City of Santa Clarita Announces Brandon Barclay as New Chief of Police

Brandon Barclay has been selected as the new Captain of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, bringing nearly two decades of law enforcement experience with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to his new post. Barclay spent nearly four years as the second in command at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, serving as former Captain Justin Diez’s Operations Lieutenant.

“Having served as our Operations Lieutenant for the past four years, Captain Barclay recognizes the critical importance of working proactively with the City to address current public safety challenges,” said City Manager Ken Striplin. “His leadership and expertise will further our shared commitment to maintaining low crime rates and enhancing the safety, security and overall quality of life that defines Santa Clarita as one of the safest cities in California.”

Barclay is replacing Sheriff’s Captain Justin Diez, who was recently promoted to Commander. Diez served as the Chief of Police for the Santa Clarita Valley Station since 2020.

Barclay began his service with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2007, attending the North Academy at College of the Canyons. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from California Lutheran University. Further enhancing his professional development, Barclay possesses a Certificate of Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School. He also earned a Master’s degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego, where he graduated with department honors. 

His initial assignments were at Pitches Detention Center North and South Facilities, before transferring to the Mira Loma Detention Center. He then transitioned to patrol duties, commencing his field career at the Palmdale Sheriff Station. Demonstrating a commitment to community engagement, he later worked with Community Partnership Bureau Crime Impact Teams. His leadership potential was recognized with a promotion to detective in Lancaster, where he served from 2013 to 2015. Barclay’s career trajectory continued upward as he became a field sergeant, assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station for two years. During this period, he discovered a profound passion for assisting vulnerable populations, leading him to supervise the Mental Evaluation Teams in the North Patrol Division. He dedicated four years to this critical role, concurrently serving as a crisis negotiator, a testament to his specialized skills in de-escalation and crisis intervention. Barclay’s leadership capabilities were further acknowledged with his promotion to watch commander, initially in Lancaster, and then, after nearly a year, he was reassigned as watch commander of Santa Clarita Station, before his promotion to Operations Lieutenant and now Captain.

“Serving as Captain of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is more than a job—it’s an honor to protect and serve the community I call home,” said Captain Barclay. “Throughout my nearly 20 years with the Sheriff’s Department, I’ve built a career on teamwork, listening to residents and taking proactive steps to keep neighborhoods safe. My background in patrol, investigations, crisis negotiation and mental health response has given me the tools to address crime from every angle. I’m committed to working alongside our City, community partners and residents to drive crime down and ensure Santa Clarita remains one of the safest places to live, work and raise a family.”

Captain Barclay lives in the Santa Clarita Valley with his wife and son. In his spare time, he enjoys physical fitness, travelling and enjoying all our City has to offer.

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