Old Town Temecula Gets Its Own Metro Police Team

TEMECULA, CA — A dedicated team of deputies will soon be patrolling Old Town Temecula, it was announced Thursday.

Similar to downtown “metro policing teams,” the Old Town unit will include six deputies, two motorcycle deputies, one sergeant, one community services officer, and one investigator assigned to the popular destination beginning March 11, according to a joint news release from the city and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The "Old Town Policing Team" will be based at the City Hall substation in Old Town, and will be highly visible on foot, bicycle and motorcycle, the news release stated.

"The value of assigning a dedicated team, where the same deputies are assigned to patrol Old Town in a consistent and sustainable fashion, will improve enforcement efforts and enhance our relationships with people who live, work, or visit the area," explained Southwest Sheriff's Station Captain Zach Hall. "The Old Town Policing Team will be robust, fully supported, highly engaged and very skilled."

The mission of the Old Town Policing Team will be to "build strong relationships with business owners and managers; engage in positive interactions with Old Town visitors and residents; provide an enhanced level of service to visitors, residents and businesses; and enforce a zero-tolerance focus on criminal activity in and around Old Town," according to the news release.

"Adding specialized deputies to build strong relationships and become part of the Old Town culture will add another positive element to this historic area’s overall charm and unique small-town feeling," said Temecula Mayor Maryann Edwards. "Strengthening bonds between our deputies, business owners and visitors will make Old Town even more welcoming and special."

The new team will have no fiscal impact on the city. The city contracts for police services with the sheriff's department and the personnel needed to form the Old Town police unit will be reassigned from other areas.

"The shift maintains a high level of law enforcement services citywide, as it’s an operational refinement of law enforcement teams/assignments that does not leave coverage lacking in other areas of the city," according to the city.