LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department, currently dealing with low staffing levels, is getting some additional help from an allied agency.
The Lakeport Police Department and the California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office have reached an agreement in which the CHP will handle traffic enforcement within the city on a limited basis.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen announced the agreement to the Lakeport City Council at its Tuesday evening meeting.
Rasmussen was accompanied at the meeting by Lt. Hector Paredes, the commander for the CHP's Clear Lake Area office.
“As you know, we’re in short staffing times right now for various reasons,” said Rasmussen, who has been reaching out to various local law enforcement agencies to get assistance while staffing is low.
He said the CHP is willing to help.
Beginning on Wednesday – and continuing on a temporary basis for an undetermined amount of time – the CHP will handle traffic law enforcement in the city, which will help alleviate some of the load on Lakeport Police officers, according to Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said the CHP will be available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day of the week to respond to calls involving vehicle collisions, driving under the influence, reckless driving and related complaints.
He said CHP officers also will conduct traffic enforcement related to vehicle code violations.
Rasmussen thanked Paredes and the CHP for being willing to assist the Lakeport Police Department in difficult times.
Mayor Marc Spillman also thanked Paredes.
“We're always looking for ways to partner in our communities and serve our communities,” said Paredes.
He said the agreement is another opportunity for the CHP to serve Lakeport and its citizens.
Paredes, who has been in his post for close to a year and a half, said he has a great relationship with Rasmussen and his agency.
“We're looking forward to partnering and doing what we can to maintain public safety in the city,” Paredes said.
He said they will help with traffic law enforcement and anything that leads from that, including acting as backup to Lakeport Police officers on calls.
Councilman Martin Scheel said he had worked alongside Paredes during last year's wildland fires. “His staff was impeccable out on the mountain and within Lake County, in really what seemed like an insurmountable task during the fires and what had to happen up there.”
He added, “It would have been impossible to achieve what we did during the fires without the California Highway Patrol. I’m happy to have them here in the city of Lakeport.”
“It's a privilege to serve all of you,” Paredes said.
Rasmussen also thanked the Lake County Sheriff's Office, which regularly backs up Lakeport's officers, who also help back up the deputies in calls outside the city.
“We all have a vested interest in doing this together,” Rasmussen said.
Scheel said law enforcement in Lake County is a collective effort, with agencies working together.
The council thanked Paredes for his agency's assistance.
In February, the Lakeport City Council approved temporarily restoring a 12th officer position for the police department, as Lake County News has reported.
Rasmussen told Lake County News after the meeting that his department currently has seven officers on duty, with the equivalent of 2.5 other positions off on medical leave and the rest of the positions open.
He’s anticipating an upcoming resignation, and is currently recruiting for a new officer and preparing to finalize offers to two officer trainees whose police academy training will be paid for by the city.
Rasmussen said he had spoken to Paredes for a few weeks about receiving temporary assistance before reaching the informal, verbal agreement.
The partnership that Lakeport Police and the CHP are pursuing is different from what took place in the city of Clearlake during the 1990s, when the CHP had a formal agreement with the city to assist with all types of law enforcement activities, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said his department and the CHP will reevaluate the need for the agreement in three months.
He said he also is speaking with other law enforcement agencies in Lake County and beyond as he explores the possibility of contracting with one or more of them to cover shifts rather than having his officers work more overtime.
There are some agencies interested in offering those services, he said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Lakeport Police to receive traffic enforcement help from CHP
- Elizabeth Larson
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