Orange County Sheriff's Department (California)
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The Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) is the
law enforcement agency A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for law enforcement within a specific jurisdiction through the employment and deployment of law enforcement officers and their resources. The most common type of law enforcement ...
serving
Orange County, California Orange County (officially the County of Orange; often initialized O.C.) is a county (United States), county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population ...
. It currently serves the
unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
s of Orange County and thirteen contract cities in the county: Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Hills,
Laguna Niguel Laguna Niguel () is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" (Spanish for "lagoon") and "Niguili" (the name of a Native American village once located near Aliso Creek). It al ...
,
Laguna Woods Laguna Woods (''Laguna'' being ) is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 17,644 at the 2020 census, up from 16,192 at the 2010 census, with a median age of 74.5 (as of 2021). Laguna Woods became Orange Coun ...
, Lake Forest,
Mission Viejo Mission Viejo ( ; language change, corruption of ; ) is a Commuter town, commuter city in the Saddleback Valley in Orange County, California, United States. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest Planned community, master-planned commu ...
,
Rancho Santa Margarita Rancho Santa Margarita was a Ranchos of California, Mexican land grant in the Santa Lucia Range, Santa Lucia Mountains, in present day San Luis Obispo County, California, San Luis Obispo County, central California. The List of Ranchos of Cali ...
,
San Clemente San Clemente (; Spanish for " St. Clement" ) is a coastal city in southern Orange County, California, United States. It was named in 1925 after the Spanish colonial island (which was named after a Pope from the first century). Located in the O ...
,
San Juan Capistrano San Juan Capistrano (also known colloquially as San Juan or SJC) is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 35,253 at the 2020 Census. Named for Saint John of Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano was founded ...
, Stanton,
Villa Park Villa Park is a association football, football stadium in Aston, Birmingham, with a seating capacity of 42,918. It has been the home of Premier League club Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa since 1897. The ground is less than a mile from both Witt ...
, and Yorba Linda. The agency also provides law enforcement services to the
Orange County Transportation Authority The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the transportation planning commission for Orange County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. OCTA is responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for ...
(OCTA) system, and
John Wayne Airport John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
. OCSD also runs Orange County's Harbor Patrol, which provides law enforcement, marine fire fighting, search and rescue, and underwater search and recovery services along the county's of coastline and in the county's three harbors (Dana Point, Newport and Huntington). The OC Sheriff is Don Barnes.


