Desert Hot Springs Police Department

If you, a loved one or a family member have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Desert Hot Springs Police Department, it can cause a lot of worries, mostly just from fear of the unknown of what will happen or can happen.  Moreover, one is dependent upon the competence, honesty and accuracy of a police officer, who may or may not be experienced or have the same sense of urgency as you in having the police report properly written.  

Facing such a situation, knowing the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense or offenses at issue if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release may ease one’s worries.  It is also good to know what evidence is needed to convict one for the crime or crimes that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime or crimes. 

 
We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is well worth one’s time to learn a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be smart to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the area’s demographics, a bit of history about the town, city or area, and the most common types of crimes the department investigates to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful.  This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with these goals in mind.

The Desert Hot Springs Police Department is a medium-sized station although there is no publicly available data on exactly how many sworn police officers and how many civilian support personnel are assigned to it.  Based on the population and size of Desert Hot Springs, we would expect there to be approximately 45 sworn police officers assigned to it and about 13 staff personnel.

The Desert Hot Springs Police Department is responsible for patrolling the City of Desert Hot Springs, which is 30.66 square miles and has a population of 32,512 as of the 2020 census.

For arrests along the I-10 and State Route 62freeways crossing Desert Hot Springs, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will normally handle this work, although one may be thereafter transported to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department for processing, a breath test (if a DUI) and booking.  The person may also be held at the John J. Benoit Correctional Facility in Indio until bail is posted or the person is transferred to the Riverside County Jail, also called the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside.

As of 2010, the city’s population was 34.4% non-Hispanic white, 2.6% Asian, 8.2% African American and 52.6% Hispanic.  According to the 2010 United States Census, Desert Hot Springs had a median household income of $32,883, with 28.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Desert Hot Springs has a diverse population.  Several racial or ethnic groups live there, with the largest group being of Mexican and Central American ancestry.  There is a Korean American ethnic section of the city at 8th Street and Cholla Drive.  Thousands of American Jews made the city their home.  According to the Desert Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the city's population is over 10 percent African American or Black.  The city has a high proportion of Native Americans, too, most of whom are members of the Cahuilla tribe in proximity to the Agua Caliente Cahuilla tribal board in Palm Springs.  A large percentage of the city population is LGBTQ.

Most cases arising out of the Desert Hot Springs Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Indio Courthouse, but some are also brought at the Riverside Hall of Justice at 4100 Main Street in downtown Riverside.  Cases that may be filed at the Riverside Hall of Justice instead of at the Indio Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled no cases arising out the Desert Hot Springs Police Station and brought in the Indio Courthouse (although we have handled cases at the Indio Courthouse).  However, such cases would most likely vary from DUI to domestic violence, to shoplifting, to possession and / or sales of a controlled substance.  

We find that locals to the Desert Hot Springs area often distrust local criminal defense attorneys as being social friends with prosecutors and judges, so they are unwilling to fight too hard to preserve their friendships, so we are hired instead because we are not from Desert Hot Springs and we presumably have no such ties or loyalties.

For more information about being arrested and possibly facing a criminal case, please click on the following articles:

Below is the Google Map to the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.