San Diego County Sheriff's Office

History

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department was formed in 1850.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Office was a co-appellant in the Supreme Court of the United States and Ninth Circuit cases Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983), which held unconstitutional laws that allow law enforcement to demand that "loiterers" and "wanderers" provide identification; this continues to affect other offices nationwide.

On September 10, 2024, the agency's official name was changed from San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.

On March 6, 2025, KPBS reported findings by the ACLU that Sheriff Kelly Martinez violated the state sanctuary law SB54 by transferring to ICE a felon who was still protected by the act because his conviction was more than the required 15 years old.

County detention system

The Sheriff’s Office operates a system of seven detention facilities throughout San Diego. The San Diego Central Jail (SDCJ) is located in Downtown San Diego, Both George Bailey Detention Facility (GBDF), The Rock Mountain Detention Facility (RMDF), and East Mesa Reentry Facility (EMRF) is located in Otay Mesa, San Diego in the southern enclave of San Diego, California. Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility (LCDRF) is located in Santee, California. South Bay Detention Facility (SBDF) is located in Chula Vista, California. The Vista Detention Facility (VDF) is located in Vista, California.

Concerns and challenges

The San Diego County Jail incarcerates about on an average day in 2022, there were 4,305 people in county jails and with such large numbers, the jail has faced numerous problems with its facilities.

One of the main concerns within the San Diego County detention facilities is death of inmates, while in custody. The San Diego County jails system set a record high of 18 deaths in 2021. Then Sheriff Kelly Martinez took over in February 2022, and the jails matched its record total deaths again. In 2022, a report from the California State Auditor found that while individuals were in custody at county jails, San Diego County reported the second‑highest number of in‑custody deaths over the time frame of 2006-2021. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) created a semi-annual report, due to the concerns about the rate of deaths in San Diego. The Board noted that from 2006 through 2020, 185 people died in San Diego County’s jails. The report also found that inmates who died in the county's jails had been in custody for only a few days or several months, while others were waiting to be sentenced, set to be released or about to be transferred.

In 2024, at least nine people died while in county jail.

Another concern is that lack of accountability from those in charge. According to Justice Department data, 47 people died between 2021 and 2023, Sheriff Kelly Martinez and her predecessor, repeatedly refused requests from the CLERB to put her deputies through scanners before they start their shifts to reduce the flow of drugs into facilities. This request from the board came after two jail deputies pleaded guilty to drug-related charges last year, one for burglary of medication from a jail prescription medication drop-off box and the other for possession of cocaine on jail property. In December 2024 the County supervisors voted for stronger law enforcement review board powers. It has been noted that even having the sheriff to appear at CLERB meetings has been a struggle.

Families of people who died in jail have expressed their frustration with the sheriff and the jails policy, especially Martinez refusal to scan jail staff for drugs. Thirteen inmates died from drug overdoses in San Diego jails between 2021 and 2023.

In 2025, San Diego County faces a slew of lawsuits filed by at least two dozen people who said they were sexually assaulted as children and teens by probation officers while in the county’s juvenile detention facilities.

Organization

Office of the Sheriff

• Public Affairs
• Intergovernmental Legislative Affairs
• Legal Affairs
• Senior Executive Assistant
• Division of Inspectional Services

Service bureaus

The San Diego County Sheriff's Office is organized into five service bureaus: Law Enforcement Services, Detention Facility Services, Court Services, Human Resource Services, and Management Services. Each bureau is managed by an Assistant Sheriff except the Management Services Bureau, which is headed by an Executive Director.

Law Enforcement Services Bureau

• Major Crimes Division
  • Central Operations Detail
    • Computer And Technology Crime High-tech Response Team (CATCH)
    • Elder Abuse
    • Financial Crimes
    • Homicide Detail
  • Family Protection Detail
    • Domestic Violence
    • Sex Offender Management Unit
    • Child Abuse Unit
• Communications Division
  • Communications Center
• Emergency Services Division
  • Arson/Explosives
  • ASTREA (air support unit)
  • Dive Unit (Search and Recovery)
  • Reserves
  • Search and Rescue
  • Special Enforcement Detail (SED)/SWAT
• Special Investigations Division
  • Intelligence
  • Narcotics
  • Public Inspections
  • Street Gang/Narcotics

Patrol Stations, Substations and Field Offices

4S Ranch Substation 10282 Rancho Bernardo Rd San Diego, CA 92127

Alpine Station 2751 Alpine Blvd Alpine, CA 91901

Borrego Springs Office 571 Palm Canyon Dr. Borrego Springs, CA 92004

**Boulevard/Jacumba Substation ** 39919 Highway 94 Boulevard, CA 91905

Campo/Tecate Substation 378 Sheridan Rd Campo, CA 91906

North Coastal Station (formerly Encinitas Station) 175 N. El Camino Real Encinitas, CA 92024

