San Benito County Deputy Sheriff's Association

09/01/2026

🚔 CONGRATULATIONS, DEPUTY BERNAL!🚔

Today marks an exciting milestone for Deputy Bernal, who has officially completed his field training program and is now a solo Deputy!!!!

Completing FTO is a significant accomplishment and the result of dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to learning all aspects of this career field.

We’re proud of the work Deputy Bernal has put in to reach this point and look forward to watching his career continue to grow.

Please join us in congratulating Deputy Bernal on this well earned accomplishment! 👏🇺🇸

Welcome to the road, Deputy! Stay safe out there! 🚔

08/28/2026

On 8/27/2026, members of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office CASPR Task Force served a no-bail Ramey warrant on Nicholas Arnold (33) in Monterey, Ca for felony stalking with a served domestic violence restraining order, as well as a violation of a served domestic violence restraining order.

Over the course of several months, the victim in this case reported having been stalked by Nicholas, in various surrounding cities.

After months of investigation, the Detectives assigned to this case worked tirelessly to build their case against Nicholas Arnold, culminating in Nicholas being taken into custody.

Stalking is a serious crime, and violations of court-ordered protections will be investigated and pursued. Our Detectives and Deputies remain committed to holding offenders accountable and helping protect those who have been victimized.

We hope this arrest provides the victim with an opportunity to begin moving forward and, most importantly, to find peace and a sense of security they deserve.

08/10/2026

Your B nights Deputies had quite the Saturday evening shift last night. This will be a bit lengthy but save that TL;DR for something else in your feed today because this is important!

Here’s a summary of how they handled it.

The night opened up with a proactive vehicle contact in the Straw Hat Pizza parking lot, where Deputy Miguel contacted two subjects, both found in possession of methamphetamine. One was booked into County Jail per Prop 36's Penal Code 11395(b) due to prior convictions; the other was released with a promise to appear.

Shortly after, Dispatch broadcast a BOLO for a vehicle involved in ramming and injuring a CHP officer. The vehicle evaded CHP near Aromas before being located on Wright Road by Deputy Miguel and Hollister Police Officer Hernandez, resulting in a high-risk felony stop where the suspect was safely handed over to the CHP.

A subject down in the roadway

While responding “code 3” to an in-progress fight call near Enterprise Road, Deputy Miguel came across a male subject lying in the middle of the roadway, a discovery that, had it gone unnoticed even a few moments longer, could have ended in tragedy. The subject was found to be too intoxicated to care for his own safety. When Deputies attempted to get him out of harm's way and assess him, he became uncooperative and resisted being taken into custody.

He was arrested for public intoxication and resisting/delaying an investigation. It's a stark reminder that some of the most dangerous calls our Deputies handle aren't dispatched at all..they're spotted.

A fight call that became a child welfare response.

What started as a disturbance call quickly became something more serious: a woman involved was found to be too intoxicated to safely care for herself or her four children, who were present at the scene. She refused to comply with Deputy Villanueva and Deputy Miguel's instructions, and while being placed in the patrol vehicle, she spat on Deputy Miguel’s face. The female was placed in the WRAP restraint device for her own safety after continuing to resist. With the children now needing immediate care, Deputies held the scene until San Benito County Child Protective Services arrived to take custody of them.

The woman was arrested for public intoxication and felony resisting an executive officer. In moments like these, our Deputies aren't just enforcing the law, they're the last line of protection for kids who have no one else to advocate for them.

A homeowner defends against an intruder

As Deputy Miguel and Deputy Villanueva were transporting both intoxicated subjects, an in-progress burglary call came in from an unincorporated area of Hollister, with only Sergeant Simpson available to respond, since he had remained on scene minding the four children while awaiting CPS. With Hollister Police Department stepping in to watch over the children, Sergeant Simpson was freed up to respond immediately, joined by a Hollister PD cover unit.

On arrival, they found the homeowner had pinned down the man who had broken into his house, holding him until Deputies could take over. The intruder, who appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance, was arrested for trespassing and vandalism. It's a scenario that could have gone very differently, and it speaks to both a homeowner's courage and the tight margins our Sergeants and Deputies operate within on a short-staffed night.

It was a demanding night that showcased strong coordination between our Deputies and the Hollister Police Department in service of the community.

The San Benito County Deputy Sheriff's Association thanks the Hollister Police Department for their assistance and partnership throughout the evening.

08/08/2026

08/02/2026

Yesterday, detectives, along with our short staffed patrol team, arrested Alexis Garcia (22) for a sexual assault that occurred last weekend.

Detectives learned that Alexis was traveling to Hollister yesterday. Detectives set up an operation with the help of the patrol team to ensure that the suspect was apprehended as well as ensuring the victim’s safety. The patrol team and detectives set up along a route where we knew the suspect would pass by. Once the suspect was located, the patrol team conducted an enforcement stop and Alexis was safely taken into custody without incident.

We would like to acknowledge the victim’s bravery in coming forward to seek justice for herself. We also would like to thank the nurses that assisted the victim during this investigation.

Alexis is now facing 4 felonies which include: r**e by force, so**my by force, domestic violence, and false imprisonment. He is being held at San Benito County Jail on a no-bail warrant.

