SUNLAND-TUJUNGA : Mounted Police Patrolling Sanctuary

From trash dumpers to naked men, the Tujunga Ponds Wildlife Sanctuary has attracted an array of troublemakers, frustrating police who have found it nearly impossible to catch anyone in the hostile terrain.

Time to bring in the cavalry.

On Thursday, police and city officials announced that mounted patrols will spend weekends working the 13-acre site, which is closed to the public to protect animals such as ducks and crawdads.

“There are a lot of rocks in the area so we can’t get in on bicycles or even off-road motorcycles,” said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Jay Phillips. “With the horses, we can get into hard-to-reach areas.”

The wilderness, located on unincorporated county property at 9500 Foothill Blvd., is a maze of shrubbery and rocks accessible by foot. The key features are two ponds, each about a half-mile in circumference and up to 50 feet deep, Phillips said.

Two police officers from the LAPD’s mounted patrol unit began roaming the wetlands on weekends about three weeks ago, Phillips said. But the patrols were not officially announced until Thursday, when Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs held a news conference.

New no-parking signs will also be placed along the boundaries of the wilderness area to discourage people from entering.

Since late spring, neighbors have complained about the weekend goings-on in the sanctuary, which is under the jurisdiction of the LAPD Foothill Division, where Phillips is stationed.

On Monday, a City Council panel on public safety heard complaints from the neighbors.

“We’ve had a lot of complaints about people with guns, public drunkenness, and people taking their clothes off and getting naked,” said Phillips.

Police say the horse-powered detail will initially operate during daylight hours. In addition to the crime problems, the stepped-up patrol will also be on the lookout for wildfires sparked by illegal campfires.

“The pond area is located in a mountain fire district,” Phillips said. “We’ve had two fires in the district all year and now it’s the beginning of fire season.”