BIKE PATROL TO SCOUT SANTA CLARITA.

Byline: Orith Goldberg Staff Writer

Vandals, drug users and other offenders may be rousted out of local parks and school grounds when the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Department volunteer bike patrol program launches later this month.

Beginning Aug. 28, about two dozen cyclists, with white pullover shirts identifying them as volunteers, will mount their bikes and join forces with sheriff's deputies to combat crime in the Santa Clarita Valley.

``One of the goals we wanted to achieve is to give us another set of eyes to watch some areas our deputies on patrol don't have a chance to check out,'' said Sheriff's Sgt. Bruce Sonnenblick. ``Bikes afford accessibility that cars don't.''

Volunteer Kenneth Dean, 48, of Santa Clarita said the patrol will further enhance the ties between the community and the Sheriff's Department.

``I think (residents) will see us as a source of information,'' Dean said. ``When they see us out on patrol, someone will see something, tell us and we'll call the Sheriff's Department. It will be like a chain reaction.''

Dean said would-be criminals may be deterred from mischief if they notice that volunteers are on patrol in the nation's third-safest city.

``We're a pretty safe city, but there are some identified gang members out here . . . so this gives us an opportunity to try to keep our city gang-free and safe,'' Dean said.

Santa Clarita is the third area in which the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has started a bike patrol program. The first bike patrol was started at the Marina Del Rey station in March 1997. Another was created at the Crescenta Valley station three months later, officials said.

Tom Haner, 68, of Santa Clarita said he has been volunteering his time to the community for over 10 years and, after being assaulted two years ago, is eager to become involved in the bike patrol.

Haner recalled that he and a friend had been patrolling on their own near Sierra Vista Junior High School in Canyon Country and were confronted by five men he believed to be gang members.

``They got me and kicked my head into the ground,'' Haner said.

Now Haner and his friend are ready to join the sheriff's volunteer patrol.

Beginning Aug. 28, a minimum of two volunteers will ride the street and paseos in four-hour shifts. At least one of the volunteers will have a radio to contact authorities if they should run into anything out of the ordinary.

The 23 volunteers have gone through background checks and eight hours of bike training to qualify for the program. A dozen additional candidates are in the process of qualifying, Sonnenblick said.

Sheriff's deputies hope many more people will offer to donate their time to the program.

``We're trying to get enough volunteers where we could cover at least the evening hours seven days a week,'' Sonnenblick said.

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PHOTO (Color) Tom Haner, left, and Kenneth Dean make up part of the Sheriff's Department volunteer bike patrol.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News