Supervisors authorize sheriff to use federal funds to target rural crime

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, March 8, authorized Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to accept a $150,000 federal grant intended to support law enforcement operations in outlying communities, which for the sheriff will mean targeting criminal activity in Aguanga and Anza.“The communities are positioned within a mountainous and rural area of the county,” according to a sheriff’s statement posted to the board’s agenda. “Two deputies are currently assigned to patrol the area; however, they are also responsible for additional unincorporated areas. This grant (will enable) the sheriff’s department to deploy deputies on overtime ... to conduct high-visibility patrols.”The U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Rural Violent Crime Reduction grant was aw