We are saddened to announce the passing of one of our Explosive Detection K9s, Sam. Sam, a 9-year-old black Labrador, served with the Sheriff’s Department for more than three years with his partner, Investigator Mireles. Before joining the Sheriff’s Department, Sam worked as an Explosive Detection K9 with the United...

Three men were arrested -- and a burglary plan potentially foiled -- after an observant deputy noticed suspicious behavior and initiated an investigative car stop in the city of Lake Forest. At nearly 3 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, a deputy was patrolling a business complex area near the north...

A group of suspects who stole a car and crashed it into a residence in the city of Lake Forest were taken into custody thanks to quick law enforcement response and assistance from engaged residents. Orange County Sheriff’s deputies at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11, responded to reports...

Get them talking. Make a connection. Diffuse the situation. These are the tenets of crisis negotiation, but the process is much more nuanced and complex than it sounds. It was approaching 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13, when the mother of a 3-year-old called the Sheriff’s Department to report the...

In honor of National Forensic Science Week, the Orange County Crime Lab wants to educate the public on the many ways our work impacts the county and makes a difference in the life of the citizens we serve. DNA evidence often can be a critical component to solving crimes or...

Across the nation, the opioid crisis continues to ravage communities and claim new victims every day, including here in Orange County. The most dramatic change law enforcement has seen in this recent epidemic has been the introduction of fentanyl – a highly potent synthetic opioid that is strong enough to...

Thanks to an engaged community and quick work by investigators, a man suspected of vandalizing a San Clemente middle school with hate-inspired graffiti is in custody. Deputies at about 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, responded to reports of graffiti on multiple buildings at Shorecliffs Middle School in the 200...

ALISO VIEJO, Ca. (April 16, 2020)- Using DNA technology, OrangeCounty Sheriff’s Department investigators have linked the suspect from two separate kidnapping and assault incidents that occurred along the Aliso Creektrail in the city of Aliso Viejo, and are seeking the community’s help to identify the suspect. The most recent incident...

The Orange County Sheriff's Department is seeking the public's assistance in location 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein, who was last seen Jan. 2 in Lake Forest.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is sending a 39-member Sheriff’s Response Team to Santa Barbara County to aid the community devastated by recent mudslides. Thirty-three deputies, five sergeants and a lieutenant will provid eemergency mutual-aid to law enforcement in central California. They will learn their specific assignment when they arrive...