Alameda County Sheriff's Office

03/24/2023

Cold Case File

03/17/2023

Dublin Police Chief Garrett Holmes Retires

Today, we bid farewell to Dublin Police Chief Garrett Holmes after 29 years of service to Alameda County. Chief Holmes was a Division Commander with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, where he began his career as an academy recruit in the 100th Academy at the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center in Dublin in 1994.

Chief Holmes served 18 years of his law enforcement career in the City of Dublin in various capacities as he elevated through the ranks and ultimately became Dublin’s Chief of Police in December 2017. Chief Holmes was well respected throughout his career, especially for his leadership in the City of Dublin through some pivotal moments in recent history.

Chief Holmes was a compassionate and open minded leader, who engaged with community members through regular online meetings and community events. City of Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez said, “We thank Chief Holmes for his years of service and leadership to the City of Dublin. We look forward to continuing his legacy of community policing and making Dublin a safe place to live and work.”

Chief Holmes grew up in the City of Pleasanton and has called the Tri-Valley his home for over 45 years. He looks forward to retirement and spending time with his family. Thank you for your service, Chief Holmes! You will be greatly missed.

03/17/2023

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Sometimes luck and timing line up, but not when you drive impaired by any substance, including prescription medications. Don’t press your luck and end up with a DUI.

Have a designated driver, use a ride share service, call a friend, or take public transportation. Whatever you do, do it safely.

03/16/2023

UPDATE: 03/16/23

SHARON STEVENS HAS BEEN SAFELY LOCATED.

03/12/2023

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is offering a FREE POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (Pellet B) on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

Start your career in law enforcement with the ACSO now! Register for the PELLET B at Sheriffacademy.com Classes>Miscellaneous>Pellet B written exam or contact Sergeant Hinckley at (925)560-5803 for more information.

An equal-opportunity employer

03/11/2023

Deputies Linn (left) and Panconi stopped at 7-Eleven for a beverage and saw Ms. J. Smith in the parking lot with her personal effects in several bags. Deputies asked if she needed assistance, and she told them she was stranded due to her rental vehicle being damaged in an accident. She said she downloaded the Uber application, but she did not know how to use it and could not figure out how to schedule a ride. Deputies Linn and Panconi offered to drive her to her destination and she accepted. Ms. Smith was very appreciative, and our deputies were happy to have helped her.

03/10/2023

This morning, around 06:13 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the Eden Medical Center ER in Castro Valley for a report of a patient in a mental health crisis holding a knife to her throat and threatening su***de. Deputies arrived and quickly established contact with the patient. As deputies attempted to de-escalate the situation, the patient held an approximate 4” pocketknife to her throat and threatened to harm herself and kill deputies if they tried to disarm her.

We established a good rapport with the patient and kept her talking until our Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) was on the scene. A quick reaction team plan, which included the use of less lethal tools, was established by supervisors on the scene. After nearly 90 minutes of de-escalation negotiations, the patient threw the knife to the floor. She was safely detained and placed on a psychiatric hold for further observation and care. No other weapons were located on her person or among her personal effects. This was a good use of de-escalation tactics! Thank you to Deputy Cantillas for keeping the patient calm and engaged until our CIU Sergeants Frazer, Durbin, Silva, and Deputy Lastrape were on the scene.

03/09/2023

The Alameda County Office of Emergency Services has issued the following AC Alert.

The National Weather Service has issued the following storm warning :

A flood watch is in effect from Thursday afternoon until Sunday morning.

A wind advisory is in effect from Thursday afternoon until Friday afternoon.

Those residing in areas that experienced flooding during the previous storms may experience additional flooding impacts.

You are encouraged to avoid traveling, unless it is necessary. If you must drive in inclement weather conditions, please do so with heightened caution.

For updates and developments regarding this weather pattern, tune into your local news and media outlets, or visit:

National Weather Service:L
https://www.weather.gov/mtr/

For preparedness information from Alameda Co. and is partners
ACGOV.org

PG&E
pge.com

03/08/2023

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office celebrates in recognition of the contributions and achievements of women around the world. We are especially proud of the women on our agency who are essential to the work we do in law enforcement. Thank you for all you do.

