For Emergency Service call 911. 

All non-emergency calls should be directed to:

South County - 770-6011

North County - 647-7000
(do not dial the area code)

Lt. Ron White,
Chief of Police Services
(949) 635-1819

On January 1, 2000, Rancho Santa Margarita became the 33rd city in Orange County. Nestled against the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, the city has a population of approximately 49,898 and covers approximately 15 square miles. Rancho Santa Margarita has more than 1,700 acres of dedicated open space, including a 13-acre community lake and nine community parks. Located between Mission Viejo and Coto de Caza, the city is master planned to offer employment, schools, shopping, recreational amenities and a wide variety of housing.

More than 50% of Rancho Santa Margarita is planned as open space and recreational facilities including the picturesque lake and beach club with a swim lagoon, miles of pedestrian and bicycle paths and the popular Tijeras Creek Golf Club. The city also offers several schools, including Santa Margarita Catholic High School, day care centers, a long list of places of worship and a neighborhood shopping center.

Rancho Santa Margarita contracts with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for all its law enforcement needs. Lieutenant Ron White, a twenty-five year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, serves as Chief of Police Services. He oversees a staff of five sergeants, two investigators, fifteen deputies, one motorcycle deputy, three traffic enforcement deputies, one admin/school resource deputy, one deputy assigned to the Directed Enforcement Team, two community services officers, one investigative assistant, one crime prevention specialist and one administrative assistant.

The Sheriff’s Department is responsible for public safety and general law enforcement within the city, including patrol services, traffic enforcement and criminal investigations. Police Services also provides a variety of community policing programs for the public including crime prevention, Business Watch/Neighborhood Watch and community awareness programs.

Click here to e-mail the Police Services Chief for the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.