History


Early years

The Orange County Sheriff's Department came into existence on August 1, 1889, when a proclamation of the state legislature separated the southern portion of Los Angeles County and created Orange County. The entire department consisted of Sheriff Richard Harris and Deputy James Buckley, with an operating budget of $1,200 a year and a makeshift jail in the rented basement of a store in Santa Ana. They served a sparsely populated county of 13,000 residents, scattered throughout isolated townships and settlements. The problems faced by the first sheriff were typical for a frontier county – tracking down outlaws, controlling vagrancy, and attempting to maintain law and order across of farmland and undeveloped territory. Since the county was expanding, the department grew with it. The Spurgeon Square Jail was opened by Sheriff
Joe Nichols Joseph Edward Nichols (born November 26, 1976) is an American country music artist. Between 1996 and 2001, he held recording contracts with the Intersound and Giant Records (Warner), Giant labels. In 2002, he signed with Universal South Records, ...
in 1897, and the Orange County Courthouse followed in 1901. Sheriff Theo Lacy (the second and fourth sheriff of Orange County, who served from 1890 to 1894 and from 1899 to 1911) was able to move from borrowed office space in Santa Ana to a dedicated headquarters in the courthouse that remained in operation until 1924. When he took office in 1911, Sheriff Charles Ruddock commanded a staff of eight full-time deputies and jailers, serving a county of nearly 34,000 citizens. But the county's frontier past returned to haunt it on December 16, 1912, when Undersheriff
Robert Squires Vice Admiral Robert Risley Squires DL (11 February 1927 – 30 June 2016) was a Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Naval career Squires joined the Royal Navy as a sub-lieutenant in 1946. He was giv ...
became the first member of the department to be killed in the line of duty while part of a posse attempting to apprehend a violent fugitive. The county's growing population brought new challenges. Most of the county had outlawed liquor by the time Sheriff Calvin Jackson took office in 1915. Raids of "blind pig" businesses that served as fronts for illegal liquor sales were commonplace. When Congress passed the 18th Amendment in 1920,
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
became the law of the land. Suppressing illegal liquor operations became a major focus for the department over the next decade. By the time Sheriff Sam Jernigan took office in 1923, rum runners and bootleggers were commonplace along the coastline and in Orange County's harbors, using them as a base of operation for
smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. More broadly, soc ...
Canadian liquor into the country. Thanks to Jernigan's diligence, many of them ended up serving time in the new county jail on Sycamore Street in Santa Ana, a building that would serve as OCSD's main jail and headquarters for the next forty-four years. Jernigan remained in office until the end of the decade. By 1930, the department had grown to include eighteen full-time personnel with an operating budget of $49,582. The county's population was approaching 119,000, over half of which was scattered across a mostly rural landscape. Sheriff Logan Jackson assumed office in 1931, and for the next eight years guided the department through a turbulent decade. The
1933 Long Beach Earthquake The 1933 Long Beach earthquake took place on March 10 at south of downtown Los Angeles. The epicenter was offshore, southeast of Long Beach, California, on the Newport–Inglewood Fault. The earthquake had a magnitude estimated at 6.4 , and ...
caused widespread damage throughout the county, especially in Santa Ana. In 1938, a week of intense rain overflowed the
Santa Ana River The Santa Ana River is the largest river entirely within Southern California in the United States. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows for most of its length through San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino and Riversid ...
, causing a massive flood that caused over $30 million in damage. The sheriff also had to deal with the Citrus Riots of 1936, an agricultural labor dispute that led to a strike and subsequent disturbance so large that Sheriff Jackson swore in over four hundred special deputies to help control the violence. Sheriff Jackson believed that the labor unrest, caused by the depressed wages of citrus workers, was fomented by communists. On July 7, 1936, he issued a "Shoot to Kill" order, claiming "This is no fight between orchardists and pickers... it is a fight between the entire population of Orange County and a bunch of Communists." His actions created a reign of terror for striking citrus workers, but Jackson's term in office also saw advancements for the department, such as an expansion of the Sycamore Jail that included the county's first radio dispatch center. One of his final acts as sheriff was to implement the wearing of uniforms and a standardized badge for all thirty of his deputies.


World War II and the creation of the reserve bureau

Sheriff Jesse Elliott replaced Jackson in 1939, just as the Depression was ending and the county once again began to prosper. This peaceful time was cut short by the outbreak of World War II in 1941, which created challenges unlike any others in department history. Most of Orange County's peace officers left for war, leaving the department critically understaffed. This was made worse by the fact that in addition to his normal responsibilities, the Sheriff was now required to assist with mandatory civil defense measures such as air raid drills and blackouts, as well as help police the seven wartime military bases within the county borders. Elliott suddenly found himself responsible for twice as many duties with only a fraction of his former staff to carry them out. To meet this need, he formed the Sheriff's Emergency Reserve, which eventually became the department's current reserve bureau.


Post-World War II

In 1946, retired
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
star and former deputy James A. Musick came home from the war and successfully ran for the office of Sheriff, assuming command in 1947. He would serve as Sheriff for the next twenty-eight years – the longest term in department history. When he took office, the county was still mostly rural, with a population of 216,000 served by a department of only seventy-six. During Musick's administration, a number of divisions and facilities were commissioned that remain active to this day. He implemented the county's first crime lab, its first Peace Officer's Training Center (now known as the Katella Facility), and the nation's first law enforcement Explorer post. The 1960s saw the construction of the Orange County Industrial Farm (later renamed the James A. Musick Jail Facility), the Theo Lacy Facility, and the headquarters and central jails still in use today. In response to the civil unrest of the late 1960s, Musick formed the Emergency Action Group Law Enforcement (EAGLE) team, a group of deputies with specialized training in various riot control and specialized tactics. Although the team disbanded several years later, certain platoons evolved into the modern-day SWAT, hazardous devices, and mounted patrol units. The department grew even larger when the coroner's office merged with it in 1971. By the time Musick retired in 1974, the county had expanded to a rapidly urbanizing population of over 1,400,000, with the department having grown to a staff of over 900. Musick's handpicked successor was Brad Gates, who became sheriff in 1975. The department continued its rapid expansion during his administration, with the merging of two more agencies – the Orange County Harbor Patrol and the Stanton Police Department. In response to severe jail overcrowding, the Intake Release Center was opened in 1988, completing the modern-day Central Jails Complex. Gates also established the Air Support Bureau and created the Laser Village tactical training center, as well as the county's first DNA laboratory. The continuing urbanization of the county resulted in several cities incorporating and becoming contract patrol areas. Gates also steered the department through the challenges of a severe county bankruptcy in 1994. He also oversaw the final funeral services for Richard Nixon in Yorba Linda that same year. By the time he retired in 1999, the department had grown to over 3000 members.


