Sheriff's Patrol Division

The Sheriff's Patrol Division falls under The Enforcement Operations Bureau. The Enforcement Operations Bureau has several other divisions, the Narcotics Division, Investigations Division, Homeland Security Division,  Crime Prevention Unit, Special Operations Division and Other Teams & Units. Chief Deputy John Darling is in charge of the Enforcement Operations Bureau, and Captain Charles Monarque serves as the Bureau Captain.

The Sheriff’s Patrol Division provides a full range of law enforcement and related emergency response services to a resident population of approximately 110,000 (unincorporated areas) over an area of 3,325 square miles.

The Sheriff’s Patrol Division operates out of three stations. The Central Station (Salinas) patrols all of North County, the Salinas Valley south to Gonzales and west, halfway to Monterey. The Coastal (Monterey) Station covers unincorporated areas of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Valley and the coastal areas to the San Luis Obispo County line. The South County (King City) Station, provides coverage of southern Monterey County from Gonzales south to the San Luis Obispo County line, and west to the ridgeline of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.

Central Patrol Station:
Commander Tracy Brown (831) 755-3807
Based in the Sheriff’s Public Safety Building in Salinas, and supplying coverage over approximately 1,400 square miles, the Central Patrol responsibility is divided into five patrol areas, extending south to the city of Gonzales, west to Monterey and north to the county lines adjoining Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties. These patrol areas contain agricultural, industrial, residential, recreational and undeveloped rural areas, including large portions of the former Fort Ord. Community Field Offices (CFO’s) are located in the towns of Castroville, Chualar and Pajaro. This is the largest and busiest patrol station, fielding the most calls for service. It is located at 1414 Natividad Rd. in Salinas.

Coastal  Patrol Station:
Commander Edward Lorenzana (831) 647-7702
Based in the Monterey Courthouse, the station covers an area of over 750 square miles, including approximately 100 miles of coastline. The patrol area extends from Marina to the southern edge of the county, south of Gorda on Highway One, and inland to include a part of the Los Padres National Forest, Carmel Valley, and Los Laureles Grade to Laguna Seca on Highway 68. In addition to the day-to-day enforcement duties, the Coastal Station is also responsible for supplemental law enforcement at many special events occurring in Pebble Beach and Carmel Valley. There are Community Field Offices at the Crossroads Shopping Center and Carmel Valley Village.

Search and Rescue Team: Based at the Coastal Station and providing countywide coverage, the team is comprised of deputies and volunteers. Team members are specially trained and equipped for a variety of search and rescue operations. Typical missions may involve extended searches for missing hikers, the rescue of stranded/injured hikers, or cliff-side rescues of persons who have fallen or driven off the coastal cliffs and roads. Callouts to the Big Sur area, Arroyo Seco and the Los Padres National Forest backcountry are common. The Dive Team is a component of the Search and Rescue Team, and is tasked with the rescue and recovery of persons in both coastal and inland waters. The Mounted Unit is another component of the Search and Rescue Team. Both horses and riders receive specialized training and testing before being utilized in search and rescue operations. The Mounted Unit also represents the Sheriff in parades and ceremonial functions.

Sheriff's Emergency Assistance Team (SEAT): Team members are volunteers who respond to emergency situations and work in tandem with deputies in the field. Emergency situations include earthquakes, fires, floods, evacuations, and other man-made or natural emergencies. Members may also assist in operating the Sheriff’s Mobile Command Post during special events or other enforcement operations.

The Central and Coastal stations each have a Crime Prevention Specialist who assists the community with crime prevention programs and taking telephone reports. Crime Prevention Specialists perform a variety of other duties including security services, training and establishing neighborhood-watch programs. The Coastal Station is located at 1200 Aguajito Rd in Monterey.

South County/Roger Barber Station:
Commander Fred Garcia (831) 385-8312
Based in King City, the South County Station patrols the largest geographical area of the stations. This station’s area of responsibility encompasses 55 percent of Monterey County's area, divided into three patrol beats. The area has a normal population of about 22,000 people, but thanks to recreational attractions such as Lake San Antonio, that number can swell by several times during the summer or holiday periods. Agriculture is the primary economic activity, with row crops, vineyards, and cattle leading the way. The
U. S. Army and California National Guard have major installations at Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Roberts. This area also contains a large portion of the Los Padres National Forest. The station is located at 250 Franciscan Way in King City.