Captain Tonya P. Edwards is a 31-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, beginning her career in 1988. After graduating from the Academy, she worked at Sybil Brand Institute (SBI). Nine years of patrol began with training at Firestone Station, and later at Lynwood Station where she worked on bicycle patrol. She helped open Century Station in 1994, and later became a Field Training Officer. She transferred to Industry Station, where she worked patrol, Youth Activities League (YAL), and C.O.P.S. She left patrol in 1999 and worked as a Gang Enforcement Team (GET) deputy at Safe Streets Bureau, then she spent the next four years as a detective at Narcotics Bureau. In 2005, she promoted to sergeant and worked Custody at PDC – North/South. She transferred to Patrol at Norwalk Station and was later assigned to Safe Streets Bureau – OSS Detectives, where she was part of the Monrovia/Duarte Gang Task Force, and also worked as an OSS Detective at Compton and Carson Stations.
In 2010, she was promoted to lieutenant and worked watch commander at Men’s Central Jail, then Crescenta Valley/Altadena, and San Dimas Stations. She also worked at Century Station Patrol in Operations and at Custody Support Services (CSS) as the Division Compliance Lieutenant, then at Men’s Central Jail in Operations, and as an Executive Aide to the Custody Division Assistant Sheriff, Mr. Robert J. Olmsted and Bruce D. Chase.
In 2016, during Captain Edwards’ assignment at CSS, she was given the Custody Training Officer (CTO) and Probationary Employee training project, which sought bonus status and a 5.5% pay increase for custody training personnel. She also oversaw the revamp of the entire Custody Division training curriculum for newly assigned deputies, including the approval of a new database to assist with the probationary employees and their training.
Captain Edwards holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Long Beach State University in Occupational Studies, and a Master’s Degree from National University in Public Administration, and she is certified fluent in Spanish.
Captain Edwards will participate in the 2020 Police Unity Tour in Washington DC, and also enjoys snow skiing and weight lifting. Thank you for your years of dedication to our Department. #blackhistorymonth
