The ribbon-cutting of the new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station commenced to fanfare and applause from local officials on Monday morning, accompanied by a performance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) band.

A project nearly 12 years in the making, the new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on Golden Valley Road is the “crown jewel” of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, according to Captain Justin Diez.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this station is a symbol of community, it’s a symbol of partnership, it’s a symbol of law, and it’s a symbol of justice,” Diez said. “This station before you, is in fact the crown jewel of the Sheriff’s Department, and will be for many, many years to come.”

Accompanied by local officials at the City, State, County, and Federal levels, the LASD celebrated the opening with the first hoisting of the colors, followed by congratulatory speeches, live music, and tours of the new state-of-the-art facility.

(Left to Right) Mayor Bill Miranda, Capt. Justin Diez, Councilwoman Laurene Weste, L.A. County Sheriff’s Alex Villanueva

The original 25,000 square foot Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on Magic Mountain Parkway was opened in May of 1972, when the population of the Santa Clarita Valley hovered around 60,000 people.

50 years later, the outdated facility now squeezes in enough personnel to serve nearly 290,000 residents by spreading out different teams between other buildings in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva and County Supervisor Kathryn Barger tour the new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

In the new 46,552 square-foot Station, not only is there enough room to house the regular patrol units and detainees, but also members of the 9-1-1 dispatch center, Career Offenders, Burglary, Robbery, Assault (COBRA) Unit, the Crime Prevention Team, the Detective Bureau, and the Crime Impact Team, as well as a 4,000 square foot vehicle maintenance facility and helipad.

Officials hope that the new stations —  which, excluding land, is estimated at $68,886,449 — will be more than well-equipped to serve the ever-expanding community for at least another 50 years, according to LASD officials.

“This past year has been a challenge for many, including our deputies, but even through a pandemic, civil unrest, deputies have continued to stay dedicated to those communities to which they’re committed,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva. “One of the most important things is establishing relations between the community and the deputies providing that security. You could have food and have shelter, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but if you don’t have security, you cannot thrive as a community, you cannot thrive as an individual or as a family. Once you have security then you can move on to great things.”

The original station is expected to remain operational until all of the necessary amenities, dispatch center, files, computers and staff can be moved and set up in the new station.  The new station is not yet open to the public, but is expected to be operational in the next month or so, according to LASD officials.

“We need our law enforcement officers — I just want to reinforce that I know every single elected official behind me — We are here for you,” said Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares. “We want to defend you, we want you to be successful, because we notice the risks you take every single day, when you put on that uniform and you carry that badge, to keep our community safe, to keep our families safe. We are here for you and it is another reason why our community is so amazing.”

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