San Diego Police Department

San Diego Police Department
Current SDPD patch. Introduced in 1988, these patches were originally brown to match the tan uniforms of the time, before being changed to blue in 1998.
Current SDPD patch. Introduced in 1988, these patches were originally brown to match the tan uniforms of the time, before being changed to blue in 1998.
Current SDPD officer badge, issued since 1974 based on a 1930 design.
Current SDPD officer badge, issued since 1974 based on a 1930 design.
AbbreviationSDPD
MottoAmerica's Finest
Agency overview
FormedMay 16, 1889; 135 years ago (1889-05-16)
Employees2,332 (2020)[1]
Volunteers840[2]
Annual budget$566 million (2021)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionSan Diego, California, United States
Size372.4 square miles (965 km2)[3]
Population1,425,999 (2018)
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters1401 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
Police officers1,731 (2020)[1]
Unsworn members601 (2020)[1]
Mayor of San Diego responsible
Agency executive
Divisions
List
  • Central
  • Eastern
  • Mid-City
  • Neighborhood Policing
  • Northern
  • Northeastern
  • Northwestern
  • Southern
  • Southeastern
  • Western
Facilities
Stations11
Website
sandiego.gov/police
San Diego Police SUV in Mira Mesa
San Diego Police ABLE helicopter
San Diego Police car in the city center
Mid-City Substation in City Heights

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of San Diego, California. It was established on May 16, 1889.[5][6] The department employs 1,731 officers and 601 civilian staff. It covers 343 square miles of service area with a population of over 1.4 million people. It is the second-largest municipal police department in California, after the Los Angeles Police Department.

History

Prior to the establishment of the San Diego Police Department, law enforcement services were provided by the San Diego City Marshal beginning in 1850. The first City Marshal, Agoston Haraszthy, appointed Richard Freeman a marshal, making Freeman the first African American lawman in California.[7] In 1852, due to lack of willing individuals to take up the position, the City Marshal disbanded.[8]

In 1885 the office of City Marshal was reestablished, and in 1889, with a new city charter, the police department was established.[8] All but one police officer at the time of the establishment were White, except for one Hispanic sergeant.[9] The sixth police chief, Edward “Ned” Bushyhead, also co-founded the San Diego Union, a predecessor to the current San Diego Union-Tribune.[9]

In 1939, the department moved into their headquarters on Harbor Drive, which they used until moving to their current building in 1986;[10] in 1998 the former headquarters was placed onto the National Register of Historic Places.[11] During World War II, one third of the department was drafted into the United States Military.[8] In 1973, the first uniformed female officer joined the department.[12]

During the 1980s, the police department was at the center of a case that came before the Supreme Court of the United States and Ninth Circuit, Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (1983),[13][14] which held unconstitutional laws that allow police to demand that "loiterers" and "wanderers" provide identification; this continues to affect other departments nationwide.[15] The decade also saw officers responding to the San Ysidro McDonald's massacre;[16] it was also a decade where the department had the highest mortality rate for officers of any major American city.[17]

Despite all of these changes and challenges, today, the department has grown to stretch from the Mexican Border to Del Mar, northeast to Escondido, and east to La Mesa. The San Diego Police Department we know today currently operates under a new chief and significant changes that haven't been seen for decades. These changes are said to be created in the near future and are sparking fears of officer demotions and department changes. This shows as proof that future department changes are being made and we will be able to see a continuation of change. A new organizational model could lead to changes in policing strategies which could affect how officers interact with future crime rates. [18]

Misconduct

On March 12, 1987, a team from the SDPD raided the home of Tommie DuBose, a civil servant working for the U.S. Navy. They were attempting to serve a warrant on his son, Charles. They apparently knocked on the door, then broke it down before anyone inside could open it. After a struggle, Officer Carlos Garcia shot DuBose five times, including four in the back, and he died immediately. An investigation concluded that the uniforms worn did not allow the policemen to be easily identified as law enforcement and that the team did not allow enough time for the family to open the door. The investigation recommended no action be taken against any of the officers. They all returned to duty.[19]

