Orange County Sheriff's Department - Laguna Woods Station

If a loved one, a family member or you have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Laguna Woods Police Department, it can cause a lot of apprehension, mostly just from fear of the unknown.  Moreover, one is dependent upon the honesty and competence of a police officer, who may or may not be experienced or have the same sense of urgency as you. 

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 was some 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 helpful 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 a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with these goals in mind.

The Laguna Woods Police Department is the smallest police force in Orange County with just seven sworn police officers.

The Laguna Woods Police Department is responsible for patrolling Laguna Woods, a retirement community of 17,644 residents as of the 2020 census spread out over 3.34 square miles.  It has the lowest crime rate of any city in Orange County.  The median age of Laguna Woods is 74.5 years.

About ninety percent of the city consists of Laguna Woods Village, a private gated retirement community, formerly known as Leisure World, which opened in 1964.  The other ten percent consists of businesses, some homes and the city hall, which are accessible to the public.  Laguna Woods itself has no public schools.

Incorporation efforts in the late 1990’s were largely driven by the need for residents to have a stronger voice against the prospective construction of an international airport at the nearby decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.  The airport proposal was defeated, and the land in question became the Orange County Great Park. 

On May 15, 2022, a shooting took place at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods.  One person was killed and five others were injured.  The attack is believed to have been motivated by anti-Taiwanese sentiment.

As of 2020, the city’s population was 69.18% non-Hispanic white, 21.51% Asian, 0.90% African American and 5.32% Hispanic.  According to the 2010 United States Census, Laguna Woods had a median household income of $36,818, with 9.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Of the 11,699 households 0.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were married couples living together, 2.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 65.9% were non-families. 62.2% of households were one person and 57.5% were one person aged 65 or older.

Most cases arising out of the Laguna Woods Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Harbor Justice Center (Newport Beach Courthouse), but some are also brought at the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Driver West in downtown Santa Ana.  Cases that may be filed at the Central Justice Center instead of at the Harbor Justice Center would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled perhaps 10 cases arising out the Laguna Woods Police Station and brought in the Harbor Justic Center (Newport Beach Courthouse).  Such cases vary from DUI to trespassing, domestic violence to public intoxication, to reckless driving. 

Below is the Google Map to the OCSD Laguna Woods Station.