About
the Los Angeles County Marshal's Department
In 1923,
the California Legislature amended the State Constitution to create a municipal court system as well as the office of Marshal
as the court’s enforcement arm. The act provided for a municipality with
a police in excess of 40,000 to have a court. In 1950, the voters amended the
California State constitution and change municipal courts to district courts. As
a result, all of the municipal courts within Los Angeles County fell under a single jurisdiction. Just as the municipal courts
were merged into districts, so were the various Marshal offices.
Beginning
in 1952, the Los Angeles County Marshal’s Department was responsible for court security, control of in-custody person
and the service of bench warrants issued by courts in Los Angeles County. In
1994, as a result of a study conducted by the Board of Supervisors which found that it would be cost effective to merge the
900 personnel of the Los Angeles County Marshal with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Marshals were
merged with the County Sheriff.
