LAKE ELSINORE, CA – Retired Lake Elsinore Sheriff Captain Michael Lujan threw his hat in the race for Riverside County Sheriff.
According to the Riverside County Registrar of Electors’ latest list of candidates for the June 7 consolidated primary election, Lujan declared his candidacy on February 25.
The 55-year-old veteran is running to unseat Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is being re-elected for the first time. So far, Lujan is Bianco’s only challenger on the candidate list.
Find out what’s going on in Lake Elsinore-Wildomar with free real-time Patch updates.
Bianco has been Riverside County’s top law enforcement officer since unseating incumbent Sheriff Stan Sniff in the November 2018 general election.
The current sheriff has been both praised by his supporters and condemned by critics during his tenure. He made national headlines for pushing back against COVID guidelines, his past membership in a far-right militia, and his department’s work to keep protests mostly peaceful during the 2020 protests.
Find out what’s going on in Lake Elsinore-Wildomar with free real-time Patch updates.
A political race between Bianco and Lujan could heat up. In December 2020, Lujan was placed on administrative leave just weeks before his retirement. The sheriff’s department declined to release details, saying at the time it was a personnel matter.
Lujan’s career with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spanned more than 30 years, much of it in Southwest Riverside County.
He joined the force in October 1989 and was first assigned to the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. In September 1993, he was transferred to Lake Elsinore Station where he completed the field training program as a Deputy Sheriff before transferring to Perris Station in late 2000.
In January 2002, Lujan was promoted to investigator and assigned to the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit. In October 2005, he was promoted to Sergeant and returned to Lake Elsinore Station. Less than a year later, he returned to the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit and served as a supervisor before being promoted to lieutenant. In March 2015, Lujan was transferred to Jurupa Valley Station.
Finally, on January 17, 2019, Lujan was promoted by Bianco to Captain and assigned to Lake Elsinore Station where he managed law enforcement services for several unincorporated communities and served as Chief of police for the towns of Lake Elsinore and Wildomar.
Lujan holds a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice. He and his wife, Freda, live in Menifee and have two adult daughters.
Bianco, who is close in age to Lujan, has had a similar career path. He attended San Bernardino Sheriff’s Academy in 1993 and was hired by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department shortly after graduation. He is also married with children.
To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required elements for arrestreports@patch.com.
