Fallbrook Sheriff's Substation

Each and every member of the Sheriff’s Fallbrook Substation would like to thank the citizens of Fallbrook for their continued support. We are thankful for the opportunity to provide public safety services in a community where we feel overwhelming appreciation from those we serve.

The Fallbrook Substation is very fortunate to have a wonderful group of professional law enforcement deputy sheriffs, detectives and professional staff. We also recognize our community volunteers including the Senior Volunteer Patrol, Reserves and Explorers. On a regular basis, the community expresses their appreciation and the team has earned the honor through their dedication to our citizens.

Our service area is approximately 138 square miles. The major service area boundaries consist of Gopher Canyon Road to the south, the Riverside County line to the north, the base limits of Camp Pendleton on the west and eastward to the Pala Indian Reservation. We provide public safety services to a census population of 50,500 people. Deputies respond to approximately 1,000 radio calls for service per month.

Fallbrook residents identify strongly with its small town image and are committed to helping to preserve Fallbrook’s “Friendly Village” atmosphere, which makes this a desirable community to live and to work. Many of the residents are active in local issues and there are many community-oriented activities, groups and projects in which the residents can become involved to help prevent crime in the area.

The staff of the Fallbrook Substation is committed to the continuous partnership established with the residents to reduce crime in the community.

2007 highlights and accomplishments

I am happy to report that, overall, crime was down 17 percent in Fallbrook from 2006 to 2007. I am convinced this is the product of a proactive, problem-oriented approach to the work on behalf of our staff.

During the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008, numerous commercial burglaries occurred in the Fallbrook business district. In early February, while conducting operations specifically directed toward catching the perpetrator of these commercial burglaries, Detective Lauhon arrested Thomas Young.

Young was formally charged with 19 burglaries. The burglaries were linked to Young through the evidence collected by the deputies who responded to the initial burglary calls.

The Fallbrook Substation is an active participant in the community-based Fallbrook Citizen’s Crime Prevention Committee. We support the committee by participating in meetings and providing presentations open to the entire community. This committee, amongst many objectives, administers a mentoring program for youth in the area.

The Fallbrook Substation once again this year will provide security during the Fallbrook Avocado Festival sponsored by the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce.

Last October, the Fallbrook Substation responded to the Rice Wildland Fire. The Fallbrook Substation served as the primary law enforcement command center for the Rice Fire, effectively managing and coordinating the activities of Sheriff’s deputies, responding federal and state police officers from many jurisdictions and California National Guard soldiers.

In cooperation with the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, the Fallbrook Rotary Anti-Graffiti Enforcement Program, Keep Fallbrook Clean and Green, Crime Stoppers and the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, the Fallbrook Substation played a role in creating the community-based Anti-Graffiti Task Force. The task force was formed to address the problem of graffiti in Fallbrook and to expedite its removal.

In collaborative effort with other governmental groups, the Fallbrook Substation conducted a number of enforcement operations intended to address specific crime problems within the community. They include:

• Sexual offender compliance checks

• Business community crime prevention outreach

• Crime-free multi-housing certifications

• Alcohol beverage minor decoy details

• Gang/probation sweeps and searches

• Edward Byrne Grant: zero-tolerance gang enforcement details

The Fallbrook Command created a community-based Sheriff’s Advisory Committee. The goal of this group is to create a closer link between the community and the Sheriff’s Department with the intent to enhance the quality of life for the residents of Fallbrook.

The coming year will bring new goals for our station, all with the purpose of making Fallbrook a safer place to live, work and play. We look forward to working with the entire community as partners to achieve that objective.