03/07/2023

LOCATED

03/06/2023

MISSING CHILD

03/05/2023

Today’s Health and Wellness Fair at the Hayward Adult School was pretty awesome! Our Crime Prevention Unit partnered with community-based organizations and health care providers to make this possible. It was a great opportunity to increase knowledge and expose community members to information associated with achieving a healthy lifestyles.

03/04/2023

This morning’s cold and rainy weather did not deter us from our commitment to the San Francisco 5K/10K and POLAR PLUNGE for Special Olympics Northern California! We are dedicated because we know that our fundraising efforts help Northern California athletes in need secure equipment, training, and health screenings.💙 We raised over $11K in support of today’s event.

03/04/2023

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory is recruiting for the positions of Criminalist II and Criminalist III. Opportunities are available for professionals experienced in forensic biology, seized drugs testing, and fi****ms examinations.

More information and the online application can be found at https://jobapscloud.com/Alameda/default.asp.

03/03/2023

LOCATED

03/03/2023

We are proud to announce that Dublin's City Manager Linda Smith has appointed Alameda County Sheriff's Office Commander Nathan Schmidt to head Dublin Police Services as its new Chief, effective March 19, 2023. Commander Schmidt will replace Chief Garrett Holmes, who will retire from law enforcement after nearly 29 years of service.

Commander Schmidt began his career with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office in September 1999 and has served in several capacities throughout the agency. Commander Schmidt is currently the commanding officer of the Law Enforcement Services Division, which includes patrol for all unincorporated areas of Alameda County, AC Transit Police Services, Highland Hospital Police Services, Emergency Services Dispatch, and Warrants and Records.

Commander Schmidt has served 18 of his 23 years in law enforcement in Dublin, and we are excited to see him return as Dublin's top cop!

03/02/2023

OHMVR Division

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is Applying for a CA State Off-Highway Vehicle Grant

The public review and comment period for the 2023/2024 Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program begins Tuesday, March 7, 2023, and ends Monday, May 1, 2023. This period provides an opportunity for the public to review and provide factual comments to the preliminary applications submitted to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division for consideration during the 2023/2024 grant cycle.

OHMVR Division

03/02/2023

Congratulations, Cadet Ava Moniz!

On February 25, 2023, Cadet Moniz attended the 46th Annual Awards & Officer Ronald T. Tsukamoto’s Scholarship Dinner as one of two Northern California Asian Peace Officers’ Association (NCAPOA) scholarship recipients. The scholarship is in honor and memory of Ronald Tsukamoto, who was shot on duty during a traffic enforcement stop. Officer Tsukamoto was 28 years old and about a month shy of his first anniversary in the Berkeley Police Department. He was also the first Japanese American to join the department.

When Cadet Moniz applied for the scholarship in January, her application consisted of background information related to her family, academic profile, and her professional and personal achievements. Cadet Moniz also participated in an interview with the NCAPOA board, via Zoom. NCAPOA President Thomas Syto notified Cadet Moniz she was selected for the scholarship in early February.

She also received a Certificate of Appreciation and a coin from Sheriff Paul Miyamoto of the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Department.

Way to go, Cadet Moniz!!

03/01/2023

Earlier this month, we featured Maria Torres and her family’s struggle to regain stability following the winter storms. Before the storms, the Torres Family lived on a ranch property on Palo Verde Road in Castro Valley. Unfortunately, they were forced to move their trailer due to the risk of continued flooding of the creek located behind the property. They moved their trailer immediately. However, despite their efforts, their trailer sustained irreparable damage from the storms.

Maria has had several setbacks due to health, housing, and transportation issues. Our Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) has stayed in touch with Maria and, as previously reported, worked with a local tow company to secure a vehicle for the family. Deputy Pola led the effort to secure the vehicle and obtained additional donated services from a local mechanic and a Smog facility to make sure the vehicle was operational and safe for the family to drive. Today, Maria was presented with the vehicle.

We are proud of the work our deputies are doing in the community. We take our duty to protect and serve to heart, and we lead with our hearts.

