New sergeant settling in at sheriff's substation

By KRIS REILLY, EDITOR

Sgt. Wendell Anderson was busy unpacking family photos and hanging them in his new office at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Lucerne Valley substation last week. He hopes it will be a while before he has to take them down.

Anderson became the third new sergeant at the substation in a 20-month span when he took over for Steve Harbottle last week. Frequent restructuring within the department makes it hard to know how long Anderson will be around.

“I could be here a couple of years,” Anderson said. “I haven’t put in papers to transfer anywhere, I can tell you that.”

Anderson, 46, said he’s been with the department for 24 years and attained the rank of Sgt. about 11 years ago. He’s worked for the bombs and arson team as well as the narcotics unit.

A High Desert resident since 1992, Anderson said he currently lives in Oak Hills, which shares some similarities with the rural lifestyle of Lucerne Valley.

“(Lucerne Valley) is obviously a small community and I would imagine it’s a bit more close-knit,” Anderson said. “(Oak Hills) is a lot like that. I live on a five-acre parcel and get along great with my neighbors.”

Anderson says his most important message to local residents is that they should not hesitate to call if they need help, even for smaller matters such as keeping the peace between neighbors or family members. For non-emergency assistance, call the dispatch line at (760) 248-7328.