Full Notification

Public Information Release
April 3, 2014
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer


Recently, Sheriff Rivero discovered that the crime statistics reports previously posted on the Lake County Sheriff’s webpage were inaccurate, did not match the statistical data reported to the state and inflated the crime statistics for Lake County. In an effort to report to the public completely accurate statistics, we have now published the 2008-2012 Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) on our website. These are the same crime statistics reports which are submitted to the Department of Justice as required by law.

After uncovering the inaccuracies in the crime statistics on the website, Sheriff Rivero ordered an investigation into the matter. The investigation has uncovered key information. The reporting format used on the website was developed by a command staff member from the previous Sheriff’s administration. That format was carried through to the current administration by records employees. The design of this format reported numerous crimes from a single incident or arrest. It was that form of calculation which led to inflated and inaccurate crime statistics on the website. All of the employees who were responsible for the development, publishing and review of the 2008-2012 crime statistics reports previously published on our website no longer work for the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Rivero believes the employees of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office work hard every day to protect the members of our community. Their efforts are reflected in the true crime statistics (UCR’s) reported to the Department of Justice.

Copies of the UCR’s are available online at www.lakesheriff.com