Tustin Police Department

If you, a loved one or a family member have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Tustin Police Department, it can make one feel flustered.  The anxiety of just not knowing what will happen can be overwhelming.  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 help.  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 prudent to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be wise 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 Tustin Police Department has 100 sworn officers and 55 civilian support personnel assigned to it. 

In the late 1990’s, Tustin streets were regularly roamed by the Deuce Tray Crips, South Side Santa Ana, Los Wickeds, Barrio Brown Revolution, Maniacs, Laurel Hood Tustin, Los Crooks, Nutthood Crips, Watergate Crips, Barrio Rascals, Alley Boys and Pasadena Varrio Locos among others.  Most of those gangs no longer exist in Tustin today.

The corner of Pasadena and McFadden avenues was called “Killer Corner” because in one calendar year a murder had been committed on each corner of that intersection.

The Tustin Police Department did not have a Gang Unit until after Thien Minh Ly, a scholar with degrees from UCLA and Georgetown University, was stabbed to death by a white supremacist gang member on the Tustin High School tennis courts.

Today, the department has a Gang Reduction and Directed Enforcement Unit, as there remains a criminal street gang presence in Tustin.  Violent crimes are the most frequent gang-related crimes, followed by vandalism/graffiti, weapons violations, property crimes, and narcotic sales.

The City of Tustin encompasses approximately 11.08 square miles and has a population, as of the 2020 census, of 80.276.

For arrests along the freeways crossing Tustin (the I-5 (Golden State Freeway), SR-55 (the Costa Mesa Freeway) or SR-261 (a toll road)), the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will normally handle this work, although one may be thereafter transported to the Tustin Police Department for processing, a breath test (if a DUI) and booking.  The person may also be held at the Tustin jail until bail is posted or the person is transferred to the Orange County Jail in Santa Ana.

As of 2020, the city’s population was 28.53% non-Hispanic white, 23.71% Asian, 2.02% African American and 40.75% Hispanic.  

According to the 2010 census, Tustin had a median household income of $74,011, with 12.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

During World War II, a Navy anti-submarine airship base (later to become a Marine Corps helicopter base) was established on unincorporated land south of the city.  The two dirigible hangars are among the largest wooden structures ever built and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the ASCE List of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.  The north hangar burned down in 2023.

Most cases arising out of the Tustin Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Fullerton 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 Santa Ana Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled perhaps 40 cases arising out the Tustin Police Station and brought in the Santa Ana Courthouse.  Such cases vary from DUI to domestic violence, to shoplifting, to public intoxication to defrauding an innkeeper.

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 Tustin Police Department.