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Calaveras County Sheriff's Office Attends Chamber of Commerce’s State of the County Event
 
                                On September 11th, the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office participated in the State of the County event hosted and organized by the Calaveras Chamber of Commerce. During this event, Undersheriff Villegas delivered one of the keynote speeches. In his speech, he highlighted several key issues that affect the citizens of Calaveras County.  
The most recent event was the TCU September Lightning Complex Fire. The cooperation between county offices and regional first responders allowed for quick decisions to expedite the warning and evacuation process, demonstrating our strong and efficient professional partnership. Undersheriff Villegas spoke about the third year of budget reductions and the impact on the Sheriff’s Office.  He remarked that the Sheriff worked with the County Administration and Board of Supervisors to maintain a status quo level of programs and personnel needed to provide uninterrupted services to Calaveras County.
The Undersheriff also updated the audience on the status of staffing and recruitment.   Currently, three deputies are enrolled in the Delta Junior College Police Academy, with an anticipated graduation date of mid-January 2026. Additionally, four prospective Deputy Sheriff recruits are in the hiring process, with the goal of being enrolled in the next academy. Current staffing levels have led to the ability of Deputies to conduct a significant amount of proactive law enforcement activity, resulting in lower crime statistics.  Undersheriff Villegas noted that as staffing increases, the Sheriff’s Office will be well-positioned to address the issues highlighted by the community in crime surveys. He also explained that with additional deputies, the Sheriff hopes to expand the narcotics unit while continuing to reduce burglaries, thefts, and drug abuse issues.
As relating to technology, the Undersheriff explained that new equipment was purchased with an emphasis on keeping the Sheriff’s Office up to date with contemporary law enforcement practices, including a new UAV (“drone” used for aerial photography, overwatch during critical incidents, and search and rescues), tasers, and laptops.  A new Crisis Negotiations Team van was also purchased with the help of a generous donation from the Friends of the Calaveras Sheriff’s Office.
Undersheriff Villegas spoke of the highlights of the Sheriff’s Office, including the work that the Calaveras County Cold Case Task Force has been doing with advanced DNA technology and genetic genealogy. In just the last year, the Cold Case Task Force identified Reginald Frisby, who was a previously unidentified victim of the Wilseyville Killings, and were also able to send the remains of Brenda O’Connor to her family. The Task Force is currently working on other DNA profiles that have been assigned to a genealogist for processing and analysis. The funding for the task force is generated from non-county funds raised through an annual fundraising event.   This year's fundraising event is on November 8^th. 
Lastly, the Undersheriff outlined the ongoing activities of the Calaveras County Volunteer Search and Rescue Team. These activities included the recent search for a missing mother and her son, monthly training sessions, and the acquisition of a new equipment vehicle funded through the Sheriff’s Office resources, grants, and fundraising efforts. The team continues its dedicated efforts to stay prepared to respond to individuals who are lost or injured.
The Undersheriff ended the speech with, “Regardless of our political beliefs or our opinions, we are all people that deserve to live happy and in peace, and to allow others to do the same.”