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By Paul Levikow
Photo, left: Sheriff Kelly Martinez cuts ribbon on renovated Lemon Grove substation
August 28, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez and Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow presided over a ribbon cutting and grand reopening of the Lemon Grove Sheriff’s Substation Thursday, 19 months after it was devastated by torrential rain.
On Jan. 22, 2024, the San Diego area recorded 2.73 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. Martinez’s team assessed the damage around the county in Sheriff’s jurisdiction to ensure that deputies could continue to provide the services that were needed and respond to flood victims, conduct evacuations and other emergency responses.
“By far, the worst damage was here in Lemon Grove. And I’m so grateful for the tenacity and resilience of my team,” Martinez said. “There was a lot going on to get this station back reopened. This really epitomizes who the Sheriff’s Office is. We serve our community and we do it very well.”
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This was truly a devastating event to our community,” Snow said. “When the January flood hit, the epicenter came right over our town. It was a devastating flood to our area.”
“Lemon Grove is a shining example that we are like the phoenix that rises from the ashes, but here the flood, the Mayor added. “We are excited to welcome our deputies and everyone in the Sheriff’s office home. Thank you for being here.”
Photo, right: Sheriff Kelly Martinez and Mayor Alysson Snow
Lemon Grove City Hall is located adjacent to the substation on Main Street and was also damaged. The City worked closely with the Sheriff's Office to repair and renovate the flood-damaged facility.
Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Barry, who is the ranking law enforcement official in Lemon Grove, described the scene when he arrived to work on that morning in January 2024.
“The rain was coming through the roof, it was coming under the doors,” Barry said. “We basically had to evacuate the station within an hour. It was bad. It was really, really bad.”
Despite the challenges created by the unexpected closure of the substation, deputies were able to continue their day-to-day patrol operations in Lemon Grove while working from Heartland Fire Station 10 nearby. Command staff and office personnel moved into the Rancho San Diego Station to continue operations for Lemon Grove.
“Deputies were resilient. They never skipped a beat. They provided the same service that they did prior to the rains all the way up to today,” Barry said. We shifted. We pivoted. We made it work. The response times were never affected.”
The renovation was completed in mid-July 2025. Deputies and professional staff moved back in shortly thereafter. Barry was thankful the renovation did not take any longer to complete.
“We needed to be in here. The public needs us here,” he said.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office has been providing law enforcement services to the City of Lemon Grove since it incorporated in 1977. The Lemon Grove Substation is staffed with 16 deputies.
Photos below: Before and after photos show flood damage and restoration
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