In February 2011, Sergeant Ken Davis was charged with one count of felony stalking and three counts of repeated harassment by phone or electronic contact relating to his conduct towards another police officer. Davis pleaded not guilty and was put on paid administrative duty while on trial.[20] He later pleaded guilty in exchange for a sentence of three years of probation and ten days of community service.[21]

On March 11, 2011, San Diego policeman Anthony Arevalos was arrested on 18 charges related to traffic stops he conducted between 2009 and 2011. He was accused of sexual assault in one instance and for asking women for their underwear in exchange for not being cited.[22] In November, a jury found him guilty of several charges, including felony charges of sexual battery by restraint and assault and battery by an officer.[23] Lawsuits against the city resulted in agreements to pay more than $2 million relating to Arevalos' crimes.[24]

In 2011, Motorcycle Officer Christopher Hall, suspected of DUI after hitting a car and fleeing the scene in Costa Mesa, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.[25]

In July 2012, Officer Daniel Dana pleaded no contest to committing a lewd act in public, a misdemeanor charge, in exchange with having the felony charge of sexually assaulting a prostitute dropped. It stemmed from a May 2011 event in which Dana coerced a prostitute to have sex with him in his patrol car. Dana left the police force following the charge.[26]

In November 2014, two married SDPD officers, Bryce and Jennifer Charpentier, were arrested for burglarizing homes in the San Diego area. They were trying to steal prescription painkillers to feed their drug addiction. They were both subsequently terminated from SDPD, and sentenced to three years in prison.[27]

On March 15, 2015, at 5:00 a.m., SDPD officers responded to a domestic disturbance call, waking resident Ian Anderson and his six-year-old pit bull service dog, Burberry. Anderson opened the door and informed the officers that they had the wrong address. Video surveillance showed Burberry running up to one of the officers who "put his hand out in an attempt to calm the dog," Burberry then ran towards a second officer who can be seen, in a neighborhood surveillance video, to be retreating. The officer then drew his gun and shot and killed the dog.[28]

On March 17, 2015, a U-T San Diego watchdog reported: "A San Diego Police Department dispatcher and anonymous Wikipedia users have edited or deleted paragraphs from the misconduct section of the police department's Wikipedia page five times since January 2014. ... The edits, which eliminated references to negative information, came as the police force faced several scandals over officer misconduct."[29]

Also on March 17, 2015, a U.S. Department of Justice review recommended that the SDPD overhaul its supervision practices following misconduct in which officers took advantage of women sexually.[30]

In January 2020, Detective Michael Lambert lied to a judge to get a search warrant in a homicide case. The investigation led to the suicide of the suspect and in 2021, a six-million dollar ruling against the department. Lambert later retired.[31]

Rank structure

Title Insignia Insignia located
Chief
Uniform collar
Executive assistant chief
Uniform collar
Assistant chief
Uniform collar
Captain
Uniform collar
Lieutenant
Uniform collar
Sergeant
Sleeve
Detective
Non-uniformed
Police officer III
Sleeve
Police officer II
No insignia
Police officer I
No insignia
Police recruit
No insignia