Sheriff Carona

Sheriff Michael Carona took office in 1999 and oversaw a merger of the Orange County Marshal's Department (his former agency) with OCSD. His term brought additional department expansion, including a modernized Katella Facility and a new OCSD Academy in Tustin. Patrol cars were equipped with mobile computers, and anti-terrorism units were formed in response to the events of September 11, 2001. Carona received an initial surge in popularity due to the department's handling of high-profile cases such as the abduction and murder of Samantha Runnion, being declared "America's Sheriff" and "America's Sheriff Department" by
Larry King Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American TV and radio host presenter, author, and former spokesman. He was a WMBM radio interviewer in the Miami area in the 1950s and 1960s and beginning in ...
. In 2007, Carona and former members of his executive staff were indicted on multiple corruption charges. He was convicted of a felony and entered Englewood Federal Correctional Institution in January 2011. Carona was released in May 2015 to complete his sentence by home confinement. Carona's replacement, retired L.A. Sheriff's Commander Sandra Hutchens, was appointed by the County Board of Supervisors after a nationwide search for a suitable candidate. Hutchens reorganized the agency after assuming office and created new branches such as the Homeland Security Division, a unified command for the various bureaus responsible for the county's security. In 2016, the Board of Supervisors approved a contract expanding the department's budget, raising deputy salaries "8.5 percent" and costing taxpayers "an additional $62.2 million" overall.


Beds for Feds (2010-2019)

In 2010 OCSD and
Immigration and Customs Enforcement The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE; ) is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from transnational crime and ille ...
(ICE) reached an agreement that would allow federal detainees to be placed in Orange County Jail facilities and several county deputies to be cross trained as ICE Special Agents. While this contract was set to expire in July 2020, Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes announced in 2019 that the County intended to terminate the contract early. Barnes explained that the decision was not politically motivated but rather a "business decision" due to the relatively small detainee population, and resulting scarcity of federal funding. Barnes also emphasized that ending this contract with ICE would open up more jail beds for residents living with mental illness, and allow county personnel to shift priorities from detaining immigrants to incarcerating the mentally ill.


Organization

The OCSD is divided into twenty divisions covering five organizational functions: Public Protection; Jail Operations; Technical Services such as investigations, coroner services, and emergency management; and Administrative and Support Services. The Orange County Marshal's Department was absorbed by OCSD on July 1, 2000; then-Sheriff Michael Carona was the last Marshal. OCSD, under its Court Operations Division, now provides all security and law enforcement services (such as Bailiff services, weapons screening checkpoints and prisoner custody) to the county court system. The OCSD currently has 1,460 sworn deputies and over 1,446 civilian personnel, with another 800 reserve personnel. The department-issued sidearm is generally a
Glock Glock (; stylized as GLOCK) is a brand of polymer- framed, short-recoil-operated, striker-fired, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H. The firearm entered Austrian military an ...
17 (which is chambered for 9mm) with an attached Surefire weapon-mounted light. However deputies are also allowed to purchase and carry an approved sidearm of their own (in 9mm, 40 S&W or 45 ACP) and another favored sidearm by some is the Staccato P, which is also carried by Sheriff Barnes.


