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Sheriff’s office reports spike in calls for service, targeted DUI enforcement and expanded drone usage
Summary
A sheriff’s lieutenant reported a near‑30% increase in Sun Valley calls for service versus a three‑year average, 48 DUI arrests in June countywide (23 from a targeted unit), and routine use of mission‑specific drones tied to the evidence system; residents raised questions about encampment cleanups, truck enforcement and 911 response times.
Lieutenant Nick Tone delivered a detailed enforcement update to the Citizens Advisory Board, telling residents the department recorded approximately 4,119 calls for service in the first quarter — about a 30% increase over a three‑year average of 3,288 for Sun Valley — and highlighted a targeted DUI unit responsible for 23 of 48 June DUI arrests countywide.
"As of month of June, we have 48 DUI arrests just within the county. Twenty‑three of those arrests were specifically from those two deputies that are out there looking for DUIs," Tone said, describing the unit as a focused enforcement effort. He emphasized that the rise reflects targeted enforcement rather than necessarily an overall increase in impaired driving.
Tone described the agency’s use of mission‑specific drones for incident response and evidence collection, saying drone footage is uploaded to the evidence system and can be used in prosecutions because the drone pilot is a deputy who can testify. "The drone footage is absolutely available... it goes to the DA's office," Tone said.
Residents pressed for details on encampment cleanups, the division of responsibility among code enforcement, the hope team and the sheriff’s office, and the department said cleanup operations and enforcement actions are often distinct and may involve multiple entities. On traffic enforcement for heavy commercial vehicles, Tone said motors units and commercial vehicle enforcement specialists handle inspections and that deputies can route concerns to subject‑matter experts.
Why it matters: Many Sun Valley residents described slow or inconsistent responses to critical incidents and raised concerns about fireworks, illegal shooting and a recent fire; the sheriff’s update sought to clarify how resources are used and which units handle specific enforcement tasks and evidence collection.
What’s next: Tone offered to provide additional statistics at future meetings and invited residents to submit specific incidents via 311 or to follow up with supervisors for case‑specific questions.
The board did not take action on enforcement policy during the meeting; residents were urged to call the fire marshal and 311 for emergent safety concerns.
