By Mary O’KEEFE

Captain Todd Deeds is getting accustomed to his new position as the head of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.-Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. He began his new job on Sunday and made the rounds at the local Memorial Day and Fiesta Days events, but isn’t unfamiliar with the area.

“I used to work here [at the CV Station]. I was first assigned here from1996 to 2001,” Deeds said.

He began his career with LASD in 1991 as a line deputy at the Inmate Reception Center. He worked as a patrol deputy at CV and the Altadena stations, was a training officer at West Hollywood Station, was part of the Crime Impact Team at the Compton Station and a staff instructor at the Training Bureau, according to his LASD biography.

“As a patrol deputy I gained a lot of experience working in different places,” he said.

He was a patrol sergeant at the Marina Del Rey Station until he was promoted to lieutenant. He was the watch commander at the Century Station, and was a team lieutenant at Special Victims Bureau. Before his promotion to captain and returning to CV Station, he served as a lieutenant in operations in the East Los Angeles Station.

He brings a great deal of experience to the station as he has served in diverse places throughout LA County. Deeds is getting settled into his new home in CV.

“The station is working very well. The previous captain, Chris Blasnek, did a great job. Morale is high and everything is running smoothly,” he said. “And Lt. [Mark] Slater did a great job.”

Slater served as the interim captain after Blasnek left in January after being promoted to commander. Slater had been at the CV Sheriff Station since April 2, 2017.

The CV Station covers a large area including the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County La Crescenta/Montrose, La Cañada, Lake View Terrace and much of the Angeles National Forest.

Residential burglary has been an issue in these communities and Deeds said he has talked with deputies about it.

“This has been a problem but we will be working hard to keep up visibility and be proactive,” he said.

Another issue of concern for the area are wildfires of which Deeds is also very much aware. Although he was not stationed to CV at the time of the Station Fire he responded to it.

The CV Sheriff’s Station has a strong volunteer force that includes Volunteers on Patrol and Montrose Search and Rescue, both of which Deeds is impressed by.

Throughout his career Deeds has been involved with the communities he serves and wants to reach out to CV and La Cañada communities as well.

“I am very excited about being here,” he said.

  Mary Okeefe