William D. Gore assumed office as the 29th Sheriff of San Diego County on July 3, 2009. He oversees the department’s 4,000 employees and an annual budget of over $579 million.

Sheriff Gore previously served as Assistant Sheriff of the department’s Law Enforcement Services Bureau and as the Undersheriff to former Sheriff Bill Kolender. From those posts he led the department’s initiative to address Indian Gaming, expanded the Sheriff’s air operations to include two fire-fighting helicopters and the Department’s crime lab DNA operations. He spearheaded the creation of the Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center (RTTAC).

Sheriff Gore’s law enforcement career spans nearly 40 years. He spent 32 years in the FBI, where he rose to the level of Assistant Director. He served as Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Seattle and San Diego Field Divisions, where he implemented the FBI Cyber Crime Squad and Joint Terrorism Task Force. He played a significant role in establishing the San Diego Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the first of its kind in the United States.

After retiring from the FBI and before joining the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Gore served as Special Advisor and Chief Investigator to the San Diego County District Attorney.

Sheriff Gore is a member of the San Diego County Police Chiefs’ and Sheriff’s Association, board member of the San Diego Crime Victims Fund and the California Peace Officers’ Association (CPOA), and a member of the San Diego Rotary Club. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations including the Arthur E. Hughes Career Achievement Award from his alma mater, University of San Diego (2002). He was selected as “Headliner of the Year” by the San Diego Press Club (2001). President Clinton designated him as a Meritorious Executive in Senior Executive Service (2000).

Sheriff Gore, a San Diego native, holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Seattle University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of San Diego.

Sheriff Gore’s family is rich in law enforcement experience. His father and older brother were a part of the San Diego Police Department and his middle brother was a San Diego County Deputy Sheriff. His wife was one of the first female FBI agents in the United States.

Sheriff Gore and his wife, Natalie, have a grown son who lives in Arizona.