Special Investigations

The Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division began in the early 1970’s as part of the county-wide project called Narcotics Task Force (NTF). The NTF was staffed by law enforcement personnel from various law enforcement agencies within the county and was a concerted effort against street drug users and dealers.

Several specialized units have been formed and disbanded since the 1970’s. In 2006, the division was reorganized and renamed as the Special Investigations Division (SID). The reorganization expanded SID into several sections, Special Enforcement Section, Gang Suppression Section, Volunteer Services Section and incorporated the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), and various Narcotics Units.

In 2019, a major reorganization within SID occurred. The Tactical Response Section, the Narcotics Investigations Unit (CAL-MMET) and the Narcotics Operations Unit (KC-HIDTA) were established. The Rural Crimes Unit also joined SID that same year. For several years, SID was staffed primarily with Kern County Sheriff’s Office personnel, but it also included Agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Agents from the United States Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a Probation Officer from the Kern County Probation Department, and a Police Officer from the Shafter Police Department.

The Sheriff's Office reorganized again in 2025, and SID became the Special Investigations Section (SIS) under the newly formed Special Enforcement Division. As of 2025, the units within the SIS include:

• Narcotics Operations Unit, also known as Kern County-High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (KC-HIDTA)
• Drug Enforcement Administration – Task Force
• California Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (Cal-MMET)
• Gang Unit
• Special Operations Group
• Federal Bureau of Investigations – Joint Terrorism Task Force (FBI-JTTF)
• Federal Bureau of Investigations – Gang Task Force
• Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF)
• Air Support Unit