“THE CITY DESIGNED FOR LIVING”
Santa Rosa lies within the region of the last Spanish mission - San Francisco Solano de Sonoma, founded by Padre Jose Altimira, on July 4, 1823. The area’s first English speaking settler was an Irish immigrant by the name of John L. Read in 1827 but Read only remained here for a short period. On August 30, 1829, Father Juan Amoroso performed the act of confirmation upon a young Indian woman beside a stream and it being the day on which the church celebrated the feast of Santa Rosa de Lima, Father Amoroso named the stream Santa Rosa and the surrounding valley came to be called after the stream, the Valley of Santa Rosa. Four years later, in 1833, the City of Santa Rosa was
founded by General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. The first permanent settler was Señora Maria Ygnacia Lopez de Carrillo in 1838. The County of Sonoma was organized in 1850, Santa Rosa being proclaimed by vote as the County seat.
The township of Santa Rosa and the incorporated City of Santa Rosa came on February 23, 1867. During the City’s first 107-year history, she was headed by 53 mayors and 3 presidents of the early day Boards of Trustees. The City did not have a regular base of operations until 1883 when property was purchased for the construction of the City Hall in the location now occupied by the
Eureka Savings and Loan Building.
The earthquake of 1906 damaged the 1883 City Hall beyond repair and
temporary offices were constructed at Fifth Street and Mendocino Avenue. The new City Hall, constructed in the same general area, was completed in 1913 and functioned as the seat of City government for the following 56 years. On June 7, 1969, the present Civic Center (City Hall) was dedicated. Santa Rosa’s climate and ideal location - 52 miles North of San Francisco, 100 miles West of Sacramento, and 21 miles from the Pacific Ocean, at an altitude of 167 feet above sea level - have been instrumental in the City’s growth. The current population as of the 2010 Census was 167,816, in an area of over 42 square miles.
The Santa Rosa Police Department sets itself apart from other agencies due to the impressive team of sworn and civilian staff members, a focus on training and supervision, a department foundation of wellness support, and the incredible partnership with our community and city leaders. Together, we are truly making a difference in Santa Rosa.
A Message from Chief Cregan
As Santa Rosa’s Chief of Police, I have worked diligently to listen to the voices of our community and have prioritized this feedback into eight priorities for our department to focus on under my leadership:
- Violence Reduction, Traffic Safety, and Public Safety Innovation
- Quality of Life/Mental Health Resources
- Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Police Staff
- Employee Wellness and Support
- Employee Safety, Training, & Emergency Preparedness
- Community Engagement & Education of Law Enforcement Efforts
- Building Trust & Legitimacy with our Community and within our organization
- Infrastructure and Equipment Needs
Chief Cregan is tremendously proud of the inRESPONSE Mental Health Support Team which consists of a licensed mental health clinician, a paramedic, and a homeless outreach specialist. This highly trained multi-disciplinary team responds to those in a mental health crisis in lieu of a police officer. This team is supported by a robust team of system navigators designed to provide support that we have never seen before in Sonoma County. Learn about our incredible team here on our dedicated webpage.
To those considering joining the Santa Rosa Police Department, I encourage you to read our 2022 Annual Report. You will quickly observe that things are different here at the Santa Rosa Police Department. We are fully staffed, and we are expanding our specialty teams including the Gang Crimes Team, Violent Crimes Investigations, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Investigations, Property Crimes Investigations, and Narcotics Team. Our Field Services Division includes a host of specialty teams including our Special Enforcement Team, Motor Officers, DUI/Accident Investigators, and the Downtown Enforcement Team. SRPD has a dedicated S.W.A.T. and Hostage Negotiations Team which focus on safely resolving incidents across our city.
SRPD has an incredible civilian team that includes Police Technicians, Community Service Officers, Field and Evidence Technicians, Dispatchers, Property and Evidence Technicians, and so much more.
SRPD maintains 22 Field Training Officers, 24 sergeants, seven lieutenants, and two captains. These positions result in many opportunities for those joining our incredible team. They are committed to leading the way for the North Bay and truly standing out as the standard of excellence in policing. The Santa Rosa community and the leadership team here at the Santa Rosa Police Department clearly know that they are building something special. Come join our team today!
Martin Rivera
