San Diego County Sheriff's
Valley Center Substation
28201 N. Lake Wohlford Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082-6742
GOOGLE MAP
Emergency: 9-1-1
Dispatch: (858) 565-5200
Business: (760) 751-4400
Fax: (760) 751-4430
Since the inception of the San Diego Sheriff's
Department in 1850, deputy sheriffs have patrolled the
hills, valleys and mountains of Valley Center. The
Valley Center Substation provides law enforcement
services to over 25,000 residents and an area
encompassing 330 square miles which includes the communities
of Pala, Pauma and
Rincon Valleys, Palomar Mountain, and the Rancho Guejito
Ranch, La Jolla, Pala, Pauma, Rincon, and San
Pasqual Indian reservations.
Originally inhabited by the Luiseņo Indians, Valley
Center was actually several communities in the
nineteenth century including Vineyard, Lilac, and
Bear Valley. The Bear Valley name came from the
capture of the largest ever California grizzly bear in
1866. The huge 2,200-pound bear had been threatening man
and animal, and was killed upon a reward offered by Colonel
A.E. Maxcy who owned the Vineyard Ranch. The bear
was skinned and cut up, with more than one pound of lead
found inside its head. Colonel Maxcy kept the skull of the
bear as a souvenir until around 1900 when it was
reportedly sold to a museum in the south, believed to be
either Georgia or Tennessee. According to the Valley
Center Historical Society, efforts in recent years to
locate the skull have been unsuccessful. In 1878, the community name was changed from Bear
Valley to Valley Centre. In 1887, the current area name,
Valley Center, became the official spelling.
PATROL
Patrol deputies respond to calls for service, patrol the
community, conduct preliminary investigations, attend
community events such as Neighborhood Watch meetings and
make presentations to youth groups and schools.
All patrol deputies are trained in the COPPS (Community
Oriented Policing and Problem Solving) philosophy. Using
these principals, deputies analyze community problems
and employ strategic plans in order to solve problems.
DETECTIVES
The Detective Division is responsible for investigating
all general crime cases and arrests made by the patrol
deputies. If the detective assigned to the case
determines that there is enough evidence to prove a
specific person or persons committed a crime, the case
will be forwarded to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
That DA's office will review the case and determine if the
case is suitable for criminal prosecution.
CRIME PREVENTION
The Valley Center
Crime Prevention Specialist can assist with
the following services:
▪ Neighborhood Watch
▪ Residential & Commercial Security Checks
▪ Operation Identification
▪ Personal Safety Presentations
▪ Children's Programs
▪ Senior Alert
▪ Business Alert
▪ Agricultural Crime Investigations
For more information or to schedule a program, contact
(760)
751-4408.
SENIOR VOLUNTEERS
Senior volunteers have served the Valley Center
Substation since August 1995. These dedicated volunteers
- seniors 50 years and older - provide many valuable
services to the community including:
▪ Make vacation home security checks
▪ Visit the homebound (You Are Not Alone - YANA)
▪ Enforce handicapped parking regulations
▪ Patrol in marked SVP vehicles
▪ Assist Crime Prevention with public presentations
▪ Conduct residential and business security surveys
▪ Assist in locating Alzheimer's patients
Volunteers undergo a background check, receive training
to perform their duties, and are asked to work a minimum
of six hours per week. Volunteers are always in need. If
you're interested in becoming a Senior Volunteer at the
Valley Center Substation contact
(760) 751-4426.
