Rancho Palos Verdes rolls out public safety division; liaisons to handle nonemergency calls

Rancho Palos Verdes is rolling out a new public safety division that will place trained public safety liaisons in neighborhoods to handle nonemergency reports, city public safety division manager Jennifer Schmidt said on PV City Talks.

"One of the main components for our division is the public safety liaisons," Schmidt said. "What they're gonna be doing is handling and assisting the Lomita Sheriff Station with nonemergency calls for service." She said liaisons are already in training and will respond to calls such as vehicle or residential burglary reports when no suspect information or video exists, allowing sworn deputies to focus on higher-priority incidents.

The change builds on an existing Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department model, Deputy Derek Clotworthy of the Lomita Station said, where non-sworn personnel handle routine tasks while deputies maintain arrest and traffic-enforcement authority. "Keywords, they're non sworn," Clotworthy said, adding that liaisons cannot make arrests and generally cannot issue traffic citations, though they can take routine reports and issue parking citations.

Officials emphasized coordination between the city and the Lomita Station. Schmidt said residents should still call the sheriff's nonemergency dispatch; the dispatcher will determine whether the liaison or a deputy should respond. "Even though the public safety liaisons are housed under the city, you still need to contact the Lomita Sheriff's Station," Schmidt said.

City and sheriff officials also reviewed how residents can access services and keep informed. Clotworthy described a "virtual deputy" program that allows residents to schedule a video conference with a uniformed deputy to report crimes privately and reduce the need for deputies to travel. Schmidt pointed residents to city social media, the city listserv and the city manager's weekly report for updates.

Officials outlined local crime trends and prevention efforts. Schmidt said the city is seeing residential and vehicle burglaries as well as rising fraud, particularly around tax season, and urged precautions such as securing doors, removing valuables from plain sight and monitoring bank accounts. "Sometimes, criminals... will test out a dollar, $2 to see if someone disputes that and then cash the full amount in a couple days later," she said.

Deputy Clotworthy described a recent successful response to a series of arson incidents around Hess Park and Island View. He credited social-media posts and a resident tip for helping detectives identify and detain suspects: "We responded in kind, and we detained these suspects." Clotworthy called the result "a team effort" between detectives, volunteers and residents who reported suspicious activity.

The city is offering crime-prevention incentives. Schmidt said individual residents may receive up to $100 (or half the purchase cost) for a security camera under a reimbursement program, while neighborhood camera systems can receive up to $2,500 annually to cover service fees. The city also offers a short-term indoor camera rental for residents who lack equipment and a vacation-check program so volunteers can monitor properties while owners are away.

Volunteers augment station operations, Clotworthy said, performing tasks from answering phones and making mail runs to driving marked volunteer cars to provide additional eyes and ears. The Lomita Station publishes guidance on what information dispatchers need when residents call to help determine whether an incident is a crime and whether a deputy should respond.

Schmidt said the city recently renewed its contract with the sheriff's department but noted countywide staffing pressures: "the sheriff's department is suffering from... deputy vacancies of over 1,000," she said, adding the department must still meet contractually obligated patrol minutes each month. The staffing shortage, officials said, underscores the role liaisons and volunteers can play in supplementing service.

For residents who want to arrange a neighborhood presentation or share local concerns, Schmidt said contact details are posted on the city's public safety webpage. Deputy Clotworthy said residents can request community-relations help by calling the Lomita Station's nonemergency line and asking for him directly at the number he provided on the program.

The program closed with both officials urging residents to enjoy summer responsibly, stay aware of surroundings and call the appropriate lines if they see suspicious activity. "If you're gonna consume alcohol, don't drink and drive," Clotworthy said, adding, "please stay safe, have a great time, and give us a call if you need anything."