Ventura County, California Sheriff's Department

Infobox Law enforcement agency
agencyname = Ventura County Sheriff's Department
patch = Ventura County Sheriff.jpg|250px
formedyear = 1873
country = United States
countryabbr =
divname = Ventura County, California
divdab =
legaljuris = County
sworn = 775
non-sworn = 500
stations = 4
jails = 2
helicopters = 4
policeboats = 2
electeetype = Supervisor
minister1name = Linda Parks
minister1pfo =
minister2name = Steve Bennett
minister2pfo =
minister3name = Kathy Long
minister3pfo =
minister4name = Peter C. Foy
minister4pfo =
minister5name = John K. Flynn
minister5pfo =
chief1name = Bob Brooks
chief1position = Sheriff
chief2name = Craig Husband
chief2position = Undersheriff

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department (VCSD) provides law enforcement for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, USA, as well as several cities within the county. The cities that Ventura County Sheriff's Department provides police services for are Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks.

Mission

The mission of the VCSD:
"We, the members of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, are committed to safeguard the lives and property of the residents of Ventura County and respond to public concerns in a manner which promotes neighborhoods free from the fear of crime."

History

The Office of the Sheriff for Ventura County began in February, 1873, with the election of Sheriff Frank Peterson. What began as a duty to collect taxes and catch horse thieves has evolved significantly as the county has changed and grown. Seventeen other Sheriffs have held the Office of the Sheriff since 1873. The administration of justice (and more criminals going to trial rather than the dispensing of "frontier justice") became more sophisticated during the late 1800s. Sheriff E.G. McMartin, a popular and upright man who was elected Sheriff five times, was the first and only Sheriff killed in the line of duty while apprehending a murder suspect in 1921.

Public hangings and bootlegging arrests gave way to police practices and procedures commonly recognized today. The modern era of Ventura County law enforcement began in 1959 with Sheriff William Hill. The 1970s saw the genesis of community involvement programs like Community Orientated Policing and Problem Solving (C.O.P.P.S), DARE and Neighborhood Watch. Today, the cornerstone of county policing is the partnership between the Sheriff's Department and county residents.

Organization

The sheriff is elected in the county general elections, and he subsequently appoints his undersheriff [http://www.vcsd.org/org_chart.pdf] . Four Chief Deputies report to the undersheriff, and each heads a specific "service," or division, within the department.
*The Chief Deputy of "Detention Services" oversees the jails and courts within the county, and has three supervising commanders.
*The Chief Deputy of "Patrol Services" is responsible for the patrol deputies, and has four commanders.
*The Chief Deputy of "Special Services" heads a varied division that includes the Air Unit, Major Crimes, Narcotics, Intelligence, Bomb Unit, SWAT, Hostage Negotiations, Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Information Systems, and Evidence Unit. There are two commanders assigned to head these units.
*The Chief Deputy of "Support Services" heads the records, human resources, internal affairs, and training academy units. There are two commanders subordinate to the Chief Deputy of Support Services.

Ranks

The ranks of the VCSD are as follows, with approximate number of personnel in parentheses:
*Sheriff (1)
*Undersheriff (1)
*Chief Deputy (4)
*Commander (11)
*Captain (26)
*Sergeant (100)
*Senior Deputy (170)
*Deputy (450)

Notable Ventura County Sheriff's Deputies

These men and women gave their lives while serving the citizens of Ventura County. These pages are dedicated to their memory.

Senior Deputy Lisa WhitneyDied August 12, 1998

Deputy Peter AguirreDied July 17, 1996

Sergeant Tom CollinsDied October 25, 1975

Lieutenant Harvey Varat Died October 20, 1973

Detective Donald E. HaynieDied June 5, 1970

Deputy Chester LarsonDied January 20, 1969

Deputy Earl MendenhallDied June 15, 1961

Deputy Donald GregoryDied September 9, 1951

Reserve Deputy Bryce PattenDied August 19, 1950

Sheriff Edmund G. McMartinDied August 20, 1921

ee also

* List of law enforcement agencies in California

References

External links

* [http://www.vcsd.org/ VCSD Official Website] [http://www.vcsd.org/memorials/mendenhall.html]