Jason Benites became Oxnard’s twenty-second Chief of Police on December 29, 2020.
Jason joined the Oxnard Police Department in 1993, after graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles. His prior education includes attending the United States Naval Academy. During his career as a Police Officer he has worked in the Patrol Division, and served as a Field Training Officer, bicycle officer, and was one of three officers who opened a community storefront in Downtown Oxnard. Upon his promotion to Senior Police Officer, he served as a Beat Coordinator, and was later assigned to detectives until his promotion to Sergeant in March of 2001. Jason returned to the Field Services Bureau as a patrol Sergeant before supervising detectives in the Oxnard Violent Crimes Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional team that partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Upon his promotion to Commander in December of 2003, he returned to the Field Services Bureau as one of four watch commanders, and also served in the Patrol Support Division. During his time as a commander, he played a role in developing the Neighborhood Policing Strategy, a staffing plan whose purpose was to further strengthen the Oxnard Police Department’s community policing and problem-solving practices.
Jason was promoted to Assistant Chief in November of 2006, and over the course of fourteen years in that rank, served as the:
- Investigative Services Bureau Chief from 2006-2009
- Administrative Services Bureau Chief from 2009
- Investigative Services and Administrative Services Bureau Chief 2010-2012
- Field Services Chief 2012-2019
- Investigative Services and Administrative Services Bureau Chief 2019-2020
He is a 2008 graduate of the California POST Command College. He has also been serving on the California Police Chiefs Association’s board of directors as a Region Representative since September 2021.