Fallbrook Substation 388 East Alvarado St Fallbrook, CA 92028

Imperial Beach Station 845 Imperial Beach Blvd Imperial Beach, CA 91932

Lakeside Substation 12365 Parkside St. Lakeside, CA 92040

Julian Substation 2907 Washington St, Bldg C Julian, CA 92036

Lemon Grove Substation 3240 Main St Lemon Grove, CA 91945

Pine Valley Substation 28914 Old Highway 80, #106 Pine Valley, CA 91962

Poway Station 13100 Bowron Rd Poway, CA 92064

Ramona Substation 1424 Montecito Rd Ramona, CA 92065

Rancho San Diego Station 11486 Campo Rd. Spring Valley, CA 91978

Ranchita Office 25704 San Felipe Rd, S-2 Warner Springs, CA 92086

San Marcos Station 182 Santar Pl San Marcos, CA 92069

Santee Station 8811 Cuyamaca St Santee, CA 92071

Valley Center Substation 28201 N. Lake Wohlford Rd Valley Center, CA 92082

Vista Station 325 S. Melrose, Ste 210 Vista, CA 92081

Court Services Bureau

Detention Services Bureau

• San Diego Central Jail (SDCJ)
• George Bailey Detention Facility (GBDF)
• East Mesa Reentry Facility (EMRF)
• Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility (LCDRF)
• South Bay Detention Facility (SBDF)
• Vista Detention Facility (VDF)
• Rock Mountain Detention Facility (RMDF)

Human Resource Services Bureau

• Personnel Division
  • Background Investigations Unit
  • Career Path Assessment Unit
  • Recruiting Unit
• Professional Standards Division
  • Internal Affairs Unit
  • Risk Management Unit
• Training Division
  • Detentions and Court Services Academy
  • In-Service Training Unit
  • Regional Basic Academy
  • Weapons Training Unit (Range)

Management Services Bureau

• Data Services Division
• Wireless Services Division
• Contracts Division
• Fiscal Services

Vehicles

Over the years, the agency's marked vehicles have sported unusual paint schemes. Originally in a traditional black and white, they transitioned to a pink-salmon color in the 1960s. From 1971 to 1991 the vehicles were painted kelly green-and-white which were the campaign colors of Sheriff John F. Duffy. When he retired the fleet was returned to the black-and-white color scheme and has remained so ever since. The office has also had a few all-white cars over the years, but these were for Traffic Enforcement and Volunteer Patrols only.

Today, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office utilizes the Ford Explorer as their base model for their fleet.

The SDSO also operates the Following Aircraft: Bell 205, Bell 407, and Bell 412.

Weapons

• Glock 17 – standard-issue handgun equipped with a Streamlight TLR-1.
• Glock 22 .40 S&W – previously standard issue, being phased out.
• Glock 23 .40 S&W – used by detectives and other investigators, some regular deputies carry it as well as an off-duty weapon.
• Glock 27 .40 S&W – backup gun for deputies, used by some investigators as well as an off-duty weapon for some deputies.
• Colt CAR-15A1/A2 – R6520 variant used as a patrol rifle for deputies as is the R0603 (M16A1) variant can also be seen in patrol vehicles.
• Remington 870 12-gauge – standard-issue shotgun for deputies, is a pump-action shotgun.
• Springfield Armory M-14 – used for certain situations, is not the standard-issue rifle but the SDSO does have a few M-14s in the agency's inventory.

Sheriffs

1. Agoston Haraszthy, 1850–1851
2. George F. Hooper, 1852–1853
3. William Conroy, 1853–1854
4. M. M. Sexton, 1854–1855
5. Joseph Reiner, 1856–1857
6. D. A. Hollister, 1857–1858
7. George Lyons, 1858–1861
8. James McCoy, 1862–1871
9. Samuel W. Craigue, 1871–1874
10. Nicholas Hunsaker, 1875–1876
11. Joseph Coyne, 1876–1882
12. Edward W. Bushyhead, 1883–1886
13. Samuel A. McDowell, 1887–1890
14. John H. Folks, 1891–1892
15. Augustus Cravath, 1892
16. Ben P. Hill, 1893–1894
17. Frank S. Jennings, 1895–1902
18. Thomas W. Brodnax, 1903–1906
19. Fred M. Jennings, 1907–1914
20. Ralph Conklin, 1915–1918
21. James C. Byers, 1918–1929
22. Edgar F. Cooper, 1929–1935
23. Ernest W. Dort, 1936–1941
24. Bert Strand, 1941–1962
25. Elmer Jansen, 1962–1963
26. Joseph C. O'Connor, 1963–1971
27. John F. Duffy, 1971–1991
28. Jim Roache, 1991–1995
29. William B. Kolender, 1995-2009
30. William D. Gore, 2009–2022
31. Anthony Ray 2022-2023 (Interim Sheriff)
32. Kelly Martinez, 2023–present

