Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto has announced a new program that allows the Sheriff’s Office to strengthen and reinforce ties with the community.
With additional funding approved by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, deputies are now being assigned to supplement patrol with an emphasis on community-oriented policing.
On Sept. 26, the Board of Supervisors provided the Sheriff’s Department with $90,000 to fund a program with the specific goal of increasing the presence of sheriff’s deputies in rural areas of Yolo County.
Deputies working this assignment are not assigned a beat, but rather are being directed to focus their attention on developing community contacts. With the additional opportunities to interact with the community, deputies will be looking to discuss issues and work toward solutions.
Community-oriented policing is about recognizing that the Sheriff’s Department cannot solve every public safety problem alone, and taking a proactive approach to build partnerships with the citizens the department serves.
“Through these relationships we are able to work on solving the crimes the communities are most concerned about,” Prieto said.