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).
Nine incorporated cities within the county (Del Mar, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, and Vista) contract with the department for municipal law enforcement and public safety services. Within these cities, traffic enforcement is also provided.
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 Wireless Services Division is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the San Diego County-Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS).
The sheriff is elected by the voters of San Diego County. The current sheriff is Kelly Martinez, who was elected in 2023., and then was elected to a full term in June 2010.
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) 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