Former sheriff Tom Allman to serve as Shelter Cove's new resident deputy

December 1, 2020 — Last week, retired sheriff Tom Allman announced on Facebook that he would start serving as a peace officer in Humboldt County, where he was born and raised. The Humboldt County sheriff, William Honsal, wrote in his own statement that Allman would end a nearly decade-long vacancy in the Lost Coast Resident Deputy position, which includes the Shelter Cove, Whitethorn and Mattole Valley communities. Honsal added that Allman will spend about four days a week on the Lost Coast, with deputies from the Garberville substation providing coverage on the days that he is not assigned. The resident deputy position is funded through the county’s Measure Z public safety sales tax.
Allman was sworn in today at 11am at the fire station in Shelter Cove. Because of the pandemic, the public was not invited to participate in person. The event was livestreamed on the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Facebook page.
Lauren Schmitt, of KMUD news, interviewed Justin Robbins, the general manager of Shelter Cove’s resort improvement district number one about his thoughts on the new resident deputy.