By Angela Shannon and Ryan Steinwert
August 10, 2023
DOWNIEVILLE — While Jason Aldean’s country song “Try That In a Small Town” continues to stir up quite the ruckus with lyrics alluding to vigilante justice should the common crimes in urban settings spill over to small towns, Downieville and surrounding areas have experienced a recent crime wave by unsavory thieving folks without any form of justice yet obtained. August 3rd kicked off with “suspicious” people looking into yards of community members, and on the same day, a “smash and grab” from a vehicle at the Canyon Creek Trailhead. The reporting party initially contacted law enforcement in the wrong county, so the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office awaits more details. On August 4th, a light bar was stolen from a Downieville local’s truck parked in front of his residence on Pearl Street. The following day an air compressor and air hose were stolen from the Downieville gas station, leaving anyone wishing to air up a tire unable to complete the task. Somewhere within the timespan of these crimes, some residents suffered the loss of precious gasoline siphoned out of their vehicles. Though the rate of property crimes across Sierra County is relatively low, with only approximately three burglary convictions in the last five years, drug-related crime remains a significant issue. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the recent burglaries are consistent with drug-related theft and appear to be related. While it is unclear if the parties engaged in these crimes are locals or their guests with “thieving hands” or simply strangers passing through our tiny town, we all can be more proactive in securing valuables. Sheriff Fisher explained that residents may want to “invest in a camera system to possibly identify suspects and give the Sheriff’s Department an investigative lead.” Unfortunately, no camera footage has been available for any of these thefts, and if one could be so brazen as to steal a light bar off a truck in front of a residence, more surveillance cameras installed by residents may prove helpful in the future. Currently, Sheriff Fisher is “exploring several different avenues which will assist the Sheriff’s office in investigative leads for these types of crimes.” It should be noted that out of an allotted 12 law enforcement slots, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office only has six active officers. While two recruits are enrolled at the police academy, they will not graduate until mid-January. Separately, two advertised deputy positions are still waiting to be filled. Why is this important? Limited staffing at the Sheriff’s Office decreases “proactive” policing, impeding needed crime prevention. Fortunately, the response in “reactive” policing has not changed, which cannot be said about some law enforcement agencies in neighboring counties challenged with similar staffing issues. Obstacles in recruiting law enforcement to our terrain have remained the same. Available housing for prospects is a top issue, along with the remoteness and sometimes the pay. Though the pay rate for a Sierra County Deputy is better than in some counties, many recruits are drawn toward counties with much larger budgets. Some have also observed political stances from Washington creating a ripple effect across the country, dissuading many from pursuing law enforcement as a career due to a rise in disdain for those called to protect and serve. To Sheriff Fisher, the lack of support from the state and federal government is evident. The Mountain Messenger hopes to pursue the impact of politics on our law enforcement in a future edition. On a brighter note, nobility shined on August 5th when one resident brought a backpack left at the river for several weeks to the Sheriff’s Office. Acts of integrity like that remind us that “good humans” are the majority in our small town.