Lt. Gilmore leaving Sheriff's Fallbrook substation

Lt. David Gilmore of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department is serving his final day as commander of the Fallbrook substation today (Jan. 5). Beginning tomorrow (Jan. 6), Gilmore will report to duty at the Office of the Sheriff in San Diego and begin his new assignment as a standards and compliance manager.

"The [standards and compliance] unit works under the direction of the Sheriff (William Gore) to basically be an extension of his eyes," said Gilmore. "We inspect and determine compliance issues, and we interact when critical incidents happen to review them. It is a new responsibility and I am grateful for the (department's) trust and the opportunity."

Lt. Pat Gardner has been named to replace Gilmore in Fallbrook.

"He's a 30-year veteran with the Sheriff's Department with a broad range of experience," said Gilmore of Gardner. "He's a very capable person. He's done time with the homicide unit, with the gangs unit, and is a very credible individual that's put in a lot of time. He's worked all around the department. He's got a great reputation and I think the citizens of Fallbrook will really appreciate having him here."

Gardner, who most recently has been working with a gang task force in San Diego, will be in charge of a Sheriff's substation for the first time in his career.

"He's excited about it," said Gilmore of Gardner. "He's worked out of patrol stations before, but he's excited because I keep sharing with him about this community."

Today marks the end of the second of two tours of duty in Fallbrook for Gilmore, who served as a patrol sergeant here from January 2008 to September 2010 and then returned in November 2014 when he took over as the commander of the substation.

"The first time I was here I got a chance to learn about Fallbrook, and it was a blessing when they let me come back," said Gilmore. "This second time I had the opportunity to learn even more about Fallbrook and become part of the community. To be a part of the Student of the Month breakfast and to work with the Chamber of Commerce on its different events and things like the Avocado Festival and the Christmas Parade, it's been so much fun."

In addition to being fun, Gilmore's second stay in Fallbrook was also successful. In a study released last August by SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments), statistics from the SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division showed overall crime rates in Fallbrook were down double-digits during his tenure.

"It makes me feel good it happened," said Gilmore. "I've had a chance to work here in Fallbrook with some really dedicated professionals and they take keeping people safe in this community to heart. They enjoy having a good reputation. It's just been nice to be a partner with all these folks here that get the job done.

"Honestly, the lieutenant is a little bit of the rudder – it's not the steam, it's not the engine," continued Gilmore. "The engine is all the people that are working, making stuff happen. The engine is the community that supports us, it's our fire department and how we work together. It's all that synergy out there, and all I end up being is a rudder. And if you're under fair weather and good sea, you don't need too much rudder. That's something I'm proud of – I got an opportunity to work in a community like this."

Gilmore acknowledged the department's work on reducing gang activity and a nine-month undercover operation that culminated in September with a drug bust that netted 17 arrests as rewarding successes.

"There's a lot of people no longer roaming the streets because of that," said Gilmore of the crackdown on gangs. "I'm proud of that. The large drug operation that just concluded this year was pretty fantastic."

Gilmore said a key to the department's crime prevention is being proactive.

"The deputies enjoy working up here in Fallbrook because the radio isn't constantly badgering them to go chase calls," said Gilmore. "And they actually get a chance to go out and do some crime prevention work and hunt for people that might be in the region that are a problem. We do a lot of contacting of our probationers and parolees that are out, and that's something that has been very helpful for us because we have the time to do it up here."

Gilmore said he is leaving his Fallbrook post with fond memories.

"I'm most proud of the people I had a chance to meet up here – the deputies, the people out in the field and the people that work in the front office," said Gilmore. "Just getting a chance to learn more about how people are making this place successful."