“Even though we’ve had a very slight, I think it’s like 3/10ths of a percent increase in robberies and aggravated assaults, it is offset by a decrease in other areas of crime,” said the newly-appointed Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Captain Anthony La Berge at a recent meet-and-greet with residents and city officials at Santa Clarita City Hall. La Berge’s plans are to closely exam what did and didn’t work the past year prior to his arrival in his new commanding officer position on January 2.
“I come from working in areas like Compton and Hawthorne where we needed hard charging deputies dealing with hard crime,” says La Berge, “It was completely different than here in Santa Clarita where the relationship between law enforcement and the city is strong.”
With 22 years of experience with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department, La Berge is a real hands-on kind of commander, already taking time to hit the streets of Santa Clarita himself to investigate complaints.
“I like to be out in the field. Recently when a concern about security at a Canyon Country park was pointed out to me with regard to access for kids to party after dark, I drove out there during the day and at night to check it out for myself,” says La Berge.
La Berge found the complaint unfounded. Yet, his dedication doesn’t end there because as his wife will attest to, he can’t seem to turn off the police scanner when he is at home and seems to always be tethered tightly to his blackberry after hours.
“My ultimate goal is to keep us as one of the safest cities to live in for me and my family,” says La Berge who has lived in the SCV for the past 19 years.
Paying his dues way back to the days of the Los Angeles riots, La Berge remembers how he was relieved to return home to Saugus after a long days work.
“I remember my 14-year-old daughter was about to be born at that time and I was thinking that this world was just too crazy a world to be born into,” says La Berge.
Originally working from the age of 17 to become a fireman, he was extremely disappointed to be turned away from duty due to a curved spine.
“I played football and worked out and couldn’t understand it,” remembers La Berge, “I started taking police science courses after that and on career day at the college I signed up to apply with the CHP and the Sheriff’s Department and they were the first ones to call me,” says La Berge.
The rest is history for the man who is keeping his commitment to a better world for his community and family.