The Riverside County Sheriff's Department, also known as the Riverside Sheriff's Office (RSO), is a

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 ...

Riverside County Riverside County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most populous county in California and the 10th-most populous in the Unit ...

, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

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 ...

. Overseen by an elected

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

-coroner, the department serves unincorporated areas of Riverside County as well as some of the incorporated cities in the county by contract (see

contract city Contract city is a term used in some U.S. states for a city that contracts for the provision of one or more municipal services with another unit of government or with a private or commercial organization. Lakewood Lakewood, California was incor ...

). 17 of the county's 26 cities, with populations ranging from 4,958 to 193,365, contract with the department for police services. The county hospital and one tribal community also contract with the department for proactive policing. Riverside County is home to 12 federally recognized Indian reservations. Absent proactive policing and traffic enforcement, the department is responsible for enforcing criminal law on all Native American tribal land within the county. This function is mandated by

Public Law 280 Public Law 280 is a federal law of the United States that changes legal jurisdiction on Indian lands and over Indian persons. The law transfers some jurisdiction from the federal government to states in both civil and criminal cases in certain p ...

, enacted in 1953, which transferred the responsibility of criminal law enforcement on tribal land from the federal government to specified state governments including California. The department also operates the county's jail system. In addition to performing law enforcement and corrections roles, the department performs the functions of the

coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official may also investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

's office and

marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

's office. In its coroner function, the department is responsible for recovering deceased persons within the county and conducting

autopsies An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death; ...

. When California reorganized its judicial system in the early 21st century and eliminated state marshal's offices, the department assumed responsibility for state courts within the county, providing court security and service of warrants and court processes. The department also provides services such as air support, special weapons teams for high-risk critical incidents, forensics services and crime laboratories, homicide investigations, and academy training to smaller law enforcement agencies within the county and in surrounding counties.

History

Riverside County was created from portions of San Bernardino and San Diego Counties on May 9, 1893. In the early history of the county, the sheriff's office was a one-person operation. Expanding to keep up with the county's explosive growth, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department is now the second-largest sheriff's department and third-largest police agency in California, with a staff of over 3,600. The department made national headlines on May 9, 1980, when five heavily armed men robbed the Norco branch of

Security Pacific Bank Security Pacific National Bank (SPNB) was a large U.S. bank headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was acquired by Bank of America in 1992. History On September 1, 1868, Hellman, Temple and Co. opened their first bank branch in Los ...

. Since dubbed the "

Norco shootout The Norco shootout was an armed confrontation between five heavily armed bank robbers and deputies of the Riverside County and San Bernardino County sheriffs' departments in Norco, California, United States, on May 9, 1980. Two of the five pe ...

", deputies responded to the bank robbery call and a prolonged gun battle and subsequent vehicle pursuit ensued. Units from the

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...

, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, and

California Highway Patrol The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is the principal state police agency for the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary jurisdiction, including patrol and Criminal investigation, investigations, over all California Controlled-access highw ...

contributed to the pursuit. The aftermath of the incident left 33 patrol cars damaged or completely destroyed, one helicopter shot down, three robbers imprisoned for life, two robbers dead, eight officers wounded, and one Riverside deputy killed in the line of duty.

Controversies

A lawsuit alleged that the department framed Horace Roberts for the murder of his girlfriend in 1998. In 2018 Roberts was exonerated by DNA evidence and released. The county paid $11 million to settle the matter. The Riverside Sheriff's Department conducted an undercover sting operation targeting students at Chaparral High School in 2012. Operation Glasshouse was granted permission by Superintendent Timothy Ritter. The Riverside Sheriff's Department was accused of ignoring affluent students and choosing targets that belonged to minority groups and the mentally disabled. An internal investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department revealed that 25 employees cheated on the 2015 promotion exam. No employees were fired, and some were promoted after the 2017 exam. In 2021, press reports indicated that Sheriff Chad Bianco was a due-paying member of the far-right anti-government militia the

Oath Keepers Oath Keepers is an American far-right anti-government militia whose leaders have been convicted of violently opposing the government of the United States, including the transfer of presidential power as prescribed by the United States co ...

in 2014. After the

2021 United States Capitol attack On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of Donald Trump, President Donald Trump in an attempted self-coup,Multiple sources: * * * * * * * * * * * * * two months afte ...