Command Staff


Executive Command

*Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes **Undersheriff Jeff Hallock


Administrative Services Command

*Executive Director Brian Wayt ***Communications and Technology ***Financial/Administrative Services ***Research and Development ***Support Services


Custody Operations Command

*Assistant Sheriff Jeff Puckett ***Central Jail Complex ***Musick Facility ***Theo Lacy Facility ***Intake Release Center and Transportation ***Inmate Services


Professional Services Command

*Assistant Sheriff Cory Martino ***Court Services ***Professional Standards ***S.A.F.E. ***Training ***Force


Investigations Command

*Assistant Sheriff Andrew Stephens *** *** *** *** *** Field Operations Command Edit Assistant Sheriff John McCulloch Airport Operations North Operations Southeast Operations Southwest Operations OCTA Police Services


Rank structure


Sworn

*Sheriff-Coroner (1) *Undersheriff (1) *Assistant Sheriff (4) *Commander (13) *Captain (15) / Chief Deputy Coroner *Lieutenant / Assistant Chief Deputy Coroner *Sergeant / Supervising Deputy Coroner *Investigator *Master Field Training Officer *Deputy Sheriff II / Senior Deputy Coroner *Deputy Sheriff I / Deputy Coroner *Reserve Deputy Sheriff


Non-sworn

*Sheriff's Special Officer II *Sheriff's Special Officer I *Sheriff's Crime Scene Investigators *Sheriff's Correctional Services Assistant *Sheriff's Community Services Officer *Sheriff's Correctional Services Technician *Sheriff's Crime Prevention Specialists *Sheriff's Professional Staff *Sheriff's Cadets


Explorers


Field Operations and Investigative Services


John Wayne Airport Police Services

John Wayne Airport Police Services provides responsive and professional service to
John Wayne Airport John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
. The Bureau consists of Deputy Sheriffs and Sheriff's Special Officers along with Explosive Detection Teams. In addition to these services they remain vigilant against threats (foreign or domestic) to ensure the security and safe operation of this facility. All Airport Police Services employees are expected to represent the department and John Wayne Airport in a friendly, helpful, and professional manner. The current head of John Wayne Airport Police Services is Commander Jared Dahl. *
John Wayne Airport John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...


Coroner


OC Crime Lab


Emergency Management


Homeland Security Division

The division is composed of five separate bureaus, each with a nexus to local homeland security. Each one is run by a lieutenant or administrative manager. These bureaus are led by Commander Brent Jasper. * Special Enforcement Bureau (SWAT section/Canine Services/Air-Support Unit/Hazardous Devices Unit/Tactical Arrest Team/Crisis Negotiators Team) * Mass Transit Bureau (OCTA /Explosive Detection Unit/Module-Rail section) * Marine Operations Bureau (Newport Beach Station/Dana Point Station/Sunset-Huntington Station) * Mutual-Aid Bureau (Counter Terrorism section-JTTF/Grants/Sheriff's Response Team) * Orange County Intelligence and Assessment Center


Orange County Harbor Patrol - Marine Operations

Orange County Harbor Patrol includes maritime security and enforcement of laws in Orange County's Harbors. Sheriff's personnel frequently work in conjunction with Federal Homeland Security, and United States Coast Guard for interdiction of contraband and human trafficking. The current head of Harbor Patrol is Orange County Harbormaster, Lieutenant Chris Corn. * Sunset Beach Harbor, California * Newport Harbor, California * Dana Point Harbor, California


Aircraft

The department's 5 helicopters are (3
Eurocopter AS350 Airbus Helicopters SAS (formerly Eurocopter S.A., trading as Eurocopter Group) is the helicopter manufacturing division of Airbus. It is the largest in the industry in terms of revenues and turbine helicopter deliveries, holding 48% of the wor ...
B2 r "A*Stars"and 2 rescue UH-1H Huey's) use the radio
call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...
"Duke" (after actor and
Newport Beach Newport Beach is a coastal city of about 85,000 in southern Orange County, California, United States. Located about southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Newport Beach is known for its sandy beaches. The city's harbor once supported maritime indu ...
resident
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
) and, appropriately, use
John Wayne Airport John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
as their operational base. The original "Duke" helicopters (a pair of Boeing 500s) had an image of John Wayne riding atop a sheriff's badge (while waving his cowboy hat) painted on the fuselage. The Aviation Unit covers the 13 contract cities the department serves, unincorporated communities, as well as a contract with the Santa Ana police department.


