Associate
Retired Division Chief, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Joseph Dempsey, CJM (Certified Jail Manager) is a retired Division Chief from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. In his 33 years with the Sheriff’s Department, he worked in many different capacities and is well-versed in patrol, investigations, and correctional operations.
While working for the Sheriff’s Department he rose through the ranks, spending the last 8 years of his career focusing on extensive reform efforts within jails. After 4 years managing the nation’s largest jail (Men’s Central Jail), 2 years managing the nation’s largest mental health jail (Twin Towers Correctional Facility), and 3 years directing all day-to-day activities for the nation’s largest jail system (Los Angeles County), Joseph retired in March 2021 as Division Chief, Custody.
Joseph currently leverages his law enforcement expertise to provide comprehensive management and operational consulting to jails nationwide. He is a subject matter expert in jail operations, including Jail Policy, Management, Strategic Planning, Facility Safety and Security, Budget, Staffing, Investigations, Federal Mandates, Disciplinary Procedures, Consent Decrees, Suicide and Mental Health Procedures and use-of-force in a correctional setting.
Joseph holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, as well as a Master of Public Administration. He has obtained the Certified Jail Manager (CJM) credential, awarded by the American Jail Association, and has also completed the National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA) program and the Jail Executive Development Program (JEDP), both at Sam Houston State University. He is a current member of the American Jail Association and has previously served as a board member for the organization.
Passionate about using his industry expertise to help others in law enforcement grow their skills, Joseph has served as an Adjunct Professor for Criminal Justice courses at the University of Phoenix and is a current faculty member for the National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA) at Sam Houston State University.