Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department - Palmdale Station

If you, a loved one or a family member have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LAPD), Palmdale Station, it can cause a lot of worries. 

Facing such a situation, it can be helpful to know the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release.  It can also help to know what evidence is needed to convict one for the crime that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime. 

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

This article is presented with this goal in mind.

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Palmdale station, is located at the corner of Avenue Q and Sierra Highway.  It has an unspecified number of sworn police officers and an unspecified number of civilian support personnel assigned to it. 

The Palmdale Station is responsible for the City of Palmdale, Acton, Agua Dulce, Big Pines/Wrightwood, Green Valley, Lake Elizabeth, Lake Hughes, Leona Valley, Littlerock, Llano, Pearblossom, Vallyermo and Vasquez Rocks.

The City of Palmdale's population was 169,450 at the 2020 census, up from, up from 152,750 at the 2010 census.  Palmdale is the 32nd most populous city in California. Together with its immediate northern neighbor, the city of Lancaster, the Palmdale–Lancaster urban area had a population of 359,559 in 2020.

The 1980’s and 1990’s were the decades that really started to define the two Antelope Valley cities.  Affordable housing in the area caused a dramatic spike in the population.  The city, like its northern neighbor Lancaster, became a bedroom community for those employed in Los Angeles. In 1980, Palmdale's population was 12,227.  By 2020, it was fifteen times this amount.

The racial composition of Palmdale’s population in 2010 was 49.0% white (24.5% Non-Hispanic White), 14.8% African American, 4.3% Asian and 54.4% Hispanic of Latino. 

Criminal street gangs are a significant issue in Palmdale (and Lancaster), with African American and Hispanic / Latino gangs from the Los Angeles area having members in the Antelope Valley.

The most important industry for Palmdale is the aerospace industry with Edwards Air Force Base being the primary employer.  Palmdale refers to itself with the nickname the "aerospace capital of the United States," and has been the site of research, development, final assembly, flight testing and/or servicing/modifications of the Space Shuttle, the B-1 Lancer, the X-15, the B-2 Spirit, the B-21 Raider, the F-117 Nighthawk, the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 Lightning, the SR-71 Blackbird and many other aircraft that have been used in the United States Air Force, NASA and air forces and airlines around the world.

Most cases arising out of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Palmdale Station’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Lancaster Courthouse, but some are also brought at the Clara Shortridge Foltz criminal courts building (CCB) at 210 West Temple Street in downtown Los Angeles.  Cases that may be filed at CCB instead of at the Lancaster Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled many cases arising out the Palmdale Sheriff’s station and brought in the Lancaster Courthouse.  The Lancaster Courthouse is the courthouse Alex Griggs from our office appears at most often, sometimes five days per week.  Greg also appears in the Lancaster Courthouse, but far less frequently.  Alex has handled some of the heaviest cases in the courthouse, include gang-related murders, horrendous sex offenses with exposure far in excess of one’s natural lifetime and smaller cases, too, particularly involving controlled substance sales.