Merced Co. Sheriff's office to re-open Delhi sub-station

DELHI, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Merced County Sheriff's Office is stepping up its presence in one of its busiest areas to improve services and safety.

A sheriff's office substation is set to re-open in Delhi this weekend. It will serve residents throughout the northern region of Merced County.

"The public going to have easier access to us on a regular basis," said Lt. Jeff Coburn, Merced County Sheriff's Office.

The substation has been closed for four years because of budget cuts, but on Sunday it will officially re-open. It's a place where residents can file reports and handle other issues in person. But it's also a way to add extra supervision in this area, and ultimately reduce crime.

The Delhi area has been the site of several shootings in recent years, including one that claimed the life of 20-year-old Erain Sandoval in April. His family is still seeking justice.

"It's been very difficult for everyone. We've been trying to do everything we possibly can to look for answers to get something going to make someone accountable for this, and it just hasn't happened unfortunately," said Blanca Trenado, Sandoval's sister.

Now Trenado is hoping a sheriff's office substation in Delhi will make it easier for someone to stop by with information and improve safety for others in this community. "I think having had that in the past would have made a huge difference for us."

The substation first opened in 2005, but closed in 2010 due to county budget cuts. The Merced County Board of Supervisors recently approved changes that will allow it to re-open under the command of a new lieutenant.

"Because there's going to be a command level sheriff's deputy there there's going to much more ownership in the enforcement part of our mission, and that's something that after we made budget reductions a few years ago we really lost," said Tom Cavallero, Merced County Sheriff.

The office will serve as a hub for about a dozen deputies who patrol the northern part of the county, and will also have a community service technician in the lobby. Residents will be able to file reports and handle other issues that once required a trip to the main office in Merced.

"We're going to have normal business hours here, and the public is going to have easier access to us on a regular basis. So it's a win for us, it's a win for the community," said Lt. Coburn.

Jerry Michalec owns a restaurant across the street from the substation and says he's looking forward to the added convenience and law enforcement presence. "I believe that of course the more presence we have, the better it will be."

The community is invited to attend the re-grand opening of the substation on Sunday. It will include sheriff's equipment demonstrations and displays from 9am to 3pm.