Maria and her family are still in great need. If you are interested in donating to her Go Fund Me account, please visit https://gofund.me/a74814d2

Video/photos: J. Liu, ACSO Multimedia Services

02/26/2023

Photos from Alameda County Sheriff's Office's post

02/26/2023

Our command staff, including Sheriff Sanchez and Undersheriff Lucia, attended the Celebration of Life for Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle at Veteran’s Park in Union City today. Our Crime Prevention and Crime Reduction Units handed out safety literature, snacks, and interacted with community members. It was a pleasure to celebrate the life and legacy of Supervisor Valle.

02/25/2023

COMMUNITY UPDATE: Arrest in Homicide Investigation

On Thursday, February 23, 2023, we arrested a 17-year-old male from Oakland for the murder of Lamar Converse (35) who was shot multiple times on January 30, 2023, on 167th Avenue near E. 14th Street in the unincorporated Ashland area. Unfortunately, Converse died that evening due to his injuries. Our investigation revealed the suspect possibly attempted to rob Converse and then shot him several times. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) worked with the US Marshals Task Force to investigate this case and subsequently obtain an arrest warrant. With the assistance of several ACSO specialized and investigative units, the suspect was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center.

We are thankful for all the assistance we received during the investigation. We are equally thankful that we were able to take a suspected murderer off the streets.

02/24/2023

Missing

02/24/2023

UPDATE RE FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Alameda County.

Today is the last day for in-person assistance at the Dublin DRC which will close permanently at 7pm. The Oakland DRC will remain open with modified services & hours until March 16, 2023.

02/24/2023

CAREER PATHWAY - San Lorenzo High School

San Lorenzo High School invited our recruiters into their classrooms to discuss our agency's Career Pathway: “Careers in Law and Public Safety Program.”

Today, our recruiters spent time educating the students on the various employment opportunities and competitive salaries offered at the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. Students were especially excited to learn about positions they are eligible for right out of high school, such as Cadet, Sheriff's Safety Aide, and Sheriff's Technician.

It is never too early to start thinking and preparing for your career.

JOINACSO.com

An equal opportunity employer

02/22/2023

Come meet our recruiters today!

JOINACSO.com

An equal opportunity employer

02/22/2023

Congratulations, 175th Academy, on today’s graduation! Thank you for stepping up to protect and serve in the communities you will work in. We welcome you and wish you long and safe careers!

Albany Police Department- California Antioch Police Department East Palo Alto Police Department Milpitas Police Department San Leandro Police Department San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety BART Police Department

02/21/2023

CAREER CHAT TUESDAY

Come chat with our Recruiting Unit and Dispatch today:

February 21, 2023
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Las Positas College
3000 Campus Hill Drive, Bldg. 1600
Livermore, CA

JOINACSO.com

02/20/2023

Deputy Mixon of AC Transit Police Services was able to help this couple get their stolen vehicle back on the road after it was located in working condition.

02/18/2023

Another successful recruiting event (Muy Thai Championship 2023) in the books. Our recruiters go hard!

JOINACSO.com
alamedacountysheriff.org

An equal opportunity employer

02/17/2023

WE ARE HIRING!

Our Recruiting Unit will be at the Legends Muay Thai Championship 2023 event tomorrow, February 18th from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Regency Ballroom
1300 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA

We are a full service law enforcement agency with diverse employment opportunities. Join us!

JOINACSO.com
alamedacountysheriff.org

An equal opportunity employer

02/17/2023

Anniversary Cold Case

02/17/2023

We would like to thank everyone who joined us at the ACSO Regional Training Center for today's 5K Memorial Run & Walk in honor of Oakland Police Department Sergeant Ervin Romans II

E.O.W. 03/21/2009

02/16/2023

Maria Torres, her husband, and her middle school-age daughter were living in a trailer located on the property of a ranch on Palo Verde Rd. in Castro Valley. During recent flooding, the nearby creek overflowed threatening their trailer. Luckily, the trailer was towed to the public roadway and out of harm’s way until it too was damaged beyond repair by the storms. The family’s plight was featured in a recent news story authored by the NY Times.

On January 18, 2023, the family’s situation came to the attention of Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies with our Crime Prevention Unit, who learned that Maria has had significant health problems that require ongoing medical treatment. Her condition coupled with the fact they could not continue to live in their trailer prompted deputies to contact First Presbyterian Church in Castro Valley for assistance. The church provided the family a 28-day voucher for a local motel, and deputies stocked their pantry with groceries provided free of charge by our Dig Deep Farms Food Hub. While deputies addressed the family’s basic needs, this allowed them the opportunity to seek emergency aid through Alameda County Social Services and FEMA. Unfortunately, their motel voucher expires today (2/16/23), and their requests for services are still in progress. This means the family will be unhoused.

