Captain Jeff Coburn

Coburn Photo

Captain Jeff Coburn grew up in Merced, CA and obtained his education through Merced City Schools during his youth.  Coburn obtained a college degree with a major in criminal justice.   Coburn is also a California Credentialed County Senior Executive with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Institute.  

Coburn began his career with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office in January of 1994 as a volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriff while working other jobs at that time.  Coburn developed a passion for law enforcement and was sponsored through the Modesto Police Academy in 1995.  That same year, Coburn was hired as a Deputy Sheriff with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office upon completion of the academy.  Coburn worked in all of the cities and towns throughout Merced County during his service as a patrol Deputy.

Coburn voluntarily tried out for the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Regional SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) Team in 1997.  Coburn was successful in the process and has been a member of SWAT ever since.  Coburn currently serves as the Team Commander for SWAT.  His previous assignments as part of SWAT included; Rifleman, Entry team member, React team leader, Entry team leader, and Tactical Commander.  Coburn’s service to the Sheriff’s Office and Community has never wavered as evident by his remaining in an on call status since 1997 as a member of SWAT.

Coburn was selected and became a Detective with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office in 1999. Coburn served as a Detective from 1999 to 2009.  Coburn worked a gambit of assignments and investigations throughout his service in Detectives that ranged from property crimes to major crimes.  Coburn enjoyed his service in Detectives and still misses that assignment to this day.

Coburn also teaches several disciplines within the law enforcement realm.  Coburn is a defensive tactics instructor and has taught arrest and control techniques to law enforcement since 2001.  Coburn’s students have varied from academy students to college students to peace officers from the Sheriff’s Office and outside agencies.  Coburn taught Defensive Tactics at the Modesto Police Academy (Ray Simon Criminal Justice Training Center) from 2002-2003. Coburn is also a Rappel Master Instructor and has taught this discipline to the members of SWAT since the early 2000’s.                  

In 2006, Coburn was nominated as "Deputy of the Year" by a majority of the Sergeants with the Sheriff’s Office serving at that time.  Coburn was very humbled and honored when he was announced as the recipient of the Deputy of the Year award for the Merced County Sheriff’s Office in 2006.

In 2010, Coburn was promoted to the rank of Sergeant with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.  Coburn served as a patrol Sergeant upon promotion.  That same year, Coburn was selected to become the Detective Sergeant to oversee the Investigations Bureau for the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.  Coburn served as the Detective Sergeant from the end of 2010 to 2014. Coburn also served during this period in collateral duties as the Sergeant overseeing the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau.  

In 2014, Coburn was recruited to become an Administrative Sergeant and help in a project to reopen the Charles F. Bludworth Delhi Substation for the Sheriff’s Office.  That same year, the Delhi Substation was reopened to the public. 

Coburn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2014 and assigned as the area Commander for the Charles F. Bludworth Delhi Substation.  Coburn oversaw the operations bureau as the only Patrol Operations Lieutenant until a second Lieutenant was promoted to operations in 2015. 

During 2014, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office was also in the process of taking on duties associated with Animal Services (Animal Control) from the County Ag Department.  Coburn was the Lieutenant assigned to oversee the transition and merger of Animal Services to the Sheriff’s Office.  With a coordinated effort from Sheriff’s Administration, County Administration, Animal Services supervision and staff, Dispatch supervision and staff, Patrol supervision and staff along with their respective union representation, the transition was successful.  The Animal Services Bureau has become an example in efficiency and dedication that the Sheriff’s Office is proud of.

Coburn served collateral duties in overseeing the Communications Bureau-Dispatch during this time.    

In 2019, Coburn transitioned to the Corrections Bureau to help oversee operations in Corrections.  In 2020, Coburn was promoted to Captain.

Captain Coburn has a group of dedicated Supervisors and employees that do the "heavy lifting" in their respective assignments on a daily basis.  Coburn is the designated Captain to oversee the following bureaus:

  • Corrections Bureau
  • Merced County Superior Court, Court Security Bureau
  • Civil Bureau
  • Supervised Release Team (SRT)
  • SWAT
  • SERT (Corrections Bureau "Special Enforcement Response Team")
  • K9 Unit

Coburn is also a founding member of the nonprofit Merced County Sheriff’s K9 Unit Incorporated which benefits the Sheriff’s Office K9 program, K9’s, handlers and community. 

Captain Coburn is proud to serve the community and work shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.