The San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD), is the primary and largest law enforcement agency in
San Diego County,
California, and one of the largest sheriff's departments in the
United States: with over 4,000 employees, an annual budget of over $960 million, and a service area over 4,500 square miles extending to a 60-mile international border. The department, established in 1850, has over 4,000 sworn deputies and additional civilian support personnel servicing an area of nearly 4,526 mi2.
The SDSD provides general law enforcement and public safety services to all unincorporated areas of the county (traffic enforcement, accidents, and other traffic related issues are handled by the
California Highway Patrol).
The department operates and provides detention facilities (jails), court services, and specialized regional services (such as air support, search and rescue, SWAT, etc.) to all of the county and the nine contract cities.
The sheriff is elected by the voters of San Diego County. The current sheriff is Kelly Martinez, who was elected in 2023.,[2] and then was elected to a full term in June 2010.[3]
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 Department 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)
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 Women's Detention Facility (LCDF)
South Bay Detention Facility (SBDF)
Vista Detention Facility (VDF)
Facility 8 (FAC8)
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 sheriff's office'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 department 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 Department utilizes the Ford Explorer as their base model for their fleet.
The San Diego Sheriff department was formed in 1850, and since then it has served a diverse county consisting of many constituents with competing interests. San Diego Sheriff's department was a co-appellant in the
Supreme Court of the United States and
Ninth Circuit cases
Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983),[15][16] which held unconstitutional laws that allow law enforcement to demand that "loiterers" and "wanderers" provide identification; this continues to affect other departments nationwide.[17][18][19]
^"Kolender v. Lawson". United States Reports. 461. Supreme Court of the United States: 352. May 2, 1983.
^"Lawson v. Kolender". United States Federal Reports. 2 (658). United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit: 1362. Oct 15, 1981. Archived from
the original on 2010-05-15.