SHERIFF'S STATIONS HEADING FOR ARREST RECORD.

Byline: GIDEON RUBIN

Staff Writer

PALMDALE -- An infusion of additional manpower and cooperation among law enforcement agencies has the Antelope Valley's two sheriff stations on pace to obliterate a record for arrests.

That's according to Palmdale sheriff's Lt. Bobby Denham, who said the Palmdale and Lancaster stations combined for 16,257 arrests through July 15, and are on pace to make more than 30,000 arrests this year. The stations set a record last year, combining for more than 19,000 arrests.

Denham predicts they could exceed that total before the end of next month.

The arrest figures have increased across-the-board due in part to law enforcement targeting criminal street gangs. Denham heads the Antelope Valley Crime Fighting Initiative, a task force that's targeted criminal street gangs.

He cited "unprecedented cooperation" among the two stations, the Highway Patrol, county Probation Department, state Parole Board and the Housing Authority as a key factor in the growing arrest numbers.

"We're focusing our attention on a zero tolerance policy, and with more deputies working the streets, there's little doubt we're going to make significantly more arrests this year," Denham said.

In addition to hiring new deputies at both stations, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca created the crimefighting detail after promising local residents in a town hall meeting earlier this year a crackdown on criminal street gangs.

The crime-fighting initiative has flooded the streets with out-of-town Community Oriented Police teams assigned to combat street crime in tough neighborhoods throughout the Antelope Valley. Since it was formed in March, the teams have made more than 600 arrests, highlighted by the arrests of several criminal street gang leaders, Denham said.

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com

[phone]