The San Dimas Sheriff’s Station is one of seven stations within Field Operations Region III. The station’s patrol area is approximately 276 square miles. In addition to serving the City of San Dimas, this station also serves the unincorporated communities of Azusa, Covina, Glendora, La Verne, Claremont, Pomona, and much of the Angeles National Forest.
The population of the area served by the San Dimas Police Department is approximately 105,000, approximately 69,000 in unincorporated areas, and more than 36,000 in the City of San Dimas.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Department is located in eastern Los Angeles County, bordering the cities of La Verne and Pomona. The station serves the city of San Dimas and the unincorporated communities of Covina, Azusa, Glendora, La Verne, and Claremont. The department also provides law enforcement for the Azusa Valley and Baldy Mountain areas of the Angeles National Forest (State Route 39).
In the summer of 1927, Sheriff William I. Trager helped establish the original San Dimas Sheriff’s Department to serve fruit growers and poultry farmers in eastern Los Angeles County. The first station consisted of a large frame house on San Dimas Avenue near downtown.
On May 25, 1950, a new “modern” sheriff’s station opened in the same location. On August 4, 1960, San Dimas became the 70th city to incorporate, contracting with the Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department for law enforcement and fire protection services.
On September 23, 1987, the Walnut Sheriff’s Station opened in the City of Walnut (located approximately eight miles southwest of San Dimas). The command of the San Dimas Sheriff’s Office was then merged with that of the Walnut Sheriff’s Office.
A new station was opened in the San Dimas Sheriff’s Department in 2006 and is currently under the command of Capt. Don Slauson.
Founded in 1955, the San Dimas Sheriff’s Office is known for its premier mountain rescue team, conducting technical rescue and searches in the rugged terrain of the nearby Angeles National Forest. The unit is located at 114 East First Street and is comprised of highly trained and dedicated male and female volunteers and reserve sheriff’s deputies. They currently respond to an average of seven calls for help each month, including searching for lost hikers and rescuing injured people. The station is also supported by patrols and the Civil Guard Reserve.
The San Dimas Sheriff’s Department has a fully staffed detective bureau that investigates robberies, assaults, and many other crimes. The City of San Dimas contracts with three special duty deputies who are qualified to patrol bicycles. They provide specialized “problem-oriented policing” that addresses quality of life issues within the city of San Dimas. Crime prevention officers also coordinate business and neighborhood watch programs, as well as youth and school programs.
