Imperial County Undersheriff Fred Miramontes has announced his candidacy for sheriff. The election will be in June 2022.

“My past experience and my current time in service with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office make me a candidate with a unique background, understanding and experience to take the Sheriff’s Office to the next level of service within our communities,” Miramontes said. 

“Our current sheriff, Ray Loera, is leaving some big shoes to fill when he retires at the end of this term. However, after working closely with him for more than 15 years, I am confident I can build upon his outstanding contributions,” Miramontes said.

Miramontes has 45 years of law enforcement experience; 22 of those years were in upper management.
He began as a patrolman with the Brawley Police Department. After three years, Miramontes moved on to the California Highway Patrol, where he spent the next 29 years, the last seven of them as a Lieutenant Commander. In that capacity, he supervised the Calexico CHP Commercial Inspection Facility and was engaged in special assignments including supervision of the Desert (Imperial/Riverside Counties) Officer-Involved Shooting Team and a Statewide assignment on a Department Commercial Enforcement Audit Team.

He has spent the last 15 years as Undersheriff for the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, the department’s second in command. In that capacity, he has directed and managed daily law enforcement and jail operations of the department, and led efforts to bring state and federal grant funding to the county to enhance departmental efficiency and services.

As sheriff, Miramontes said he will seek to continue collaborative work efforts with the various law enforcement agencies in Imperial County as well as ensure safety services to communities by providing a visible presence of law enforcement.    

He added, “I have been tested and proven in overseeing all the operations that are the responsibility of the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office.”

Miramontes pledged he “will continue to serve the citizens of Imperial County with integrity, dedication, and honor.  I will continue to  collaborate with our communities, and meet with our citizens to address concerns and crime trends; utilizing the Sheriff’s Office resources to make our communities a safe place to live.”

A product of a single parent household whose mother cared for five sons, and valued such organizations as Brawley’s Boys and Girls Club and Hidalgo Society, Miramontes has a strong personal commitment to at-risk youth. His involvement with organizations serving those youngsters began more than 20 years ago while serving with the CHP. He said it has taken a greater emphasis in his role as undersheriff.
Miramontes is a graduate of Brawley Union High School and Imperial Valley College, where he obtained an A.S. in Law Enforcement and Sociology. He also has taken a number of upper-division university courses, focused on a major in criminal justice and public administration.
Website: www.electmiramontessheriff.com

• ​​​​Enhanced Border Security: Helped expand participation in the federally-funded Operation Stonegarden that provides law enforcement equipment and technology and enhances cooperation between federal law enforcement agencies and state and local agencies to provide enhanced border security.
• Increased Law Enforcement Resources: Oversaw the Sheriff’s Office establishment of the Border Crime Suppression Task Force Team that increased law enforcement resources to combat border crimes and increased drug interdiction efforts in Imperial County.
• City of Holtville: Worked with county leadership to establish, define, and resolve any differences regarding the 10-year-old law enforcement agreement between the county and the City of Holtville. 
• Developed Partnerships: Negotiated law enforcement services agreements with several local municipalities as well as school districts, including Imperial Valley College and San Pasqual Valley School District
• Drones and Farm Thefts: Through a county agriculture grant, established the ICSO drone program that has been a crucial tool to investigate farm-related thefts.
• Oren Fox Detention Facility: Helped lead the team that obtained $33 million to fund the new Oren Fox Detention Facility.
• Major Investigations: Collaborated with farmers in major agriculture theft investigations, such as the June 2021 arrests of 15 individuals who were part of a major criminal network that targeted farm equipment and other essential high-dollar equipment such as water pumps, generators and off-road terrain farm vehicles.

 
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