Dana Point, a high-profile destination city for dignitaries and events, gets new police station for faster deputy response

DANA POINT   Orange County Sheriff’s deputies took their first evening briefing in the city’s new sheriff’s department substation at City Hall.

The $1.2 million facility means deputies now start their shifts in Dana Point instead of the sheriff’s department’s substation 40 minutes away in Aliso Viejo. That substation serves as a hub for deputies serving in contract cities throughout South County.

“I know this will be good for the community,” OCSD Dana Point police Chief Russ Chilton told his deputies. “It will increase our time spent in the community.”

The briefing, held June 12, the night the facility opened, started with a recognition of Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Riches, who was killed in the line of duty on June 12,1999 while serving in Lake Forest. Riches grew up in Dana Point. After a moment of silence, deputies discussed the day’s crimes specific to Dana Point.

Deputies reviewed the new safe storage for their weapons and ammunition, checked out new lockers, showers and bunk beds, reviewed new technology systems and visited the evidence room. In the past, deputies had to leave their shifts early to process evidence at the Aliso Viejo substation.

The new substation is critical to maintaining a high level of security for residents, tourists and high-profile guests in a destination beach city, Chilton said.

“Dana Point is a very unique community,” Chilton said. “As one of the most beautiful spots in the nation, we have captains of industry, presidents and heads of states here regularly. We need to be on our game and ensure that public safety is paramount.”

The substation is also the final piece in the puzzle in turning the Golden Lantern City Hall into a true civic center. Other organizations such as the Dana Point Historical Society and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9934 are also located there.

Deputy Justin White was among the group being briefed. He liked the idea of deputies listening to briefings specific to Dana Point rather than a countywide briefing in Aliso Viejo.

“It will increase our visibility in the community,” he said. “We’ll be more available to the citizens of Dana Point. I’m stoked because it will make our team here more cohesive.”

In  the last year, there were 19,755 calls for service. That was up from 18,644 in 2015 and 16,681 in 2014.

In 2016, there were 458 priority calls with an average response time of a little over five minutes.

Chilton says that response should improve with the new substation.

“We should be there whenever you call, no matter what the reason.” he said. “You shouldn’t have to wait like a window of time for a repairman.”

Political leaders, federal officials and foreign dignitaries frequently hold events and conferences in Dana Point. An annual women’s conference draws hundreds of CEOs from Fortune 500 companies to some of the city’s high-end resorts.

Doheny State Beach draws more than 1 million visitors each year and Dana Point Harbor, a popular place to eat, shop and go whale-watching, has long been a destination for hundreds of thousands each year. The harbor is undergoing a $200 million renovation which could draw even more visitors.

There are 51 major community events in the city. More than a dozen draw thousands, including the Festival of Whales, Turkey Trot, Doheny Blues Festival and the city’s popular concert series.

The Sheriff’s Department contracts with 13 of 34 Orange County cities. Two other contract cities – San Clemente and Yorba Linda – also have substations.

Dana Point has the highest per capita cost among all of sheriff’s department’s contract cities. OCSD has 33 sworn officers working in Dana Point and the city pays $345.22 per resident.The six-square-mile city with a population of 34,181 is a destination location with 13 resorts and hotels with a 70 percent occupancy rate.

In comparison, Laguna Beach, which operates its own police department and has a population of 22,723 has has 52 sworn officers and a per capita cost of $721.71.  San Clemente, which also contracts with OCSD and has 65,526 residents, pays $219.76 for 43 sworn officers.

The substation project, first proposed in 2002 and pushed forward again in 2015, was initially slated to cost around $560,000. Additional technology requirements, including safe storage of evidence and increasing costs of renovation, raised the cost. The City Council approved the plan in October.