By Sheriff Ian Parkinson
This month marks an important transition at the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office as we say goodbye to a respected longtime leader and welcome another into a new role.
After more than 27 years in law enforcement, including 15 years serving the people of San Luis Obispo County, Correctional Captain Stephanie Landgraf has retired from the Sheriff’s Office.
Stephanie’s career reflects what public service is supposed to look like: professionalism, integrity, hard work, and a commitment to making those around you better.
Over the course of her career, Stephanie served at nearly every level of correctional leadership. She worked as a correctional deputy and facility training officer before promoting through the ranks of sergeant and lieutenant. In March 2021, she was promoted to correctional captain, becoming the highest-ranking member of our jail and taking responsibility for leading the Sheriff’s Office Correctional Division.
That is a tremendous responsibility. Our Correctional Division operates around the clock, 365 days a year. It is responsible not only for the safety and security of those in our custody, but also for the employees who work inside the facility and the many programs, medical services, and partnerships necessary to operate a modern correctional facility.
Stephanie brought high standards and an exceptional attention to detail to that responsibility. She helped guide the jail through significant changes in the field of corrections while continually looking for ways to improve how we operate. She placed a strong emphasis on training, accountability, and best practices, while developing productive relationships with our county and community partners.
One of the most significant accomplishments during her leadership came in 2022, when the San Luis Obispo County Jail achieved national accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. That accreditation recognized the jail’s commitment to providing quality health services to incarcerated individuals and represented a tremendous amount of work by Stephanie and the entire Correctional Division.
But when I think about Stephanie’s legacy, I believe her greatest contribution goes beyond any single accomplishment.
It is the people.
Good leaders understand their responsibility is not simply to manage an organization today, but to prepare the people who will lead it tomorrow. Stephanie took that responsibility seriously. Throughout her career, she mentored employees, developed future leaders and shared the knowledge and experience she gained over nearly three decades in law enforcement.
Her influence will remain in this organization long after her retirement through the people who had the opportunity to work with her and learn from her.
As Stephanie begins her well-earned retirement, that leadership responsibility now passes to our new Correctional Captain Jeremiah Mayes.
Capt. Mayes brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to the position. Jeremiah began his career with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado in 2005 before joining our Sheriff’s Office as a Correctional Deputy in April 2007.
Since then, he has served in numerous assignments, including the jail, Honor Farm, training, jail programs, courts, the Correctional Emergency Response Team, jail operations, custody services, and support services. He has also played an important role in major projects, including implementation of our jail management system and obtaining the national health care accreditation mentioned earlier.
Before entering law enforcement, Jeremiah played basketball at Cal Poly and graduated in 2001 with a degree in business finance. He later earned a master’s degree in sport administration from the University of Northern Colorado. Those experiences helped shape his leadership philosophy around teamwork, preparation, and accountability.
His goal is an ambitious one: to make our jail one of the best in the country. That means building a strong team where employees feel valued, understand their purpose, and recognize how their individual work contributes to our larger public safety mission.
I have great confidence in Capt. Mayes as he takes on this new responsibility.
And to Stephanie, on behalf of the entire Sheriff’s Office, thank you. Thank you for your leadership, your integrity and the example you set throughout your career. You have made our Correctional Division and our Sheriff’s Office better, and we wish you nothing but happiness in your retirement.