Peace in the Valley: History of the Lompoc Police Department 1890-2008, the first formal written history of Lompoc’s police department, is now available for purchase. The new book was compiled by local historian and former Lompoc Police Department volunteer Joseph L. Carlson, who first joined the department in 1985.
Bill Brown, the police chief at the time, was aware of Carlson’s background in library science and asked him to consider documenting the history of law enforcement in Lompoc. Between then and now, Carlson spent hundreds of hours reviewing Lompoc Library records in order to write the book, a process that stalled along the way under changing leadership within the department over the years but was rejuvenated by former Police Chief Pat Walsh.
Proceeds from the book’s sales will support the Lompoc Police Foundation (cost is $30). The book is also available for checkout as part of the Local Author Collection at the Lompoc Library, located at 501 E. North Ave., Lompoc. To find out more about Peace in the Valley, visit cityoflompoc.com.
This article appears in Jan 16-23, 2020.