GRANT TO ADD 12 DEPUTIES IN A.V.; NARCOTICS, MOTORCYCLE SPEED PATROLS GET BOOST.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

A state grant will bring a dozen deputies to unincorporated Antelope Valley communities for the next three years, sheriff's officials said.

A $28.8 million state grant obtained by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will put more deputies on the street countywide, including 10 in the south valley - including two narcotics deputies and a motorcycle deputy - and two in unincorporated Lancaster.

``We welcome the additional manpower,'' said Lt. Bobby Denham of the Palmdale sheriff's station. ``We feel it's needed. The residents who live in the unincorporated area will definitely feel the impact.''

The state grant works through the Citizens Option for Public Safety program in conjunction with the federal Community Oriented Policing Services grant that has already provided about 20 deputies to the Lancaster station.

``The COPS teams' efforts so far in the Antelope Valley have been successful,'' Denham said. ``We anticipated it will continue to be successful.''

The latest grant will add a motorcycle deputy and a narcotics deputy to Lancaster.

The COPS grants are intended to target quality-of-life issues for residents of the unincorporated areas of the Antelope Valley like Lake Los Angeles, Quartz Hill and Littlerock.

The 5-year-old High Impact COPS program targets square-mile areas of unincorporated communities and puts deputies to work with residents to clear their neighborhoods of crime and nuisance.

Deputies focus on a target area for 20 weeks before moving to their next location.

``This will be a great benefit to us,'' Denham said. ``We are fielding officers that we would not normally be able to offer.''

Along with the additional deputies, the local stations will also receive patrol vehicles and support staff.

Palmdale sheriff's officials plan to set up the next High Impact COPS target area in Littlerock.

While narcotics deputies are expected to assist and investigate crime found by deputies from the COPS team, they will also target small-time drug dealers and other nuisance drug activity within the unincorporated areas.

``They will be working street sales,'' said sheriff's Lt. Charles Schultz.

Since past programs have indicated traffic as a major concern for Antelope Valley residents who live in unincorporated areas, the grant will provide two motorcycle deputies - one in Lancaster and one in Palmdale.

``The community should look forward to seeing these officers out there,'' Denham said. ``This will impact these areas in a positive way.''