About Us

Mission

Committed to professional service and protection.

Vision

To be the leading Public Safety Agency in Imperial County through progressive, innovative law enforcement services. This will be accomplished through collaborative efforts, responsible use of resources, sound administrative policies, technological advances, and leadership development.

Core Values

Ethics, Loyalty, Honesty, Accountability, Professionalism, Integrity, Commitment

Recruitment

  • Age
  • Citizenship
  • Reading/Writing Ability                 
  • Criminal History Check
  • Medical/Psychological Evaluation
  • Background Check
  • Deputy Agility Testing
  • Correctional Officer Agility Testing
  • Training Videos
Age

20.5 +

Police uniform
Citizenship

US citizen or permanent resident alien who is eligible and has applied for citizenship

US Passports
Reading/Writing Ability                 
Criminal History Check

Fingerprints sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Background check form
Medical/Psychological Evaluation

Evaluations conducted by licensed physicians and/or psychologists employed by IC Human Resources

doctor
Background Check

Thorough background based on applicant’s personal history statement/questionnaire 

Deputy Agility Testing

OBSTACLE COURSE: Run a 99-yard obstacle course consisting of several sharp turns, a number of curb-height obstacles, and a 34-inch high obstacle that must be vaulted.

BODY DRAG Lift and drag a 165-pound lifelike dummy 32-feet.

CHAIN LINK FENCE Run 5 yards to a 6-foot chain link fence, climb over fence, continue running another 25 yards.

SOLID FENCE CLIMB Run 5 yards to a 6 foot solid fence, climb over fence, continue running another 25 yards.

1.5 MILE RUN within 14 minutes (pass or fail)

500-YARD RUN Run 500 yards.

Each of the five events is timed. Candidate’s performance times are converted to points, and summed. A passing score must be obtained as set by IC Human Resources. (Therefore, faster times equal higher scores).

Correctional Officer Agility Testing

Composition of the Exam

The physical agility exam will test several physical performance skills identified as necessary in the field of corrections.

BODY DRAG: Maximum passing time: 10 seconds. Candidates must drag a 165-pound lifelike dummy 20 feet.

200 YARD RUN: Maximum Passing Time: 1 minute. No stopping or walking.

PUSH-UPS: Minimum of 20 push-ups must be completed within 60 seconds.

1.5 MILE RUN: Complete within 15 minutes. Candidates must run 1.5 miles (Equivalent to 6 laps of a standard running track).

Successful completion of every skill is mandatory.

Training Videos
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Department History

With the vast improvements and reclamation of land in the Imperial valley settlements rapidly and the people, ambitious to govern themselves, petitioned the board of supervisors of San Diego county, the valley being then a part San Diego county setting up plausible claims for a separate government and July 9, 1907, the board adopted resolutions calling for an election to pass the question of dividing the county. The line of division proposed was to the section line lying between ranges 8 and 9 east of San Bernardino meridian. The territory embraced in the projected county had an area approximating 4,000 miles with a population estimated at 10,320. The date of election was for August 6, 1907.

 

When these preliminaries had been finally settled, and probably long before, the question as to where the county seat should be located became a burning one, so to speak, which resulted in a bitter contest between the village of Imperial and El Centro. Although much younger than Imperial, El Centro won out after a strenuous and desperate struggle on its part; this, however, by so narrow a margin that a recount of the votes was sought by her rival, but the legal contest took place.

On August 12, 1907, the supervisors of San Diego County met and canvassed returns of the election. The result of this proceeding determined that the people of Imperial County were almost unanimous in favor of division and there upon the board officially declared that the county of Imperial had been born. At the election the board of supervisors which had been chosen for the county met at El Centro at ten o’ clock in the morning, in the Valley State Bank building, and there organized by choosing F. S. Webster, of the third district, chairman.

The first measure adopted was an ordinance prohibiting the sale or distribution of liquor, malt or spirituous, anywhere in the county, except under the most restrictions. At a later meeting of the board, ordinance No. 3 was adopted prohibiting gambling or betting. If there has been liquor sold in Imperial county, or any gambling pursued, the acts have been surreptitious and in defiance of these laws.

Shortly after the organization of the county Sheriff Mobley Meadows secured a building that had been used as a furniture warehouse, real-estate office and dwelling, for a temporary court house! In this same building two rooms were set apart in which to confine malefactors. This was the first county court house and jail.

In September, 1907, the board of supervisors appointed its chairman F. S. Webster, and the district attorney, J. M. Eshelman, to appear before the board of supervisors of San Diego county and insist upon that body turning over to Imperial county its share of moneys, which San Diego county had theretofore refused to do. After several trips to San Diego county had been made and through some further difficulties the mother county made a satisfactory settlement with Imperial.

