Captain - Law Enforcement Division
Captain Dave Edmonds
Captain Dave Edmonds started his law enforcement career with the Hanford Police Department in 1983. In 1985, he was employed as a deputy sheriff for Sonoma County. Captain Edmonds served nine years on patrol, which included SWAT and Field Training Officer assignments. He was a violent crimes detective and the Department’s polygraph examiner for four years before promoting to sergeant in 1996. Captain Edmonds’ seven years at the sergeant rank included patrol supervisor, internal affairs, and supervision of the violent crimes detective unit. In 2003, Captain Edmonds was promoted to lieutenant and managed the Department’s detective bureau. He was promoted to captain in 2006 and put in charge of Law Enforcement Special Services before assuming command of the Field Services Section in 2009.
Captain Edmonds has been awarded Advanced, Supervisor, and Management POST certificates. Additionally, he has an associate’s degree in criminal justice, a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s degree in organizational leadership.
The Patrol Bureau is responsible for providing law enforcement and crime prevention services to the residents of the unincorporated area of Sonoma County. There are approximately 140 deputies assigned to our Patrol Bureau and patrol the larger portion of 1,604 square miles of land and the 63 miles of the Pacific shoreline that make up the County of Sonoma. Approximately 500,000 people live in Sonoma County with nearly a third residing in the unincorporated cities.
Sonoma County Zone Map
Deputy Sheriffs work an assigned shift, patrolling an assigned area performing law enforcement and crime prevention work. This includes serving criminal and civil warrants, making arrests, issuing citations and conducting preliminary criminal investigations. Other duties include the serving of civil process, performing transportation for the Detention Division and, assisting the Investigation and the Court Security Bureaus.
Most deputies assigned to the Patrol Bureau operate out of the main office located in Santa Rosa. The remaining deputies are assigned to one of the four sub-stations that are located in Guerneville, Sonoma, Larkfield and Roseland. In addition three "resident deputies" are assigned along the Pacific Coastline. Two deputies are assigned to the Helicopter Unit and five deputies in the Marine Unit.
A variety of specialty assignments are available to our patrol deputies, including: The Bomb Squad, Special Weapons And Tactics team (SWAT), Hostage Negation Team, Field Training Officer, K-9 Handler, Helicopter Unit, Marine Unit, Motorcycle Unit, Mounted Unit, Dive Team, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Firearms Instructor, Tactical Team, Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Team (MAGNET) and the Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving Unit (COPPS).
We are proud of our Patrol Bureau and the high standard of professional service it provides to the residents of Sonoma County. The Sheriff's Department has divided the County into eight law enforcement zones:
Zone 1: River Zone 446.08 square miles. This zone is staffed from the Guerneville substation and covers the Sonoma Coast and unincorporated areas surrounding Guerneville. In addition to the deputies from the Guerneville substation, there are three resident deputies who patrol the coastal areas. Zone 2: North Zone 534.63 square miles. This zone is staffed from the main office and includes the unicorporated areas surrounding Healdsburg, Cloverdale, and Windsor. Zone 3: Local Zone 104 square miles. This zone is staffed from the main office and includes the unincorporated areas surrounding the city of Santa Rosa. Zone 4: West Zone 65.05 square miles. This zone includes the unincorporated areas surrounding Sebastopol. This area is staffed from the main office. Zone 5: South Zone 187.63 square miles. This zone is staffed from the main office and includes the unincorporated areas surrounding Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Cotati. Zone 6: Valley Zone 163.13 square miles. This zone is staffed from the Sonoma Valley substation. Zone 7: R-COP 13 square miles. This zone is staffed out of the R-COP substation and covers portions of the unincorporated districts of Roseland, Bellevue, and Wright.
