Kelly Martinez

HEAR OUR INTERVIEW WITH SHERIFF KELLY MARTINEZ

View video of full interview; Hear audio

March 24, 2023 (San Diego) – Earlier this month, East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery interviewed San Diego County’s new Sheriff, Kelly Martinez, for our radio show on KNSJ.  She’s been in law enforcement since 1985, working her way up the ranks from Deputy Sheriff to Undersheriff before winning election as Sheriff last November. She’s also the first woman to serve as San Diego’s top law enforcement officer. In our interview, she spoke about efforts to improve jails and reduce jail deaths, combat human trafficking and fentanyl overdoses, hold deputies accountable for wrongdoing, address homelessness issues, and expand staffing - including some jobs currently open, and more.

Audio: 


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SHERIFF UNVEILS SWEEPING CHANGES TO REDUCE JAIL DEATHS, IMPROVE HEALTH AND SAFETY IN COUNTY DETENTION FACILITIES

East County News Service

February 4, 2023 (San Diego) -- San Diego County jails have in recent years had the highest number of jail deaths of any major county in California. Many of those deaths have been due to drug overdoses, including Fentanyl. That’s prompted an investigation by the state auditor and calls for reforms from politicians.

Now, newly elected Sheriff Kelly Martinez (photo) has announced numerous changes aimed at improvement the health and safety of people in custody.  Those changes include:


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MARTINEZ LEADS IN SHERIFF RACE, MYERS AND HEMMERLING IN CLOSE RACE FOR RUNOFF

Update June 8, 2022:  With 21.5% of the vote counted, Undersheriff Martinez now has 38.09%, followed by Hemmerling with 20.42% and Myers with 17.85%. The top two will run off in November.

By Miriam Raftery

June 7, 2022 (San Diego) – Early results after polls closed tonight show Undersheriff Kelly Martinez with a strong lead in the race to become San Diego County’s next Sheriff. Martinez has 39.5% in a field of seven contenders. The top two will run off in November. Currently retired prosecutor, police officer and ex- Marine John Hemmerling has 19.9%, trailed closely by retired Sheriff Commander Dave Myers at 17.8%..

Martinez, a Democrat, has the endorsement of former Sheriff Bill Gore and the San Diego Gun Owners Association. Myers is endorsed by the Democratic Party, while Hemmerling is the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate.


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VIEW OUR INTERVIEW WITH KELLY MARTINEZ, UNDERSHERIFF AND CANDIDATE FOR SHERIFF

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2022 (San Diego) – Kelly Martinez is the first woman to serve as San Diego County's Undersheriff. Now she's a candidate hoping to become the first woman Sheriff in our region, aiming to fill the vacancy left by long-time Sheriff Bill Gore’s retirement. Last week, with East County Magazine held an in-depth interview with Undersheriff Martinez, which also aired on KNSJ radio. 

She’s spent 37 years in the department, where the started the Sheriff’s Homeless Assistance Resource Team and Marijuana Enforcement teams. She helped manage the department’s responses through the pandemic and civil unrest. She says she’s committed to investing in improving public safety and jail safety, as well as filling vacancies amid critical staffing shortages.

View video of the full interview. Hear audio version.  Scroll down to read highlights.

Audio: 


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

CANDIDATES FOR SHERIFF TO APPEAR THURSDAY IN VIRTUAL FORUM

Martinez and Myers to present their visions for the Sheriff's Department, answer questions from frontline Deputies

East County News Service

August 25, 2021 (San Diego) -- The 2022 Sheriff's Race kicks off Thursday with candidates appearing at their first forum on August 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. hosted by the Deputy Sheriff's Association (DSA) of San Diego County.

Both candidates have years of experience in the San Diego County Sheriff’s organization: Kelly Martinez, current Undersheriff, and retired Sheriff’s Commander Dave Myers.

The event will be live-streamed on the DSA’s Facebook Page.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.