SAN BENITO COUNTY—A Watsonville native was sworn in as the 16th sheriff for San Benito County Friday under mild, sunny conditions in the front courtyard of the Veterans Memorial Building.
Eric Taylor, a 1992 Watsonville High School graduate, accepted the position in the presence of his wife, Jaqueline—who he said, “none of this would be possible without her”—their daughters and other family members, county and city dignitaries and a wealth of law, fire and county employees.
“This position is not about power and control,” Taylor said. “It’s about honor, service and protection. I promise you I will expect my deputies to treat this community with compassion, empathy and bravery.”
Taylor, whose family stems back to the origins of Taylor’s Office City in downtown Watsonville in 1949, is a graduate of San Diego State University. After a brief stint with the San Diego Police cadet program, Taylor returned to Watsonville and was hired by then-Police Chief Terry Medina in 2000. Taylor worked his way up the ranks from officer to corporal, training officer and sergeant, and he served on the Gang Task Force.
During his stint on the task force, Taylor racked up more than 75 convictions.
“I was fortunate to have hired an officer like Eric,” Medina said. “Our department went on to send nine of our officers to the position of police chief or sheriff. That’s testimonial to the talent in that department.”
Indeed, outgoing San Benito Sheriff Darren Thompson stemmed from WPD, just as former WPD Chief Manny Solano, Marina Police Chief Edmundo Rodriguez and Capitola Police Chief Rudy Escalante, among others.
Thompson praised the San Benito County Board of Supervisors for choosing Taylor.
“I recommended him and I’m glad they selected someone from our agency,” Thompson said.
Taylor has worked with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office since 2014. He was appointed by the board as interim sheriff in April, and is expected to serve until Jan. 2, 2023.
The San Benito County voters will elect a sheriff again next June.
