The 2023 CIT Deputy of the Year Award ceremony celebrated the outstanding achievements of Ciara Hays, Cody Massengill, Andrea Rodriguez, and Allison Wallace.

These remarkable individuals were recognized for their exceptional work within the Ventura County Law Enforcement Crisis Intervention Team, a collaborative program involving various law enforcement agencies such as the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Oxnard Police Department, Port Hueneme Police Department, Santa Paula Police Department, Simi Valley Police Department, and Ventura Police Department.

Nominated by their respective agency’s leadership, the awardees were commended for their significant contributions to law enforcement and their compassionate interactions with individuals facing mental health crises. The ceremony, graciously hosted by the Ventura County Behavioral Health Advisory Board, highlighted the dedication and commitment of these deputies in providing crucial support and assistance to those in need within the community. Their unwavering efforts exemplify the values of empathy, professionalism, and service, making them truly deserving of this prestigious recognition.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s office recently released the 2023 Crime Statistics for the County of Ventura. Above are the 2021–2023 Comparison of Reported Crimes. See more photos on page 10.
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Above is the remainder of the 2021–2023 Comparison of Reported Crimes for the City of Fillmore. Courtesy Ventura County Sheriff’s office.
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Sheriff Jim Fryhoff has released the 2023 crime statistics for all areas serviced by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office saw numerous crime trends throughout the year. While property crime saw a decrease overall, there was an increase in shoplift-type thefts (21% increase, 166 incidents), Theft-Grand (2%, 25 incidents), Burglary- Residential (25%, 42 incidents), and Arson (33%, 4 incidents). The largest percentage of thefts continue to be shoplifts, vehicle-related, and auto part-related thefts (accounting for 72% of the total thefts). Auto part-related thefts, including Catalytic Converter thefts, continued to be a crime problem for the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction but saw a decrease (27%) between 2023 and 2022 (572 incidents in 2022, 418 in 2023). Vehicle-related thefts continue to contribute to the property crime totals with 19% (502 incidents); however, there was a decrease from 2022 offenses (596 incidents, 22% of total thefts).

Regarding violent crime, aggravated assaults saw the highest increase (133 incidents, 106%), with all categories showing increases (firearm, knife, other, hands/fist/feet related offenses). There were significant increases in firearm-related aggravated assaults and much of the increase was related to brandishing of firearms to multiple victims. Within some of the contract cities, there were gang-related violent crimes that also attributed to our increase in violent crime. Our agency has continued to use community awareness and engagement (social media, events, media releases, proactive communication), and proactive policing solutions to combat crime within the areas we serve. This spring, the Sheriff’s Office is launching a multi-agency task force to combat organized retail theft, cargo theft, and catalytic converter theft. There was a decrease in Homicide incidents for the Sheriff’s Office (six total incidents). Out of these six homicides, half involved family member-on-family member.

“In looking at violent crime statistics for 2023, you can see a significant jump in comparison to the previous year. We did see a noticeable decrease in violent crime during and following the global pandemic. However, the trend we are seeing now is that incidents involving violent crime have returned to pre-pandemic numbers. In a county our size, with as little crime as we do have in comparison to other jurisdictions across the nation, a few cases in a calendar year can result in a sizeable spike in crime statistics, evidence of which can be showcased by simply comparing the figures from 2022 to 2023,” said Sheriff Jim Fryhoff. He continued, “Overall, crime across the board is down, as we had nearly 100 fewer criminal offenses in 2023 than the previous year. My office will never take our foot off the gas when it comes to reducing crime. We will continue to focus our efforts on outreach, community engagement, education, and working closely with partners inside and outside of the criminal justice system, which is crucial for effective violence reduction.”
Note: Each geographical area in Ventura County is unique, and crime trends vary from city to city. For questions regarding each city’s reported crimes, the following people can be reached directly:

Commander Eric Tennessen – Camarillo (805) 797-7102
Commander Jeremy Paris -Thousand Oaks (805) 797-7105
Captain Darin Hendren – Moorpark (805) 797-7137
Captain Eduardo Malagon – Fillmore (805) 477-7108
Captain Trina Newman – Ojai (805) 477-7039

For more information, please visit us at venturasheriff.org. You can also link directly to a statement by Sheriff Fryhoff that details our mission, strategy, and vision as well as Sheriff Fryhoff’s Seven Pillars for providing law enforcement services in Ventura County. For information regarding recruitment and job opportunities, please visit applyventurasheriff.org.

VCFD SANDBAG STATION DIRECTORY - Did you know that Ventura County residents can obtain and fill property and life-saving sandbags at 24 different VCFD stations? Here’s a closer look at how you can get your hands on sandbags to help protect against fires, floods, mudslides, and other potential natural disasters and emergencies. Locations for Fillmore and Piru are as follows: 27 – Fillmore, 133 C St; 28 – Piru, 513 N. Church St. ***PLEASE BE PREPARED TO FILL YOUR OWN SANDBAGS*** To contact a specific fire station, call 805.371.1111, EXT. # (utilizing the station numbers listed) View full list of locations visit https://vcfd.org/sandbag-stations/.