In 1850, Millard Fillmore was President of the United States. The Civil War and subsequent assassination of President Abraham Lincoln were years away. San Diego, in that year, became one of the original 27 counties chartered by the State of California. (Today, there are 58 Counties.) It encompassed an area of over 42,000 square miles and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, boasted a population of 791 people. Agoston Haraszthy (shown right), a Hungarian Count, elected first Sheriff of San Diego County, later went on to gain fame as the “Father of the California wine industry” in the Napa-Sonoma area today known as Buena Vista. From those humble beginnings, the Sheriff’s Department has carved out a remarkable rich history that is synonymous with that of San Diego County. That history is now on exhibit in the Sheriff’s Museum.

Sheriff Haraszthy built the first cobblestone jail in historic Old Town, the birthplace of California. Two years later, after the first San Diego jail was built, the famous Judge Roy Bean became its first escapee. With a penknife, he dug himself out under the foundation of the cell. That jail stood less than 100 feet from where the Sheriff’s Museum now stands.

The late 1880’s of San Diego County saw the arrival of other famous lawmen, including Wyatt Earp, who came to do his own brand of peacekeeping. As a hired gun, he was indicted for five killings in the Old West. San Diego’s Horton Plaza is now the site of where Wyatt Earp opened a gambling hall just prior to 1900.

In the term of Fred M. Jennings, the 18th Sheriff of San Diego County, Mrs. Olive Belle Chambers was appointed as a Deputy Sheriff in 1913, becoming the “first lady with a badge.”

Edgar F. Cooper, who became the 21st Sheriff in 1929 is remembered most for forming the County’s first industrial road camp and the creation of a Juvenile Delinquency Division with the Sheriff’s Department.

The longest term of any Sheriff in San Diego County belongs to Bert Strand (shown right in September 1957 with what is then a state-of-the-art patrol car), the 23rd Sheriff. Among his many achievements during his 21 years in office, one of the most important was the organization of the Sheriff’s Reserves.

As the 26th Sheriff of San Diego County, John F. Duffy served five terms. His milestones include reclassification of women from “jail matrons” to Deputy Sheriffs and the development of the Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Program and the Emergency Planning Detail. He was credited for bringing the Sheriff’s Department into the 20th Century.

Bill Kolender served as the 28th Sheriff of San Diego County from 1995 until his retirement in 2009. As the leader of one of the largest Sheriff’s Departments in the nation with more than 50 years in the law enforcement profession, Sheriff Kolender made a significant impact in improving law enforcement throughout California.

Following Sheriff Kolender’s retirement, Sheriff Bill Gore took office as the 29th Sheriff of San Diego County. Sheriff Gore was elected Sheriff three times and led the department to become a model of 21^st Century Policing. Under Sheriff Gore's leadership, the department adapted successfully to California's public safety realignment and instituted "information-led policing," which brought data driven decision making into all aspects of department operations. During Sheriff's Gore's tenure, San Diego County Sheriff's jurisdictions experienced the lowest crime rates of the past three decades.

Upon Sheriff Gore's retirement in February 2022 before the end of his third term, then Undersheriff Kelly Martinez at the time declined consideration for appointment as the interim Sheriff and pursued the position of Sheriff through election. In the interim, Sheriff Anthony C. Ray was appointed by the Board of Supervisors and served as the 30^th Sheriff of San Diego County. After her election, Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez took office in January 2023 as the 31^st Sheriff of San Diego County.

From horses to motor cars, airplanes, helicopters, computers, cellphones, and body worn cameras, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has come a long way since 1850.