Deputies have continued their efforts to help the family and were recently able to secure an automobile for them through a donation from a local towing company. The Torres Family has created a Go Fund Me account, and we are sharing it in hopes that they will get some community support.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/wwbbrf-today-for-me-tomorrow-for-you?qid=e8c0b7e41c041c2adedfd5478332f370



Photo: NY Times

02/16/2023

As a recognized leader in fitness through our Regional Training Center, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit will lead our first-ever Health and Wellness Fair.

March 4, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Hayward Adult School
22100 Princeton Street, Hayward

In partnership with La Familia, REACH, Tiburcio Vasquez, Hayward Area Recreation District, County Health, and our Deputy Sheriff’s Activities League, we are excited to lead our first health and wellness event in the community. The overarching theme focuses on kicking off a healthy 2023 with follow-through on New Year’s Resolutions. Information on achieving a healthy lifestyle will be provided by medical, dental, and mental health professionals. There will also be tips on healthy food preparation, exercise demonstrations, and more (see flyer).

(Free flu and COVID-19 vaccines offered. )

Graphic art: D. Roa, ACSO Multimedia Services

02/15/2023

Yesterday, Sheriff Sanchez swore in seven new members to the ACSO Family. The group is comprised of laterals and POST graduates, and we could not be more proud to welcome them.

Adino Byrd, Abdullah Muznibi, Edgar Centella, Richard Colbaccini, Zachary Blackwell, Wiley Flores, and Hector Chavez, we welcome you!

02/14/2023

HIT AND RUN UPDATE - WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office still needs your help in identifying the suspect from the February 11, 2023, hit and run at the First Presbyterian Church on Grove Way in Castro Valley that left a 77-year-old woman injured.

The suspect vehicle is believed to be a mid-2010s Nissan Altima and not a Nissan Sentra as previously reported.

The investigation is ongoing. Please call Sheriff's Dispatch at 510-667-7721 or our Anonymous Tip Line at (510) 667-3622 with any information that could help us get this person in custody for this horrific act.

02/14/2023

Anniversary Cold Cases

02/12/2023

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office seeks help in identifying a hit and run suspect.

On Saturday, February 11, 2023, around 7:25 p.m., deputies responded to the First Presbyterian Church at 2940 Grove Way in Castro Valley after an unknown black male adult intentionally hit a 77-year-old female victim in the parking lot and fled westbound on Grove Way toward Redwood Road.

The suspect may have brushed against the victim with his vehicle, which caused her to yell at him. The suspect yelled back at the victim, turned the vehicle around, and intentionally hit her. The victim was knocked onto the hood of the car before she fell to the ground. She sustained non-life threatening injuries and was later transported to a hospital for treatment.

The suspect fled in a mid-2010s white Nissan Sentra with an unknown license plate. The investigation is going. We ask anyone with information to please call the Sheriff’s Office at 510-667-7721 or leave a message on our Anonymous Tip Line at 510-667-3622.

02/11/2023

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE BLUE AND YOU MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Stanford Health Care - Office of Research, Patient Care Services presented our Eden Township Division’s Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) with a check for $53,710.00 in support of the CPU's new youth mentorship program - “Bridging the Gap Between the Blue and You.”

Six months ago, Deputy Vasquez (far left of photo) met the Executive Director of Stanford Healthcare - Office of Research, Dr. Michelle Williams, when she attended a CPU community outreach event. During their encounter, Deputy Vasquez spoke with Dr. Williams about his aspirations to incorporate youth mentoring in the unincorporated areas of Alameda County. Deputy Vasquez and the CPU were encouraged to apply for Stanford Health Care's "Health Equity & Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Research" Grant. From that meeting, the youth mentoring program was born.

The CPU aims to make a difference in the unincorporated communities we serve. The program will demonstrate our competency to teach life, social, and technical skills to develop well-rounded youth, who practice healthy habits and exercise good decision-making skills.