OC Transit Police Services

The current head of OCTA Police Services is Captain Miguel Sotelo. * Orange County Transit Authority


Investigations

The Investigations Division comprises the Criminal Investigations and Special Investigations Bureaus. The Criminal Investigations Division is based out of headquarters in
Santa Ana, California Santa Ana (Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, California, United States. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census. As ...
. The Special Investigations division is stationed across the county headquarters, John Wayne Airport, and the Aliso Viejo station. The current head of the Investigations Division is Commander Anthony Benfield.


Criminal Investigations Bureau

*Captain Rachel Puckett **Bank Robbery Apprehension Team **Computer Forensics Detail **Crime Analysis Detail **Cyber Crimes Detail **Economic Crimes **Family Protection Detail **Homicide Detail **Special Victims Detail


Special Investigations Bureau

*Captain Rene De La Rosa **Gang Enforcement **Narcotics/Vice **Specialized Task Forces **Special Operations **Highway Interdiction Team


North Operations

North Operations includes patrol and investigative services for the northern boundaries of Orange County, this division is based out of Sheriff's Headquarters in
Santa Ana, California Santa Ana (Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, California, United States. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census. As ...
. The current head of North Operations is Commander Brent Benson.


Emergency Communications Bureau

*Captain Aaron Brady *Control One *Dispatch


North Patrol

*Captain A.J. Patella **Unincorporated areas of ***
Anaheim Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...
*** Brea ***
Costa Mesa Costa may refer to: Biology * Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy * Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus * Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral * Costa (entomology), the leading edge o ...
*** Garden Grove ***
La Habra La Habra – archaic spelling of – is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California, United States. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. History Origin of name The name referred to the "Pass Through ...
***
Newport Beach Newport Beach is a coastal city of about 85,000 in southern Orange County, California, United States. Located about southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Newport Beach is known for its sandy beaches. The city's harbor once supported maritime indu ...
***
Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower ** Orange juice *Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...
*** Placentia *** Santa Ana ***
Tustin Tustin is a city located in Orange County, California, United States, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. In 2020, Tustin had a population of 80,276. The city does not include the unincorporated community of North Tustin. History Pres ...
**Communities of ***
Emerald Bay Emerald Bay may refer to: Geography * Emerald Bay, Catalina Island, California * Emerald Bay, Orange County, California * Emerald Bay State Park in El Dorado County, California * Emerald Bay, Lake Arrowhead, California * Emerald Bay, Texas Othe ...
***
Midway City Midway City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) that forms part of the county land controlled by Orange County, California. The only area in Orange County that incorporates its chamber of commerce and homeowners as ...
*** Rossmoor *** Silverado Canyon **City of *** Stanton ***
Villa Park Villa Park is a association football, football stadium in Aston, Birmingham, with a seating capacity of 42,918. It has been the home of Premier League club Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa since 1897. The ground is less than a mile from both Witt ...
*** Yorba Linda


Security Bureau

The purpose of the Security Bureau is to provide uniform law enforcement presence at contracted county facilities *Captain William Longan **Contracted Facilities ***Chief Executive Office ***The Orange County Clerk-Recorder ***Assessor and Treasury/ Tax Collector ***County Social Services Agency ***Child Support Services ***Probation ***Health Care Agency ***Hall of Administration


North Investigations

North Investigations consists of general criminal investigations, in-custody court liaison and jail crimes. North Investigators are responsible for The City of
Villa Park Villa Park is a association football, football stadium in Aston, Birmingham, with a seating capacity of 42,918. It has been the home of Premier League club Aston Villa F.C., Aston Villa since 1897. The ground is less than a mile from both Witt ...
, county facilities, county parks, the unincorporated communities within North Operations, jail facilities, justice facilities,
John Wayne Airport John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
, and the Orange County Fairgrounds


Stanton Police Services

Stanton Police Services includes patrol and investigative services for the city of
Stanton, California Stanton is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The population was 37,962 at the 2020 United States census. The city was incorporated in 1956 and operates under the council– ...
after the Stanton Police Department was absorbed by OCSD. The current head of Stanton Police Services is Captain Charlie Walters. *
Stanton, California Stanton is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The population was 37,962 at the 2020 United States census. The city was incorporated in 1956 and operates under the council– ...


