Full Notification

Captain Ballard Retires After 34 Years of Service to the Citizens of Calaveras County
 
August 22nd, 2025, signified the culmination of a lengthy and distinguished law enforcement career filled with dedication, service, and memorable moments.  Captain Ed Ballard retired from the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office after providing over thirty-four years of dedicated service.  In addition to serving Calaveras County as a Law Enforcement Officer, Captain Ballard worked as a peace officer in San Joaquin County and served in the United States Navy. In 1991, Captain Ballard transitioned his public service to the county where he grew up, and he has been dedicated to serving the citizens of Calaveras County ever since.   
 
While it’s challenging to capture all 34 years of dedicated service, here are a few highlights from Captain Ballard’s remarkable career.  Ed Ballard served in various roles, including patrol, investigations, narcotics, animal services, and court security. He earned a position as an operator on the Sheriff’s SWAT team and led the Narcotics Unit during the dangerous era of Clandestine Methamphetamine Labs.   In 1992, Ed Ballard was deployed to the Los Angeles Riots, where he worked with other law enforcement agencies to uphold peace and protect property.   In 2007, he was assigned to a leadership group that wrote and successfully passed Measure J, which provided tax-based funding for a new Jail facility.   When funds were secured, Ed Ballard led the design and construction of the new Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and Jail, managing the dedicated team of Sheriff’s Office employees who planned the transition into the current Sheriff’s Office facility.
 
Ed Ballard also managed Animal Services when the Sheriff’s Office operated that agency. In this role, he implemented policies and procedures that are still in effect today, and he demonstrated his compassion for helping both people and animals.   
 
Ed Ballard has spent the last several years assigned to the Special Operations Division of the Sheriff’s Office. In this role, he has coordinated responses to mutual aid incidents and worked as a liaison to other agencies during fires and disasters.   He has been further tasked with ensuring that the Sheriff’s Office is consistently equipped with vehicles and major equipment.
 
Ed Ballard has been a dedicated member of the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office. He has left his mark on the community of Calaveras and the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office. His career is notable and commendable, and worthy of honor and recognition.  
 
We wish him a well-earned retirement. As he begins this new chapter, we hope it brings him much joy, relaxation, and fulfillment. His legacy will always remain an inspiration to us all.