Tonight, I’d like to adjourn in memory of a local hero – Detective Joshua Kelley-Eklund – who was one of three detectives who tragically lost their lives on July 18th, during an explosion at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility.
Detective Kelley-Eklund was a member of the elite Arson-Explosives Detail.
He joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in March 2006 as part of Class 348.
Throughout his career, he served with distinction – starting at the Pitchess Detention Center North and the North County Correctional Facility.
He later transferred to the Lennox Sheriff’s Station and went on to become a Field Training Officer at the South Los Angeles Station, where he mentored and shaped the careers of many young deputies.
He was known for his professionalism and commitment to excellence in law enforcement training.
In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Detective and assigned to the LA Impact Team, where he worked on high-stakes investigations involving narcotics and violent crime.
In 2022, he joined the Arson and Explosives Detail of the Special Enforcement Bureau and earned his bomb technician certifications.
Detective Kelley-Eklund was not only an accomplished investigator – he was a proud Santa Clarita resident, a husband and a father.
He is survived by his wife Jessica and their seven children.
His loss is a devastating reminder of the risks our law enforcement officers take every day to keep our communities safe.
On behalf of the City of Santa Clarita, we extend our deepest condolences to the Kelley-Eklund family and to his colleagues in the Sheriff’s Department.
We honor his service, his sacrifice and his memory.