Yorba Linda Police Services

The Sheriff's Department has provided law enforcement services to the City of Yorba Linda since January 2013 after the city decided not to renew its contract with the Brea Police Department. The current head of Yorba Linda Police Services is Captain Joses Walehwa * Yorba Linda


Southeast Operations

The Southeast Operations Division provides law enforcement services to southeast boundaries of Orange County. The division is based out of the Saddleback Station in the City of
Lake Forest, California Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 85,858 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to incorporation, the community had be ...
.


Contract Cities

*Commander Kirsten Wintersheid **Cities of ***
Lake Forest, California Lake Forest is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 85,858 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Lake Forest incorporated as a city on December 20, 1991. Prior to incorporation, the community had be ...
***
Mission Viejo, California Mission Viejo ( ; language change, corruption of ; ) is a Commuter town, commuter city in the Saddleback Valley in Orange County, California, United States. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest Planned community, master-planned commu ...
***
Rancho Santa Margarita, California Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California, United States. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a planned community, master-planned community. The population was 47,853 at the 2010 census, up fro ...


South Patrol

*Captain Joe Vollmer **Communities of ***
Coto de Caza, California Coto de Caza (Spanish for "Hunting Reserve") is a census-designated place (CDP) and guard-gated private community in Orange County, California, United States. The population was 14,710 at the 2020 census. The CDP is a suburban planned community ...
***
Ladera Ranch, California Ladera Ranch is a master-planned community and census-designated place in southern Orange County, California, just outside the city limits of Mission Viejo. History Ladera Ranch is a planned community, bordered by the cities of Mission Viejo ...
*** Las Flores, California *** Ortega Highway ***
Trabuco Canyon, California Trabuco Canyon (''Trabuco'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Blunderbuss") is a small Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in eastern Ora ...
***Wagon Wheel,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...


Southwest Operations

The Southwest Operations Division provides law enforcement services to southwest boundaries of Orange County. The division is based out of the Aliso Viejo Station in the City of
Aliso Viejo, California Aliso Viejo (Spanish for "Old Sycamore") is a city in the San Joaquin Hills of southern Orange County, California. It had a population of 52,176 as of the 2020 census, up from 47,823 as of the 2010 census. It became Orange County's 34th city ...
. The current head of Southwest Operations is Commander Virgil Asuncion. **Cities of ***
Aliso Viejo, California Aliso Viejo (Spanish for "Old Sycamore") is a city in the San Joaquin Hills of southern Orange County, California. It had a population of 52,176 as of the 2020 census, up from 47,823 as of the 2010 census. It became Orange County's 34th city ...
***
Dana Point, California Dana Point () is a city located in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 33,107 at the 2020 census. It has one of the few harbors along the Orange County coast; with ready access via State Route 1, it is a popu ...
***
Laguna Hills, California Laguna Hills (; ''laguna'' being ) is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. Its name refers to its proximity to Laguna Canyon and the much older Laguna Beach. Other newer cities nearby—Laguna Niguel and Laguna Woods— ...
***
Laguna Niguel, California Laguna Niguel () is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The name Laguna Niguel is derived from the words "Laguna" (Spanish for "lagoon") and "Niguili" (the name of a Native American village once located near Aliso Creek). It al ...
*** Laguna Woods, California ***
San Clemente, California San Clemente (; Spanish for " St. Clement" ) is a coastal city in southern Orange County, California, United States. It was named in 1925 after the Spanish colonial island (which was named after a Pope from the first century). Located in the ...
***
San Juan Capistrano, California San Juan Capistrano (also known colloquially as San Juan or SJC) is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 35,253 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census. Named for Saint John of Capistrano, San Ju ...
In 1993, the San Clemente Police Department was absorbed into OCSD, however San Clemente only allows the former San Clemente Police Station to be used by deputies who patrol their city.


