Mark Ball

Sheriff Bob Brooks is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Ball to the position of Undersheriff effective June 14, 2009. The rank of Undersheriff is second highest in command within the Sheriff’s rank structure. “Being succeeded by someone of the caliber of Mark Ball is the best thing I could ask for. He epitomizes the values of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and the law enforcement profession,” stated Craig Husband, the Department’s current Undersheriff who will retire on June 5th after 32 ½ years of service.

Mark is a 29-year veteran with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and has over 33 years of law enforcement experience. He is currently assigned as Chief Deputy of the Detention Services Division, which includes the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, Todd Road Jail, and Court Services Bureau. It is the largest of the Department’s four divisions.

During his 29 years with the Sheriff’s Department, Mark has worked in every division within the Department. He has considerable expertise in the management of detention facilities and has previously been directly responsible for operations at the Branch Jail Honor Farm and the Pre-Trial Detention Facility. Mark also possesses a great deal of expertise in matters related to internal affairs. He has been teaching ethics and leadership courses to academy cadets for over a decade and recently has expanded that training to include all new field-training officers. He has a strong desire to influence both new recruits and seasoned officers about the importance of ethics and conduct within the law enforcement profession.

Mark’s greatest strength is his cooperative nature. He exemplifies the Department’s core value of service in everything he does. Regarding the appointment, Sheriff Brooks recently commented, “Mark is a skilled and trusted leader who uses a strong ethical base for making decisions. This coupled with his outstanding record of service and performance over many years in a variety of assignments makes him the ideal selection to a position as important as Undersheriff.”

Mark lives in Ojai with his wife Michele and his daughter Morgan.