At about the close of 1907, a substantial jail building had been completed and the county offices removed to a new building which had been erected by the board of supervisors as a temporary court house. In 1909 a site for a permanent court house was decided upon in an addition to the townsite lying west of the Date canal. Some time before this the first daily newspaper in the town was established by Edgar F. Howe and his sons, Armiger W. and Clinton F. Howe.

Deputies c. 1934

Photos

Smythe, W.E. (1913). San Diego & Imperial Counties, California: Vol. 1. A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement (pp. 473-474). Chicago.IL: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company.

Sheriff's Office c. 1914

Biography

Fred Miramontes

Imperial County Sheriff/Coroner/Marshal

Sheriff Fred Miramontes serves as the Sheriff-Coroner-Marshal of the Imperial County, California. Sheriff Miramontes assumed Office in January 2023. Prior to his elected position, Sheriff Miramontes began his law enforcement career with the Brawley Police Department. In January of 1980, California Highway Patrol hired him. During his tenure with the California Highway Patrol, he was assigned to work in Southeast Los Angeles, San Diego Border Division Headquarters, and Imperial Valley. He promoted through the ranks retiring as a C.H.P. Commander.

In July 2007, Sheriff Miramontes was appointed as the Undersheriff of the Imperial County Sheriff's Office, serving as Second-in-Command until elected and sworn into office January 2023.

Sheriff Miramontes graduated from Brawley Union High School and attended Imperial Valley College, National University, and San Diego State University focused on majoring in Criminal Justice and Public Administration.

Alumnus:

  • Graduate of the Riverside Sheriff's Academy
  • Graduate of the California Highway Patrol Academy
  • Graduate of the California Highway Patrol Command Course
  • Graduate of the F.B.I. Law Enforcement Executive Development Course

Present and Past Member:

  • Member of the California State Sheriffs' Association since 2023
  • Member of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs' Coalition since 2023
  • Commissioner of the First 5 Imperial County Children and Families First Commission
  • Advisory Committee of the Imperial Valley Children's Committee
  • Member of the El Centro Kiwanis Club
  • Member of the Brawley Hidalgo Society
  • Past Member of the El Centro Boys/Girls Club of Imperial Valley Committee

Contact Us

For Emergencies call 911

Non-emergency dispatch (442) 265-2021

Jail & Inmate Information (442) 265-2266

Records (442) 265-2125

Admin. Information (442) 265-2000

Toll Free 1-800-452-2051

Records Division and Civil Division hours:  

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

(closed for lunch 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.)

Closed weekends and holidays

Address

Imperial County Sheriff’s Office

328 Applestill Road

El Centro, CA 92243

Mailing Address

1040 P. O. Box
El Centro, CA 92244

Inmate Mailing Address

The Regional Adult Detention Facility (R.A.D.F.)
1328 Sperber Road
El Centro, CA 92243
The Herbert Hughes Correctional Center (H.H.C.C.)
1328 Sperber Road
El Centro, CA 92243
  • Command Staff
  • Divisions
  • Station
Command Staff

Fred Miramontes

Sheriff Coroner Marshal

(442) 265-2005

Robert Benavidez

Undersheriff

(442) 265-2002

Manuel De Leon

Chief Deputy – Support Services & P.I.O.

(442) 265-2004

Ryan Kelley

Chief Deputy - Specialized Units

(442) 265-2003

Emmet Fried

Chief Deputy - Patrol

(442) 265-2118

Clinton Erro

Lieutenant - Investigations & Specialized Units

(442) 265-2043

Steven Green

Lieutenant - Specialized Units

(760) 455-0096

Murad Masad

Lieutenant - North County Patrol

(442) 265-5251

Juan Chavarin

Correctional Captain- Jail

OFDF, RADF, HHCC, DRC/Operations

(442) 265-2225

Colby Stewart

Correctional Lieutenant - Jail OFDF/Operations

(442) 265-2223

Michael Mistriel

Lieutenant - South County Patrol

(442) 265-2039

James Vooris

Correctional Lieutenant - Jail

HHCC/Operations

(442) 265-2323

Juan Galindo

Correctional Lieutenant- Jail

Programming/Operations

(442) 265-2222

Robert Wilson

Correctional Lieutenant - Jail RADF/Operations

(442) 265-2483

Raquel Leal

Administrative Manager - Fiscal

(442) 265-2040

Graciela Jimenez

Administrative Analyst & Sheriff's Executive Assistant

(442)265-2005

Joseph Conkey

Sergeant- Holtville Police Station

(760) 356-5960