Press Release

Sammy L. Jones, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was recently promoted to the rank of Chief by Sheriff Lee Baca and has assumed command responsibilities in the Custody Operations Division.

Chief Jones’ career with the Sheriff’s Department began in 1973, when he attended the Department’s Training Academy. Upon graduation as a Deputy Sheriff, he worked various assignments in Custody Division, Court Services Division, East Los Angeles Station, Sheriff’s Information Bureau, and the Office of the Undersheriff. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1989, and served at Temple Station and Narcotics Bureau. When Chief Jones was promoted to Lieutenant in 1997, he worked at Pitchess Detention Center’s East Facility and Lennox Station. He was promoted to Captain in April of 2000 and took command of Lennox Station. In April 2003 he was promoted to Commander and assigned to Field Operations Region I.

Chief Jones has attended East Los Angeles College and California State University, Long Beach. He is a past recipient of both the Department’s Distinguished and Exemplary Service Awards. His most important achievements are in the implementation of the Lennox Station/California Highway Patrol ride-along program, Lennox Station’s Community Clergy Council, the Clergy Academy, “Student and the Law” classes at Washington Preparatory High School, and Temple Station’s Monrovia, Arcadia, Duarte (M.A.D.) Town Councils.

While assigned to Field Operations, he had the opportunity to serve as incident commander during the murder of a deputy sheriff assigned to Lancaster Station. This was one of the largest multi-agency manhunts in our Department’s history where the suspect was killed in a fiery death after a fierce gunfight with our special weapons team. Chief Jones also had the opportunity to act as incident commander during the evacuation of Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Baldwin Park as the result of the shooting of a resident doctor.

In addition to his career achievements, Chief Jones has earned numerous Gold Medals participating in the Department’s softball team tournaments held in California, Arizona, Nevada, and at the World Police and Fire Games.

Chief Jones, a San Fernando Valley native, resides in the area with Aileen, his wife of 22 years. In his spare time, Chief Jones enjoys participating in a variety of sporting events.