SHERIFF JON LOPEY - SISKIYOU CO.

About Sheriff Sheriff Jon E. Lopey

Jon is a 33+ year veteran of law enforcement. He started his career as a Reserve Police Officer for the Vacaville Police Department while attending California State University, Sacramento. Sheriff Lopey was offered a full-time job with Vacaville PD but joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in July 1977. He was the Outstanding Cadet of his graduating class at the CHP Academy and was stationed in East Los Angeles. He later served in a variety of field positions in Redwood City, Oakland, Garberville, and Solano County. He later served as a sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and assistant chief with the CHP.

He served as a Field Operations Officer in Monterey (lieutenant) and later as an Area Commander in Mount Shasta. After promoting to captain, he served as a Special Services Commander for Northern Division (Redding) CHP, where he managed investigators, motor carriers, two commercial inspection facilities, air operations, and background investigations. Sheriff Lopey later commanded the CHP's Yreka Area on two occasions. He served as the Special Services Commander, which also included management oversight of all drug task forces for the division in Coastal Division (San Luis Obispo) and later, after being promoted to assistant chief, was assigned to the CHP's Information Management Division (IMD).

After serving at IMD, Sheriff Lopey was assigned as an Assistant Division Commander of the second largest CHP Division in the state, Golden Gate Division. While an Assistant Commander of Golden Gate Division, he commanded about 425 personnel in several Area (field) and communications center commands. Sheriff Lopey served in many capacities as a peace officer and had numerous specialty assignments such as field training officer, Drug Recognition Expert, weapons training officer, officer-in-charge, Acting Sergeant, Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor and Investigator, Emergency Planning Unit Supervisor, part-time Academy instructor, Co-Chairman of the CHP Awards Board, physical methods of arrest instructor, and Incident Command System (ICS) instructor.

Sheriff Lopey also attended numerous training courses such as Basic Narcotics Officers Course (Los Angeles Sheriff's Office), Homicide Investigation, Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Training (Department of Justice) numerous illicit drug investigation courses and several emergency planning course dealing with ICS, earthquake planning, and anti-terrorism. Sheriff Lopey holds a baccalaureate degree in Criminal Justice and will soon begin a graduate degree program.

Sheriff Lopey is a Viet Nam Era veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He served overseas and was discharged as a sergeant. Sheriff Lopey recently retired from the United States Army Reserve as a full colonel. He is a decorated combat veteran and has served extended tours of duty in the Republic of the Philippines, Haiti, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Sheriff Lopey holds numerous awards for his military service including the Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge and three Bronze Star Medals, one with "V" device.

Sheriff Lopey belongs to a number of law enforcement organizations, including the California State Sheriffs' Association, National Sheriffs' Association, California State Coroner's Association, California Peace Officers' Association and several veterans' organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Marine Corps League.