Deputies killed in line of duty

1. Andrew Kriss, May 25, 1864, gunfire
2. Will Ward, November 27, 1899, assault
3. Thomas A. Fay, May 17, 1919, gunfire
4. Herbert Sibert, July 13, 1949, Automobile crash
5. Donn G. Witt, September 25, 1983, illness
6. Kelly Ann Bazer, January 13, 1986, gunfire
7. Lonny Gene Brewer, December 5, 1987, gunfire
8. Theodore L. Beckmann Jr., February 8, 1989, vehicular assault
9. Patrick Steven Coyle, February 16, 1997, aircraft accident
10. Ken Collier, February 28, 2010, vehicle pursuit
11. Matt Gibbs, August 21, 2021, COVID-19
12. Ramon (Al) Cazarez, April 10, 2023, COVID-19

Rank structure

References

References

1. "About Us".
2. "2023 Annual Report".
3. (2 January 2023). "Kelly Martinez Steps In As Newly Elected San Diego County Sheriff".
4. (May 2, 1983). "Kolender v. Lawson". Supreme Court of the United States.
5. (Oct 15, 1981). "Lawson v. Kolender". United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
6. (August 12, 2013). "Judge Rejects New York's Stop-and-Frisk Policy". The New York Times.
7. (June 28, 2013). "L.A. County Sheriff's Department violated rights of blacks, Justice Department says". Los Angeles Times.
8. (June 28, 2013). "Investigation of Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Stations in Antelope Valley". US Department of Justice.
9. (2024-08-30). "San Diego County’s largest law enforcement agency takes a new name".
10. Solis, Gustavo. (2025-03-06). "Records show San Diego Sheriff might have violated sanctuary law".
11. "California: The State of Incarceration {{!}} Vera Institute of Justice".
12. Duara, Nigel. (2024-04-22). "He swore to fix some of California’s deadliest jails. He gave up". CalMatters.
13. "San Diego County Sheriff’s Department".
14. (2022-02-03). "San Diego Sheriff's Dept. Failed to Prevent Deaths in Jails: State Audit".
15. Grabish, Austin. (2025-01-01). "Advocates demand transparency after another death at San Diego County jail".
16. Kimelman, Jeremia. (2024-03-25). "California jails are holding thousands fewer people, but far more are dying in them". CalMatters.
17. Service, City News. (2024-12-11). "County supervisors vote 4-0 for stronger law enforcement review board powers".
18. Duara, Nigel. (2024-04-22). "He swore to fix some of California’s deadliest jails. He gave up". CalMatters.
19. Taketa, Kristen. (2025-02-16). "‘Swept under the rug’: Dozens say they were sexually abused by office…".
20. (7 January 2006). "Report: 22 bullets fired in Vista deputy-involved shooting".
21. "Search: 1033 Program Equipment to San Diego-area police departments".
22. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/7742-deputy-sheriff-andrew-kriss Kriss, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
23. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/13842-deputy-sheriff-will-ward/ Ward, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
24. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/15557-special-deputy-thomas-a.-fay/ Fay,''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
25. [https://www.odmp.org/officer/24171-deputy-sheriff-herbert-dean-sibert ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
26. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/14412-deputy-sheriff-donn-g.-witt/ Witt, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
27. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/1616-deputy-sheriff-kelly-ann-bazer/ Bazer, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
28. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/2237-deputy-sheriff-lonny-gene-brewer/ Brewer, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
29. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/1671-deputy-sheriff-theodore-l.-beckmann-jr./ Beckmann, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
30. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/14870-deputy-sheriff-patrick-steven-coyle/ Coyle, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
31. [http://www.odmp.org/officer/20287-deputy-sheriff-ken-collier/ Collier, ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
32. [https://www.odmp.org/officer/26103-deputy-sheriff-matthew-s-gibbs ''Officer Down Memorial Page'']
33. [https://www.sdsheriff.gov/bureaus/about-us/ramon-al-cazarez ''SDSO Memorial Page'']