Training Division

The Training Division develops, schedules, and presents law enforcement training for sworn peace officers and professional staff. The department utilizes two training sites ensuring the best learning environment possible, depending on the specific needs of the course. Advanced officer training is primarily conducted at the Katella Facility in Orange. Academy and entry-level training is primarily conducted at the Sheriff's Regional Training Academy in Tustin. The Orange County Sheriff's Department, as well as multiple local, state and even federal public safety agencies train at and utilize both sites. Extensive input from law enforcement and other leaders throughout the county help to mold the curriculum and training that is offered. Both facilities are often utilized seven days per week and include daytime and evening instruction. The division is led by Commander David Main. The Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy is located in Tustin, California, on the site of the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Station. The facility opened in late 2007 and replaced the old academy on Salinas Avenue in Garden Grove which was no longer adequate due to overcrowding. The Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy produces Deputy Sheriffs & Police Officers, Sheriff's Special Officers, and Correctional Services Assistants. Some training is also conducted at a Sheriff's facility on Katella Avenue in Orange, California. The Katella Training Facility in Orange, California, houses the qualifications range, tactical range, administrative offices, advanced officer training, and elements of Homeland Security Division's Special Enforcement Bureau. Some of the Orange County municipal agencies that send their recruit officers to OCSA include Newport Beach Police Department, Laguna Beach Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, University of California Irvine Police Department, Fullerton Police Department, Garden Grove Police Department, Westminster Police Department, La Habra Police Department, Brea Police Department, Placentia Police Department, Tustin Police Department, and Orange Police Department. Many Los Angeles County municipal police agencies send their recruits to be trained by those at OCSA. Some of these agencies include; Beverly Hills Police Department, Santa Monica Police Department, University of California Los Angeles Police Department, Torrance Police Department, Hawthorne Police Department, Palos Verdes Estates Police Department, Redondo Beach Police Department, Manhattan Beach Police Department, South Gate Police Department, Burbank Police Department, Glendale Police Department, and more.


Jails

The OCSD Custody Operations Division operates four jails: *Central Men's Jail and Women's Jail - The Central Jail Complex, opened in 1968, is located next to the department offices in Santa Ana. It houses approximately 2,664 inmates. In January 2016, three inmates escaped from the jail. *Intake Release Center (IRC) - In 1988 as a part of the Central Jail Complex, the Intake Release Center was built to facilitate the intake and processing of inmates, and the including medical screening, booking, properidentification, and transfers between facilities. While it is a transitional facility, it also holds male and female inmates for brief periods. *Theo Lacy Facility - The TLF, located in the city of Orange, was originally built in 1960. A major expansion completed in 2006 brought its capacity to 3,100 inmates, making it the largest jail in the county. *
James A. Musick Facility James A. Musick Facility is a minimum-security county jail in south Orange County, California. The county jail is on an unincorporated pocket of land, surrounded by the city of Irvine on three sides (including Alton Parkway to the northwest) a ...
- A minimum security facility located on unincorporated county land near Lake Forest and Irvine, "The Farm" provides custodial and rehabilitative programs for 1256 adult male and female inmates.


Courts

After the Orange County Marshal's Department was absorbed by OCSD, the sheriff's department became responsible for providing court services. There are Sheriff's personnel stationed at the Justice Centers throughout the county. Sheriff's staff at the Justice Centers fulfill the vital mission of the Sheriff that include bailiff services in each courtroom and weapons screening operations in the lobby of each Justice Center. Each justice center houses a detention holding facility for inmates who are appearing in court each day. These detention facilities are staffed by Deputy Sheriffs. There are also Deputies assigned to the Civil Enforcement Bureau who handle services in every city of the county serving restraining orders and court subpoenas, conducting evictions, and effecting bench warrants. The Special Operations and Judicial Protection Unit provides specialized protective and investigative services to counter any threats, perceived or real towards the judiciary of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange. All of these personnel fall under the Court Operations Division of the OCSD Professional Services Command. The current head of Court Operations is Commander Ehren Weidenkeller. Orange County Sheriff's Offices are located at the following Superior Court of California facilities in the County of Orange: *Central Justice Center (CJC) in Santa Ana *Lamoreaux Family & Juvenile Law Justice Center (LJC) in
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*North Justice Center (NJC) in Fullerton *West Justice Center (WJC) in
Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...
*Harbor Justice Center (HJC) in
Newport Beach Newport Beach is a coastal city of about 85,000 in southern Orange County, California, United States. Located about southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Newport Beach is known for its sandy beaches. The city's harbor once supported maritime indu ...
*Costa Mesa Justice Complex (CMJC) in
Costa Mesa Costa may refer to: Biology * Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy * Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus * Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral * Costa (entomology), the leading edge o ...


