Kelly A. Martinez officially took office as the new San Diego County Sheriff on Monday at noon.
On Dec. 16, the San Diego native was formally sworn in as the 31st Sheriff of San Diego County. A ceremonial swearing-in event, during which Martinez will be sworn in before an audience, will take place on Jan. 9.
“I am honored to be elected as the next San Diego County Sheriff,” Martinez said. “There is no greater responsibility than being entrusted with the safety of the public. I am committed to that obligation and am grateful for the opportunity. I will continue to deliver on my promise to improve San Diego prisons, recruit and retain staff, and keep our communities safe.”
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Martinez has worked with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department since 1985, starting her career as a deputy working in county jails. Her first patrol assignment was in Fallbrook where she was an investigator and performed a variety of assignments including drug and gang enforcement in North County and the Criminal Intelligence Detail.
As a sergeant, Martinez oversaw a patrol team in San Marcos before being selected to supervise investigators in the Criminal Intelligence Detail. Her next assignment was to investigate employee misconduct in the Sheriff’s Internal Affairs Unit before being promoted to lieutenant. As a lieutenant, he also oversaw the sheriff’s department’s participation in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Narcotics Task Force.
Martinez has served in the cities of Encinitas, Del Mar and Solana Beach, as well as the communities of Rancho Santa Fe and Valley Center.
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As a captain, Martinez served in the unincorporated Alpine areas and rural areas of San Diego County. She was promoted to commander and led the sheriff’s investigative units. Martinez’s appointment as Assistant Sheriff put her in charge of the Law Enforcement Services Office, which includes the Sheriff’s Patrol Operations, Investigations Units, Regional Crime Lab, Communications Center, and Police Division. emergency services.
In 2021, Martinez was named Undersheriff. In that capacity, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the sheriff’s department.
As sheriff, Martinez will lead a department responsible for providing law enforcement services to 4,200 square miles of unincorporated San Diego County, nine contract cities, seven jails and courthouse security. He is also responsible for the sheriff’s department’s $1.65 billion budget and more than 4,700 employees.