BIOGRAPHY

Sheriff Ralph E. Ogden

Yuma County, Arizona
Yuma, AZ
(928) 783-4427

Yuma County Sheriff Ralph E. Ogden began his law enforcement career with the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office in 1970 after completing four years of service in the United States Marine Corps.  His 40 year career began as a dispatcher and jailer in Parker.  He was promoted to Deputy one year later and transferred to Wellton to become the area Sergeant. 

In November 1980, he became Chief Deputy for the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office and served in that position until December 1992.  He successfully campaigned for the office of Sheriff of Yuma County in 1992 and took the oath of office in January 1993.  He has been the Sheriff for the last 17 years, currently serving the community in his fifth term of office.

A graduate of the FBI National Academy in 1980 and the National Sheriff’s Institute in 1983, Sheriff Ogden is a member of numerous local organizations including the Caballeros de Yuma, Yuma County Fair Board, Emergency Management Advisory Council, Amberly’s Place Executive Board, Local Area Planning Committee, Yuma Area Ag Council, and Select Council on Progressive Enforcement, to name a few.

Sheriff Ogden is currently the Chairman of the Southwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area  Board of Directors and the State of Arizona Homeland Security Coordinating Council, the Vice Chairman of the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission and serves on the Federal Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council Security Task Force. 

He is a member of numerous criminal justice organizations such as the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority, Arizona Substance Abuse Prevention, Western States Sheriff’s Association, National Sheriff’s Association, Policia International, and the Arizona Homeland Security Stone Garden Oversight Committee.

Sheriff Ogden is the past president of the Arizona Sheriff’s Association, the Arizona County Attorney and Sheriff’s Association and the Arizona Association of Counties; the past Chairman of the Southwestern Border Sheriff’s Coalition and past Chairman of the Law Enforcement Subcommittee of the National Association of Counties Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee

Sheriff Ogden enjoys relaxing with his wife, Patty, to whom he has been married for 39 years.