Orange County Sheriff's Department Explorer Post 449

In November 1959, Orange County Sheriff James A. Musick wanted "young men," who desired exposure in the field of law enforcement to be afforded the opportunity to do so. In a newspaper article he stated, "We organized the group after we found that other special interest Explorer Posts were taking our best young men from our high schools. We decided, rather than take what was left over after other fields of endeavor took the best, that we should start training young men of high school age now for a career in law enforcement." Thus, the first Law Enforcement Exploring Post in the nation was established. Its purposes were, "To train young men of today for the future that awaits them in the law enforcement field of tomorrow. To stimulate young men's interest in law enforcement practices, the code of ethics, and the fine qualities of citizenship which are expected, to briefly explore all phases of law enforcement and to be a definite approach to juvenile decency." Post 449 began with twenty-eight explorers in Santa Ana who had to meet the qualifications of being "between 14 and 21, must maintain a "B" average in school, have a clean record, be of outstanding citizenship in their community and have a general reputation beyond reproach." In 1973, after fifteen years of only young men being allowed in the Exploring program,
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
allowed young women to explore careers in law enforcement through membership in an Explorer Program. Maintaining the same high standards for qualification and training these young women diversified the Department's Post. When the residents of contract cities and the unincorporated county area need help they call the Sheriff's Department; when the Sheriff's Department needs help they call on their Explorers. The Orange County Sheriff's Explorer Post supports deputies during road closures caused by natural disasters such as mudslides, floods and forest fires. They complete search missions where either missing persons or evidence is sought and are deployed to protect crime scene perimeters. This involvement, by the Explorers, allows patrol deputies to be available for calls for service. Explorers are also used to assist in public education. They distribute brochures explaining changes in parking regulations or temporary street closures. During Bicycle Rodeo Events, Explorers demonstrate to children how to properly size and wear bicycle helmets. They offer child identification and crime awareness, through a "Kid-Print" program and assist in crime prevention demonstrations throughout the county. The Department's Explorers serve the community by providing crowd and traffic control during Basic Academy Graduations, County Building Dedications, Mall grand openings, Community awareness fairs, 10 K runs, parades and other charitable events. The Post's Color guard is used to present the flag at City Council and County Board of Supervisor meetings, as well as scouting and civic events. The Orange County Sheriff's Department Explorers participate in Law Enforcement competitions throughout the state. The Explorers also compete in Tug-of War, Volleyball and Obstacle Course competitions. The Department's Advisors also serve on the County-wide Organization as Ranking Officials, Academy Directors, Tactical Training Officers and Instructors at the Explorer Academy. In addition to Orange County, these Advisors have trained and taught Explorers from Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and Ventura counties.


List of Sheriffs

* Richard T. Harris (1889–1891) * Theo Lacy (1891–1895) * Joe C. Nichols (1895–1899) * Theo Lacy (1899–1911) * Charles Ruddock (1911–1915) * Calvin E. Jackson (1915–1923) * Sam Jernigan (1923–1931) * Logan Jackson (1931–1939) * Jesse L. Elliott (1939–1947) * James A. Musick (1947–1975) * Brad Gates (1975–1999) * Mike Carona (1999–2008) *Jack Anderson (Assistant Sheriff, acting as Sheriff) (January–June 2008) * Sandra Hutchens (2008–January 7, 2019) * Don Barnes (January 7, 2019–Present)


See also

*
List of law enforcement agencies in California According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2008 ''Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies'', 509 law enforcement agencies exist in the U.S. state of California, employing 79,431 sworn police officers—about 217 for each 100 ...


References

{{Authority control Sheriffs' departments of California 1889 establishments in California Government agencies established in 1889 Emergency services in Orange County, California Government of Orange County, California