Line of duty deaths

As of January 2025, 37 officers have died in the line of duty since the department's establishment.[32]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Sullivan, Carl; Baranauckas, Carla (June 26, 2020). "Here's how much money goes to police departments in largest cities across the U.S." USA Today. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
  2. ^ "Search for Police, Fire, Civilian Jobs - the Blueline".
  3. ^ "San Diego Police Department". Police Data Initiative. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  4. ^ "About the chief". City of San Diego. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  5. ^ Steve Willard; Ed LaValle (23 July 2012). San Diego Police: Case Files. Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-4396-4249-8.
  6. ^ Castanien, Pliny (1980). "San Diego Police — A Look Back". The Journal of San Diego History. 26 (1). San Diego Historical Society. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  7. ^ Steve Willard (2005). San Diego Police Department. Arcadia Publishing. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7385-2998-1.
  8. ^ a b c Willard, Steve (September 2008). "History of San Diego Law Enforcement". Police Chief Magazine. International Association of Chiefs of Police. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  9. ^ a b Steve Willard; Ed LaValle (23 July 2012). San Diego Police: Case Files. Arcadia Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-4396-4249-8.
  10. ^ Steve Willard (2005). San Diego Police Department. Arcadia Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-7385-2998-1.
  11. ^ "Federal Register" (PDF). Government Printing Office. June 22, 1998. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
    "Project Background". Old Police Headquarters. Port of San Diego. 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
    Nagappan, Padma (August 25, 2011). "Historic site to get facelift, retail tenants". The Daily Transcript. San Diego. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  12. ^ Davis, Kristina (13 March 2012). "Trailblazing women in law enforcement honored". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  13. ^ Kolender v. Lawson, 461 United States Reports 352 (Supreme Court of the United States May 2, 1983).
  14. ^ Lawson v. Kolender, 658 United States Federal Reports, 2nd 1362 (United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit Oct 15, 1981).
  15. ^ "NYPD's 'stop-and-frisk' practice unconstitutional, judge rules". Reuters. Aug 12, 2013.
    "L.A. County Sheriff's Department violated rights of blacks, Justice Department says". Los Angeles Times. June 28, 2013.
    "Investigation of Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Stations in Antelope Valley" (PDF). US Department of Justice. June 28, 2013.
  16. ^ "SAN YSIDRO MASSACRE: JULY 18, 1984". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
    Kavanagh, Jim (24 July 2009). "Slaughter at McDonald's changed how police operate". CNN. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  17. ^ Steve Willard (2005). San Diego Police Department. Arcadia Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-7385-2998-1.
    Weintraub, Daniel M. (2 April 1985). "Latest Police Slaying Stuns San Diego". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  18. ^ Union-Tribune, Lyndsay Winkley | The San Diego (2024-06-15). "New SDPD chief makes sweeping changes to department structure". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  19. ^ Rise of the Warrior Cop: the Militarization of America's Police, by Radley Balko, Kindle Location 2925-46, 2013
  20. ^ Sergeant Accused of Stalking Officer: Sgt. Ken Davis has been placed on paid administrative leave, by Paul Krueger, 14 April 2011, NBCSanDiego.com
  21. ^ SDPD Officer Guilty of Stalking, by Lindsay Hood, Paul Krueger, and R. Stickney 27 September 2011, NBCSanDiego.com
  22. ^ Ex-Cop Wanted Victim's Panties: Court Docs Documents show the alleged perverted behavior of this 18-year veteran cop could go back as far as 15 years, by R. Stickney and Rory Devine 13 May 2013, NBCSanDiego.com
  23. ^ Jury Convicts Ex-Cop of Sexual Battery, Assault Former police officer Anthony Arevalos was cuffed and escorted from the courtroom after the verdicts were read, by R. Stickney and Eric S. Page. 18 November 2011, NBCSanDiego.com
  24. ^ City to Pay $795K in Arevalos Settlement, by Sherene Tagharobi, R. Stickney and Paul Krueger, 27 September 2013, NBCDanDiego.com
  25. ^ Marosi, Richard (1 August 2011). "San Diego cop accused of hit-and-run DUI apparently kills himself". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  26. ^ Perry, Tony (18 July 2012). "Former San Diego police officer pleads no contest to lewd act - latimes.com". Los Angeles Times. San Diego, California. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  27. ^ "Married ex-SDPD officers sentenced in drug sales case". 30 January 2015.
  28. ^ "Dog's fatal shooting by San Diego police under investigation". Los Angeles Times. 2015-03-20.
  29. ^ Hoffman, Joel (17 March 2015). "Wikipedia edits came from within SDPD". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  30. ^ "U.S. Review of San Diego police misconduct finds lax supervision". Reuters. 2015-03-18.
  31. ^ Gotfredson, David (14 February 2020). "CRIME Jury: $6 million to widow of SDPD crime lab worker accused in cold case homicide". City News Service. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  32. ^ The San Diego Police Department at the Officer Down Memorial Page
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