Neighbors in the community of Oceano are grateful to have a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's substation in the area to take care of crime activity.
“There were gangs and stabbings, but all of that has gone away when they moved the substation to this area,” said Humber Perez, Oceano resident.
The substation's focus on reducing crime associated with gangs is highlighted by its new commander, Ian Doughty, who states, “Historically, there have been, you know, a couple of gangs in our South County region, and our substation has been focused on reducing crime associated with them.”
Commander Doughty is committed to continuing efforts to tackle crime in the area.
“We also work closely with our special operations unit, our gang task force for sharing of information and working with investigations," he said.
Doughty was promoted in August and then in early November was assigned to the South Station in Oceano.
Apart from crime, his focus is on storm preparedness following last winter’s rainfall which caused Arroyo Grande Creek to rise and break through the levee, leading to flooding and evacuations for Oceano residents.
“That's why this year we are looking to be proactive in engaging with the County OES, engaging with any of the Public Works and any other aspects of the community about the potential for that,” Doughty said.
As for the future of other San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's substations, such as the one approved in Nipomo earlier this year, County Budget Director Lisa Howe says $1.2 million has been allocated for the design phase of the project.
