The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is a full service law enforcement agency accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the American Correctional Association (ACA). Additionally, the agency's health care provider, California Forensic Medical Group, has dual accreditation through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the California Medical Association (CMA). Together these form what is referred to as the "Triple Crown" of accreditation (ACA, NCCHC/CMA and CALEA) awarded by the National Sheriff's Association. Additionally, the Sheriff's Office Crime Lab is nationally accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD). The Sheriff's Office Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit has also been awarded national accreditation through the Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board.

The Sheriff's Office has a current adjusted net budget of approximately $185.7 million and has over 1500 authorized positions, including in excess of 1000 sworn personnel. The agency's Chief Executive Officer is Sheriff / Coroner Gregory J. Ahern, who is assisted in the operation of the agency by Undersheriff Richard T. Lucia, Assistant Sheriff's Casey Nice and Tom Madigan.

The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following:

• Providing security to the Consolidated Superior Courts
• Operating the Coroner's Bureau
• Operating a full service criminalistics laboratory
• Performing Civil Process
• Operating a County Jail (Santa Rita)
• Operating the County Office of Emergency Services
• Providing patrol and investigative services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County
• Pursuant to contractual agreements, providing patrol and investigative services to the City of Dublin, Peralta Community College District, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, Oakland International Airport, Highland County Hospital, Social Services, and to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
• Conducting a basic academy pursuant to Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements. [Sheriff's Academy Web Site]
   
  
  • The academy is available to Sheriff's recruits, as well as to other law enforcement agency recruits upon agreement with the Sheriff's Regional Training Center. The Regional Training Center also offers an extensive curriculum to law enforcement professionals. (Click here for more information)


• Providing Fish and Game enforcement
• Project Director of the Narcotics Task Force
• Serving as the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force
• Operating a Marine Patrol Unit in the San Francisco Bay waters.

Click Here for Historical Facts Regarding the Sheriff's Office

MANDATED SERVICES
The Government Code, Section 24000, defines the Office of Sheriff and mandates the duties of the Office. In addition to being a Constitutional Officer of the County, the Sheriff also acts as an Officer of the Courts and is charged with the responsibility of keeping the peace and apprehending persons charged with crimes in the unincorporated areas of Alameda County. The Sheriff also serves as Coroner, and Director of Emergency Services. The level of services is determined by specific statute or judicial mandate.

DISCRETIONARY SERVICES
The following services are discretionary within the Sheriff's Office: dispatch services, contract police services and programs designed as alternatives to incarceration, such as work furlough, electronic surveillance and the weekender programs. The services provided by the crime prevention unit such as the school resources officers and D.A.R.E. programs are also discretionary.