07/28/2026

The San Benito County Deputy Sheriff's Association was proud to donate 25 fully stocked backpacks at the San Andreas High School Resource Fair yesterday. Each backpack came loaded with pencils, pens, notebooks, binders, and the supplies students need to start the year strong.

Events like the Resource Fair are what community is all about, neighbors showing up for neighbors and making sure every student has the tools to succeed.

Supporting our community isn't new for the DSA. Since 2020, we've been a longstanding partner in San Benito County, donating to 23 different local organizations and contributing over $24,250 to local causes.

Have a local cause or event that could use a sponsor? The DSA is always open to supporting the community we serve. Reach out to us, we'd love to hear from you!

07/14/2026

On 7/9/2026, the CASPR task force executed a search warrant in Salinas, CA related to a burglary that occurred earlier this year where dozens of fi****ms and thousands of rounds of ammunition were stolen from a ranch in Paicines, Ca.

Cody Leyva, who was found to be involved, was arrested during the ex*****on of said warrant. Unfortunately, no fi****ms or ammunition were recovered as it is believed the ammunition and fi****ms had been sold.

Although our staff has dwindled significantly, calls for service have increased, and there has been an uptick in crime, we will not be deterred from completing a thorough investigation in an effort to keep this community safe.

PS- on a scarier note, there was fentanyl in the house both fresh and recently smoked. Luckily our task force did not experience any life threatening situations as all it takes is a quick whiff for one of us to overdose and die. Once we cleared the house every law enforcement officer carried Narcan with them during the ex*****on of the search warrant.

Huge thanks to Salinas Police Department for their assistance in this investigation!

07/03/2026

Had to steal Santa Clara Police Department’s post!😂

The annual reminder returns. Before you dial, ask yourself, is the cat shooting back?

Now that we have your attention:

Every year around the time leading up to the 4th of July, our dispatch center gets flooded with calls that go something like this: “Hi, I heard fireworks... somewhere.”

We believe you. We hear them too. But unless you have an exact location, we can’t do much with that information. Calling 911 because you hear fireworks ties up emergency lines for people who may actually need help.

So, here's your annual reminder: all amateur fireworks are illegal in Santa Clara (don’t come after us in the comments, we dont make the laws, but we do have to enforce them). That includes the small ones, the “safe” ones, and the ones you bought from that random roadside stand years ago.

Please do not call 911 just because you hear fireworks. Only use 911 for actual emergencies like fires, injuries, or other life threatening situations. If you do have a specific location for fireworks activity, call our non emergency line at 408-615-5580. Call volume will be high on the 4th (one of the busiest days of the year for dispatchers), so hold times may be longer than usual.

Please let the professionals handle the pyrotechnics. Your neighbors, the pets, and Santa Clara CA Fire Department will appreciate it.

06/28/2026

On 06/26/2026, at about 830AM, Deputies responded to the San Benito riverbed in the area of Riverview Way after a suspicous vehicle was reported to be driving slowly through the neighborhood.

Deputies responded to the area to perform an area check and eventually located a vehicle matching the description, parked in a private property section of the San Benito Riverbed. As the subjects were contacted, they were uncooperative and ultimately detained.

During the contact, the driver was found to have a bag of suspected methamphetamine on him. During Deputies search of the vehicle, Deputies discovered a baggy of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, more suspected methamphetamine, and dozens of used needles. To top it all off, an unserialized, privately made short barrel rifle, commonly known as a “ghost gun”, was found inside the vehicle.

The driver was arrested for several felonies related to the narcotics and firearm he possessed. The passenger of the vehicle was arrested for trespassing on private property and has since been released.

The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that the San Benito River cleanup project has been ongoing since April 2025. Phase 4 of the cleanup effort began in April 2026 and is currently ongoing.

As part of this ongoing project, Sheriff’s Office personnel continue to patrol the riverbed. Individuals found within the riverbed are considered to be trespassing and will be contacted by law enforcement. The Sheriff’s Office appreciates the public’s cooperation as these cleanup and enforcement efforts continue to improve public safety and protect the environment.

06/25/2026

After 10 years of dedicated service as the San Benito County Sheriff's Office Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) Coordinator, we would like to recognize and thank Bill Barrett for his commitment to our community and our agency.

Bill began his law enforcement career with the Seaside Police Department in 1988, where he served as a Patrol Officer and later held specialized assignments as a Field Training Officer and Investigator. In 1998, Bill lateraled to the Watsonville Police Department, where he continued serving as a Police Officer, while also taking on specialized assignments in Motors, Investigations, and as a Field Training Officer.

Following a distinguished career spanning decades, Bill retired from the Watsonville Police Department in 2016 with the rank of Master Officer. Shortly after his “retirement”, Bill continued his service to the public by joining the San Benito County Sheriff's Office as our CCW Coordinator, where he has spent the last 10 years assisting thousands of applicants through the permitting process with professionalism, patience, and dedication.

Bill's extensive law enforcement experience, attention to detail, and commitment to serving others have made a lasting impact on both our agency and the citizens of San Benito County.

Please join us in thanking Bill Barrett for his years of service and wishing him all the best in his next chapter.