The Santa Clara Sheriff's Department is comprised of 1,429 sworn officers and 312 civilian personnel members. They work to serve a population of approximately 197,000 residents that live in Cupertino, Los Altos hills, Saratoga, and the unincorporated areas of the county.

The Department is also contracted to provide law enforcement services to the Valley Transportation Authority and the Santa Clara County Parks Department.

The Santa Clara Sheriff's Department is one of the oldest in the state, being founded in 1850. The Department is divided into three separate bureaus: Field Operations, Support Services, and Administrative Services.

With the creation of the Department of Corrections in 1988, the Sheriff's Office no longer maintains the county's jail system. They do provide supervisory positions within the Santa Clara County Jail, however, as well as in the Transportation Unit and Perimeter Patrol.

DIVISIONS & UNITS

South County Substation
80 W. Highland Ave., Bldg K
San Martin, CA 95046
Phone: 408-686-3650
San Martin Bail Bonds

The unincorporated southern county communities of San Martin, Rucker, and Uvas Canyon are patrolled from this substation. The unincorporated areas surrounding Gilroy and Morgan Hill are also patrolled by officers at this station.

West Valley Division
161 S. De Anza Blvd.
Cupertino, CA 95014
Phone: 408-868-6600
Cupertino Bail Bonds

This station provides 24-hour patrols for the contract cities of Saratoga, Cupertino and Los Alto Hills as well as the unincorporated areas. This station is based in the community of Cupertino. The officers at this station also provide services to the unincorporated areas of North/West Santa Clara County. Their responsibilities include patrol and traffic functions, special enforcement details, and investigative services.

Transit Patrol Division
3331 North First St.
San Jose, CA 95134
Phone: 408-321-7149
San Jose Bail Bonds

This division is contracted to provide security and law enforcement services for the Valley Transportation Authority, with the goal of maintaining safety for patrons and employees as well as security for VTA properties.

Parks Patrol

This unit provides law enforcement services from the Headquarters Patrol Division for the Santa Clara County Parks Department. Officers on assignment patrol and enforce the law within the county's 27 parks.

QUESTIONS TO ASK A BONDSMAN

When you are seeking out the best bail bond agency to do business with, there are five important questions that you should ask before entering into an agreement:

• Are you licensed? If a bondsman is operating in the State of California, they must be licensed. This information can be verified with the Department of Insurance.
• Are you listed with the BBB? What is your rating? This is a good way to learn about a company's reputation and any complaints that have been filed.
• Can you explain the bail bond process to me? Any professional agency will be able to walk you through the entire process. The better you understand the bail bond process, the smoother it will go.
• What is the cost of a bail bond? In California, the bail bond premium is set by the Department of Insurance at 10% of the total bail amount. This is not negotiable, so if an agent tells you a different amount, they are doing so illegally.
• How soon will my friend or family member be released? With so many different factors affecting an inmate’s release, no bondsman can give an exact time. A professional agent who has worked with that jail previously will be able to give a reasonable estimate, however.