Marina del Rey Sherff's Dept. Receiving U.S. Coast Guard Safe Boats

By City News Service

A sheriff's sergeant was honored for showing resourcefulness and initiative in acquiring U.S. Coast Guard safe boats now being used at Pyramid Lake, with more scheduled for deployment in Castaic Lake and Marina del Rey, it was announced Wednesday.

Sgt. Roger Wallace, a 27-year department veteran, was assigned the task of developing and supervising the sheriff's Parks Bureau Lake Operations at Castaic and Pyramid lakes. He discovered that boats that normally cost $175,000 were available for purchase by government agencies from the U.S. Coast Guard for $11,000, said the bureau's Johnie K. Jones.

Since the first boat was obtained, two more have been procured under the same terms at Lake Castaic and Marina del Rey, he said.

Wallace was honored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as a "L.A. County Star" on Tuesday for his "relentless" pursuit of the boats, competing with law enforcement agencies from throughout the county.