Posted by: Media Relations

Sergeant Bobby Saldana was born in Bakersfield, to Sophia and Ralph Saldana, the fourth of five children. He spent most of his youth in Texas, living there for twelve years before returning to the Central Valley. He attended Fresno High School, where he graduated with the class of 1989, and later attended the Academy at Fresno City College. 

In January of 1999, he was hired as a Deputy I with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department and began a long and varied career that spanned two years as a Deputy I and thirteen years as a Deputy II. 

Early in his career he worked in the Jail facilities, quickly moving up from a floor deputy to a leading intake deputy. Later on, working in Transport he earned his Class B license, which allowed him to drive any and all transport vehicles for the department. In Property Crimes, he was the lead investigator in a multi-jurisdictional investigation which led to the largest amount of recovered stolen property a single investigation has yielded in Tulare County - $150,000 in property. These are just a few highlights of the time he has spent with our department.

Saldana carries with him the unique perspective that comes with having worked in nearly every area or unit the Sheriff’s Department has to offer, including taking extra shifts as a bailiff at every courthouse in the County and the newly formed Cyber Crimes unit. When asked where he has worked, it’s easier to list where he hasn’t – STEP, Narcotics, Gangs, and Violent Crimes. 

While working in the Crime Lab, Saldana received extensive training in technological advances. When he was first assigned to that unit, he became the only certified Video Clarification Technician in the department. Other trainings included Crime Scene Investigations, Fingerprint Analysis, Forensic Computer and Cell Phone Analysis, as well as training in Investigations, Interrogations, and Crimes Against Children.

He is the type of person who shows up every day willing to do whatever he is asked to the best of his ability, and often takes that work above and beyond expectations. That attitude has brought not only the attention of supervisors in the department, but also of people who have worked with the Sheriff’s Department. Saldana received a commendation from the Recording Industry Association in a letter to then-Lieutenant Scott Logue for his assistance in an investigation into pirated music in Orosi. He is also mentioned in a commendation letter from FEMA to Sheriff Wittman in reference to his assistance executing Federal arrest and search warrants in Poplar. Saldana was commended for his expertise, professionalism, and was called “a credit to the law enforcement community”.

Outside of the work he has put in with the Sheriff’s Department, Bobby Saldana has spent many hours working in the community, including forming and leading youth sports programs. Over the years he has been involved in running many programs whose reach extends even outside of Tulare County.

Bobby is supported in his promotion, as he has been during the course of his career, by his family - including his wife Lilian, and children Alex, Reuben, Natalie and Nathan.

Please join us on Monday, April 28, 2014 for the promotion ceremony for Bobby Saldana. The ceremony will be held in the lobby of Sheriff’s Headquarters and will start at 11 AM.