, Bianco observed said "the misguided and illegal actions of several individual members of Oath Keepers does not justify the mainstream media and FBI painting the whole group as an “anti-government militia.” He is also a member of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. He no longer thinks the senior leaders of the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

are legitimate. “I lost faith in the FBI a long time ago. The line workers are first rate. Their administration has no business carrying a badge. They strayed from nonbiased law enforcement a long time ago.”

County jail system

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department operates the county's jail system. The Riverside County jails provide short-term and long-term (depending on the type of sentencing) incarceration services for the county, jailing subjects arrested and charged with various types of crimes pending their court disposition as well as those convicted of crimes and sentenced. Services also include transportation of prisoners if necessary related to court appearances, and transferring prisoners between jurisdictions such as other counties, states, or the

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacra ...

. Jails are staffed by fully sworn deputy sheriffs as well as specialized correctional deputies. The county's jail system consists of the Robert Presley Detention Center (RPDC) (named for former State Senator

Robert B. Presley Robert B. Presley (December 4, 1924 – September 22, 2018) was an American politician who served as a California State Senator from 1975 to 1994. Personal life, education, and career Presley was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma in 1924. During Worl ...

) in downtown Riverside, the Southwest Detention Center (SWDC) in French Valley near Murrieta, the Larry Smith Correctional Facility (SCF) in Banning, the Indio Jail, and the Blythe Jail. The Riverside County Jail (RCJ) was renamed RPDC in 1989 with the completion of a new, modern jail facility across the street from the original jail. The "Old Jail" was originally constructed in 1933 and was built as part of the old historic courthouse annex. In 1963, an addition was made to the jail, which included dormitory-style housing units, a dispensary,

detox Detoxification or detoxication (detox for short) is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism, including the human body, which is mainly carried out by the liver. Additionally, it can refer to the period o ...

cell, segregation cells, visiting area, and business office. In 1979, the county expanded the female section of the jail. The "Old Jail" was closed in 2011. The Indio Jail facility is being completely rebuilt, with the old Indio Jail being demolished and turned into a parking lot upon completion of construction. The new Indio Jail will be the largest correctional facility in Riverside County, with the ability to house 1,626 beds. Construction began in March 2014 and is anticipated to be completed at the end of 2016, the facility be fully operational near the end of 2025.

Academy

The Riverside Sheriff's Academy is located at the Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center (BCTC) near the March Air Reserve Base. Sheriff's academy training at BCTC is standardized and certified by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Trainees receive a minimum of 24 weeks of intensive training. The county's municipal police departments as well as other regional law enforcement agencies utilize the department's academy to train their cadets/trainees as well. Upon successful completion of the academy, graduating Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Trainees also receive additional detention-specific training at the academy if they will be going to a jail posting for their first assignment (regardless of first assignment, all Sheriff's Deputies must eventually go to patrol if they wish to advance in rank/special assignment). BCTC is also the location of the sheriff's corrections and dispatch academies. In addition, BCTC provides ongoing advanced career training for the department and surrounding agencies. BCTC is a public safety training center jointly operated by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the Riverside County Fire Department in cooperation with the

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, colloquially known as CAL FIRE, is the fire department of the California Natural Resources Agency in the U.S. state of California. It is responsible for fire protection in various area ...

, the California State Fire Marshal, the

, and

Riverside Community College Riverside City College (RCC) is a public community college in Riverside, California. The college is part of the Riverside Community College District, as well as the larger California Community Colleges System. History RCC first opened in 1916 at ...

Contract cities and entities served

* Calimesa * Canyon Lake *

Coachella Coachella (officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and sometimes known as Coachella Festival) is an annual music festival, music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valle ...

* Eastvale * Indian Wells * Jurupa Valley * La Quinta *

Lake Elsinore Lake Elsinore is a natural freshwater lake in Riverside County, California, United States, located east of the Santa Ana Mountains and fed by the San Jacinto River. Originally named ''Laguna Grande'' by Spanish explorers, it was renamed for t ...

* Moreno Valley * Norco * Palm Desert * Perris *

Rancho Mirage Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is a low-density desert community with resorts, golf courses, and country clubs within the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert. Nestled along the foothills ...

