Governor Jerry Brown approved sending National Guard troops to Malibu … the day after the fire … to prevent looters.
But the then-current L-A sheriff shot it down … and instead flooded malibu with 500 sheriff’s deputies from out of town.
And most of them were unfamiliar with local conditions … including the need to allow residents to resupply.
All this … according to a lengthy report written by City Manager Reva Feldman … for the city Public Safety Commission.
In it … she says concerns about looting, security and safety on the day after the fire led her to ask the Governor’s office for California National Guard troops.
National Guard troops were deployed to protect the City of Santa Rosa after part of it was leveled by a fire last year.
And the City Manager believed the same protection was needed in Malibu.
The Governor’s Office and CalOES approved the request.
But the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department vetoed it.
Instead…. the Sheriff’s Department called approximately 500 deputies from across L A County to Malibu to secure the City.
These deputies were given strict orders … do not allow anyone into the mandatory evacuation area.
And this went over terribly.
Residents who had chosen to remain in the mandatory evacuation area … did not have the ability to go out ot get supplies.
People trying to get back to prevent damage to their property were threatened with arrest.
Boats were used to get drinking water and gasoline floated into Malibu.
A public relations nightmare.
These issues are now being investigated by a Blue Ribbon commission in the County of Los Angeles.
But that may be cold comfort to Malibu residents … who feel with some justification they were at first abandoned .. and then abused … by their local government.