Home » Santa Clarita News » Santa Clarita Valley Deputy Leads Teen Outreach With Social Media

Santa Clarita Valley Deputy Leads Teen Outreach With Social Media

(Deputy Josh Dubin is taking questions in our studio at KHTS AM-1220 from 10-11 a.m. Friday (5/10/13) along with Detective Bill Velek of the Sheriff’s Station’s Juvenile Intervention Team.)

With grad season around the corner, Santa Clarita officials and Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies shared some basic advice for parents: Know where your children are, know who they’re with, know what they’re doing and stay involved.


Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox.


To get the word out, Sheriff’s Station officials are taking an active part in an outreach campaign, talking with teens, sending Nixle reports out for parents and even appearing on local media outlets.

One of the most outspoken voices in that effort has been Deputy Josh Dubin. 

At 6 feet, 6 inches tall with the build of a nose tackle, one might think Dubin could probably act as his own “scared straight” program, using his intimidating frame to steer teens down the right path.

But the tech-savvy giant has been a ubiquitous force on social media outlets since joining the station’s Crime Prevention Unit in April 2012, noting that keeping up with teens and parents through the media they use is an important part of the job.

“We have to work with the community we serve,” Dubin said. “It’s a partnership, and that’s why we’re constantly sending out Nixle reports and asking people to call in when they see suspicious activity.”

But locally, the effort has gone above and beyond that.

All week, Dubin was using social media to solicit questions from the public for his on-air appearance at KHTS-AM 1220, using his Twitter handle @JDLASD, or the Sheriff’s Station’s @SCVSHERIFF, as well as the station’s Facebook page.

“We always encourage interaction with the general public, whether it’s through a Facebook page message, a Tweet or calling us at the station,” Dubin said.

 Right now, the message du jour is “drive safe” and “party responsibly.”

Dubin is visiting local high schools to try and get the word out starting next week, as graduation season ramps up, he said.

Programs like the White Ribbon hopefully will serve as reminders, and he’s trying to get the word out any way that he can, with talks throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.

The Sheriff’s Department also has been encouraging more and more interaction countywide, he said, mentioning that the Sheriff’s headquarters in Monterey Park pays close attention to social media outlets 24 hours a day.

There’s even been outreach among the various stations, as officials share tips and tricks to stay ahead of the crime curve.

“We’ve found everything from parties where parents aren’t going to be home to people simply requesting we come out and beef up patrols in certain areas due to suspicious activity (through social media),” Dubin said. “That kind of information can not only prevent crime — it can save lives.”

As summer draws closer and as academic commencement begins, it is important that young adults celebrate in a safe and responsible manner, said Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Capt. Paul Becker.

“Every year at this time, deputies respond to parties in which teenagers are unsupervised and participating in unsafe or criminal behavior,” Becker said. “I intend to increase patrol and protection efforts on every graduation night this year in an effort to keep our youth safe as they celebrate one of the biggest accomplishments of their young lives.”

For most at the station, it more than just loving their work or wanting to be great at their job, he said, noting a lot of deputies, including himself, live here in the Santa Clarita Valley, as well.

“Santa Clarita Valley deputies take pride in their community,” Dubin said, “and it’s about more than serving and protecting — it’s about being a good neighbor, too.”

The number for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is 661-255-1121.

 


Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.


[node:title]


Article: [node:title]
Source: Santa Clarita News
Author: [node:author]


Santa Clarita Valley Deputy Leads Teen Outreach With Social Media

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Perry Smith

Perry Smith is a print and broadcast journalist who has won several awards for his focused, hyperlocal community coverage in several different regions of the country. In addition to five years of experience covering the Santa Clarita Valley, Smith, a San Fernando Valley native, has worked in newspapers and news websites in Los Angeles, the Northwest, the Central Valley and the South, before coming to KHTS in 2012. To contact Smith, email him at Perry@hometownstation.com.