* San Jacinto *

Temecula Temecula (; , ; Luiseño: ''Temeekunga'') is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The city had a population of 110,003 as of the 2020 census and was incorporated on December 1, 1989. The city is a tourist and ...

Wildomar Wildomar is a city in southwest Riverside County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on July 1, 2008. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,875. The community has grown quickly during the early 21st century; the populatio ...

* Agua Caliente Tribal Nation *

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, AN-zə bə-RAY-goh'') is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California, United States. Created in 1932, the park takes its name from 18th ...

* Augustine Tribal Nation *

Cabazon Band of Mission Indians The Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla Indians, located in Riverside County, California.Pritzker, 120 They were formerly known as the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. Reservation The Cabazon Indian Res ...

* Colorado Indian Tribal Nation *De Luz Community Services District * Morongo Indian Reservation * Mt. San Jacinto College * Pechanga Tribal Nation * Riverside County Regional Medical Center * Santa Rosa Tribal Nation * Soboba Tribal Nation *Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District * Torres Martinez Tribal Nation * Twenty-Nine Palms Tribal Nation

Current and past sheriffs

The sheriff is elected for a position now called " Riverside County Sheriff-Coronor-Public Administrator." The election are nonpartisan. In November 2018, Sheriff Bianco defeated the incumbent, Stan Sniff.

Organizational structure

The following represents the organization of the RCSD:

Bureaus

* Coroner & Courts * Corrections * Field Operations * Support & Administration

Divisions

* Administrative Services * Coroner & Courts * Corrections * East Field Operations * Professional Standards * Public Information Office * Special Operations * Support Services * West Field Operations

Stations

* Cabazon Station (serves the city of Calimesa, the unincorporated communities of Cabazon, Cherry Valley,

Whitewater Whitewater forms in the context of rapids, in particular, when a river's Stream gradient, gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that foam, froths, making t ...

, and the Morongo Indian Reservation) * Colorado River Station (serves the far eastern portion of the county and the unincorporated territory outside the city of Blythe) * Hemet Station (serves the unincorporated communities of Anza, Aguanga,

East Hemet East Hemet is a census-designated place (CDP) in Riverside County, California, United States, located east of Hemet. East Hemet is in an unincorporated area outside the city limits of Hemet. The population was 19,432 at the 2020 census, up from 1 ...

Cahuilla The Cahuilla, also known as ʔívil̃uqaletem or Ivilyuqaletem, are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of the various tribes of the Cahuilla Nation, living in the inland areas of southern California. ...

, Fern Valley, Garner Valley, Homeland, Idyllwild, Mountain Center, Nuevo, Pine Cove, Pinyon Pines, Sage, Valle Vista,

Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...

, Anza Borrego State Park, the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation, and the Mount San Jacinto and Mount Santa Rosa Wilderness) * Jurupa Valley Station (serves the cities of Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, and Norco) * Lake Elsinore Station (serves the cities of

, Canyon Lake, and

) * Moreno Valley Station (serves the city of Moreno Valley) * Palm Desert Station (serves the cities of Indian Wells,

, and Palm Desert and the unincorporated areas of Thousand Palms and Sky Valley) * Perris Station (serves the city of Perris) * San Jacinto Station (serves the City of San Jacinto and Mount San Jacinto College) * Southwest Station (serves the city of

and the unincorporated communities of French Valley and De Luz) * Thermal Station (serves the cities of La Quinta and

and the unincorporated areas of Bermuda Dunes,

Thermal A thermal column (or thermal) is a rising mass of buoyant air, a convective current in the atmosphere, that transfers heat energy vertically. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example ...

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

, Indio Hills, North Shore, the Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation, and Oasis)

Other facilities

* Aviation * Coroner/Public Administrator * Ben Clark Training Center * Dispatch Center * Sheriff's Administration * Special Investigations Bureau * Courts/County Administration Building * College of the Desert Public Safety Academy

Fallen officers

As of January 2025, 29 Officers and 3 K9s of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department have been killed in the line of duty.

References

External links

Riverside County Sheriff's Department

Law Enforcement Management Unit

Ben Clark Training Center

Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit

Desert Sheriff's Search and Rescue
{{Authority control

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

Sheriffs' departments of California Government of Riverside, California Buildings and structures in Riverside, California Prisons in Riverside County, California Organizations based in Riverside County, California 1893 establishments in California