfew for youth under the age of 18, and Barnett said deputies will continue to contact minors discovered out after that hour especially during the holiday break.

“We will be looking for those that are out and about (on foot and in vehicles) without any legitimate purpose, because we have found that they commit crimes when they are out like that and they also have a tendency to become victims of crime,” said Barnett.

Barnett said those youth that don’t have an acceptable reason for being out after the curfew hour, will be taken into custody.

“We will take them back to the station, call their parents and have them come pick them up,” he said.

Barnett said the operation has been headed up by Deputy Mark Cahill of Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) unit.

“He is doing a great job,” said Barnett.

Keeping tabs on the bars

Since the weather was rainy over the weekend, thus reducing the number of people out on the street, deputies also focused time and effort on monitoring activity at

bars and establishments selling alcohol.

“Deputies checked out a total of 19 businesses that fall into that category,” said Barnett.

Barnett said deputies checked enforcement of alcohol laws and more.

“Every place checked out fine this time; no issues; we were happy about that,” added Barnett.

Added patrols in shopping areas

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, Barnett said his department will try to help minimize vehicle burglaries.

“The deputies are doing extra patrols in and around the commercial shopping areas and we are even setting some “bait traps” to see if we catch anyone trying to steal from vehicles,” he said.

Barnett said bait placed in vehicles under surveillance include electronic devices such as global positioning systems (GPS), cell phones, iPods, and other tempting items.

Barnett said his deputies are patrolling shopping areas along Mission Road and Main Avenue and other high-density areas in an effort to encourage people to not “invite” problems.

“We are even putting notes on car windshields reminding people to lock their cars,” he said, adding that these notes are placed in sealed envelopes so that onlookers cannot see the message.

“We are just trying to make people aware of the potential for theft they have created,” he said. “Fallbrook is such a safe community that people often take it for granted.”

“By educating and making people aware, we are encouraging them to work with us, and the goal is to keep people safe – especially during the holiday season when some people take advantage of others.”

Barnett said the holiday season typically brings an increase in theft-related crime, demonstrated clearly in crime statistics from past years.

“The Sheriff’s Department wants to do everything it can to ensure residents of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow, and De Luz have a safe Christmas and I believe a stepped-up enforcement posture during this time of year keeps the criminal element suppressed and supports the law-abiding citizens and the local businesses,” he said.

Dealing with citizens with mental health issues

Barnett said he has been concerned about the volume of calls his deputies have been responding to each week relating to individuals with mental health issues in recent months.

Commonly referred to as a “51-50,” these types of incidents involve a person who appears to have a mental disorder that makes them possibly a danger to his or her self and/or others. Section 51-50 is a part of the California Welfare and Institutions Code that allows a peace officer or clinician to involuntarily confine a person thought to be in that condition.

“For the last several months, we have been responding to four or five incidents each week where someone has to be placed in a hospital or with county mental health,” said Barnett. “That doesn’t count the ones we respond to that aren’t that grave of a situation.”

Barnett said the Fallbrook Healthcare District and Palomar Pomerado Health have provided his deputies with extra training to help them handle these types of calls.

“The deputies have received updated training in this area,” said Barnett.

With the various special operations and training, Barnett hopes the proactive efforts will lead to a reduction in crime this holiday season.

“Hopefully when we get the numbers for the end of 2010, it will show that we’ve held the line on crime in the Fallbrook command,” he said.

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