Candidate for
Sheriff; County of San Diego

Tough times demand tested leadership.

Sheriff Bill Gore has the experience and professionalism to lead one of the nation's finest and most respected local law enforcement organizations during a time of change and budgetary challenges. That's why retired Sheriff Bill Kolender, along with law enforcement and community leaders, support Bill Gore's election as Sheriff.

Prior to becoming sheriff, Bill Gore was responsible for day-to-day operations of one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the nation. His field deputies patrol a jurisdiction of over 4,000 square miles. He oversees a jail operation with 5,100 inmates at seven different detention facilities. He is responsible for a staff of 4,000 with an annual budget of over $500 million.

A second-generation San Diegan, Bill Gore's dad was a San Diego police officer. After graduation from Crawford High School and the University of San Diego, Bill joined the FBI. Assigned to Kansas City and then Seattle, he tracked fugitives and investigated bank robberies, kidnappings and extortions. He was also assigned to counter-intelligence and to SWAT operations, and was later promoted to supervise the Violent Crimes Team.

In 1994, he was tapped to serve as Assistant Director of the FBI. From Washington, DC, he oversaw strategic planning, internal affairs, and inspections for the entire Bureau, establishing tough protocols to hold law enforcement professionals to the highest standards of performance. His efforts earned him the Meritorious Executive Award from the President of the United States.

Bill Gore returned home to San Diego to serve as Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego FBI, where he established the Joint Terrorism Task Force, initiated a Cyber Crimes Squad to investigate computer crime, and developed the nation's first Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory, all while overseeing investigations involving major drug cartels pushing dope into California from Mexico.

After 32 years of service, Bill Gore left the FBI and was appointed by Bill Kolender to serve as Assistant Sheriff overseeing the Law Enforcement Services Bureau, responsible for all patrol and investigation operations, as well as the communications center and the crime laboratory. In 2005, he was promoted to Undersheriff. In that position, he spear-headed significant changes, creating a Cold Case Forensic Team and a Sex Crimes Investigation Unit, commissioning an external audit on the use of force, and creating an Office of Inspectional Services to promote public accountability and encourage the highest level of professionalism.

Bill Gore is steering the Department through the toughest economic times in decades by focusing resources on its core public mission: to patrol neighborhoods and respond to calls for service; to house inmates safely and humanely; and to investigate and prevent crime, preserve life and protect the public.