Santa Barbara County received a grant which will allow it to revive a program to fight crimes against farms, and ranches which was cut early their year due to funding problems.
The Sheriff’s Department eliminated a rural crimes deputy position over the summer, because of state budget cutbacks.
The state has now reinstated the funding, which means the County will get $117,000 for the program.
Department officials say the deputy position is an important one.
In 2010, the program investigated 132 rural crimes, including the theft of more than $577,000 in farm and ag equipment, as well as livestock.
The investigations led to the recovery of about two thirds of the stolen property.
