Pasadena : Sheriff’s Dept. to Be Thanked

The City Council has instructed the mayor to send a letter to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies thanking them for a “superb job” in helping to control the crowd during the Rose Parade.

But the lawmakers deferred a decision on whether to enlist the sheriff’s help again next year.

None of the council members present at Tuesday’s meeting voiced objections to rehiring deputies, but action was delayed because Councilmen William Paparian and Isaac Richard were absent.

The council, led by the two councilmen, outraged Sheriff Sherman Block in November by requesting assistance with the stipulation that deputies belonging to allegedly white supremacist groups be excluded.

The sheriff threatened to withhold his department’s traditional assistance with the city’s New Year’s Day activities until Mayor Jess Hughston apologized.

Police Chief Jerry Oliver told the council that the city needs the manpower and equipment that the Sheriff’s Department provides. Of 1,128 law enforcement officers employed for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game this year, 814 were sheriff’s deputies.