Sheriff's department defines emergency role
Looks at disaster response in Calabasas
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

After concerns were raised regarding the level of law enforcement support that is available to Calabasas for emergency situations, a local sheriff's lieutenant presented disaster plans to the City Council.

"When we had some of the emergencies going on in different places, the council wanted some clarification on our level of support in case of emergency," said City Manager Tony Coroalles. "If in another part of town there was a major emergency for the sheriff, what would be our coverage here so we aren't left here wanting?"

Councilman Barry Groveman had voiced his concern at a recent council meeting.

"If there was a major incident downtown, I would like to know what in our contract we can look at that assures us that there will still be enough aid to protect the city," Groveman said. "Is there anything we can be assured of in a justified major emergency?"

According to Lt. Pat Davoren and Coroalles, the city's contract with the sheriff's department is general and doesn't specify numbers of units or personnel.

"We have state mandates on mutual aid," Davoren said. "In our department we have to keep at least 50 percent. I haven't seen the contract, but I can tell you that we will never take more than 50 percent of field forces or units assigned to city of Calabasas."

Groveman said he thought about a bigger emergency during the Calabasas fires in 2005.

"The Calabasas fires couldn't have been handled better," Groveman said. "That's when I started to think about this though, because I wouldn't want to be a surrounding city when all the resources were here."

Davoren ran down the process, starting with an overall assessment of an emergency.

"Every station would relay all the information they had downtown to the emergency operations center," Davoren said. "Then we would know how big the situation was. If they did request 50 percent, we'd call in all 100-plus employees at Lost Hills (/Malibu Sheriff's Station), plus all the reserves and volunteers we could."

Individuals earmarked to go to the emergency operations center would be briefed locally, then commute downtown if the freeways were open.

"We are a big department and we have a lot of resources," Davoren said. "And most importantly, we work well with all the agencies. . . . Because of the problems we encounter in Southern California- the fires, the earthquakes- we handle emergencies extremely well. I'd say we were second to none when it comes to emergency response."

Mayor Pro Tem Mary Sue Maurer had other questions.

"My concern wasn't that we would be left unprotected or unpatrolled," Maurer said. "I have far more respect for the sheriff's department than to anticipate anything like that."

Maurer did say that during a recent tour of the Lost Hills station she was disturbed to see how short-staffed the station was. She also suggested a pilot program for reserves, as the current program is run out of the city of Santa Clarita.

Councilmember Jonathon Wolfson said he agreed with Maurer's assessment and suggestion.

Davoren said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has said he wants to enlarge the reserve programs, and that the Lost Hills station's program is run very well.

Davoren spent 10 years with the sheriff's department's special enforcement bureau where his main job was to respond to such emergencies as the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and several fires in Malibu and Calabasas.