Pomona Police Department

If the Pomona Police Department has arrested or is investigating a family member, a loved one of even you, you need to know the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense (if an own recognizance (OR) release is denied), the legal and factual requirements to convict one for the crime or crimes that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime. 

We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is also beneficial to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be valuable, to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the city’s demographics, the most frequent types of crime the department investigates and just a bit about the city’s history to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful.  This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with this goal in mind.

The Pomona Police Department has 169 sworn police officers and 60 civilian employees, making it one of the larger police departments in Los Angeles County.  Pomona has approximately 160,000 residents as of 2024, spread out over 22.99 square miles.  Pomona is the fifth largest city in Los Angeles County.

Our office, over the last 26 years, have handled many cases out of the Pomona Courthouse, from DUI”s to domestic violence, to vandalism, to grand theft, to prostitution, to possession of drugs, to sales of drugs, to illegal possession of a firearm.  We have also handled juvenile matters in the Pomona juvenile court.  We find the judges and District Attorneys in Pomona to be tougher on sentencing and plea bargaining than in other Los Angeles courthouses.

The city is the site of the Fairplex, which hosts the L.A. County Fair and the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show.  The swap meet (for car parts and accessories) is part of the car show, which is a single-day event held seven times throughout the year.

The racial makeup of Pomona, in 2010, was 70.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% African American, 8.5% Asian and approximately 11.1% non-Hispanic White.  

According to Mapping L.A., in 2024, Mexican and German were the most common ancestries in Pomona.  Mexico and El Salvador were the most common place of birth for those in Pomona not born in the United States. 

During 2009–2013, Pomona had a median household income of $49,474, with 21.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
In 2022, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted 716 homeless individuals in Pomona.

Since the 1980’s, Pomona's newest neighborhood, Phillips Ranch, experienced rapid growth with homes still being built in the hilly area between Downtown Pomona and Diamond Bar to the east. Today, Phillips Ranch is nearly all residential.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is located southwest of the junction of the 10 and 57 freeways.  The university was established on the site of breakfast cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg’s ranch located on the city's western corner.  The university has over 24,000 students and covers an area of over 1,437 acres (5.82 km2).  The university is known for its agricultural, hospitality, engineering and architectural programs. 

According to Neighborhood Watch, “With a crime rate of 37 per one thousand residents, Pomona has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities.  One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 27.  Within California, more than 91% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Pomona.” 

For Pomona, the violent crime rate is one of the highest in the nation, across communities of all sizes (both large and small).  Violent offenses tracked included rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon. According to FBI reported crime data, one’s chance of becoming a victim of one of these crimes in Pomona is one in 167.  One of our favorite clients had his brother murdered in Pomona, so we regard Pomona as a city with a violence problem.

Significantly, based on the number of murders reported by the FBI and the number of residents living in the city, Neighborhood Scout's analysis shows that Pomona experiences one of the higher murder rates in the nation when compared with cities and towns for all sizes of population, from the largest to the smallest.

The 12th Street Sharkies and Happy Town Pomona are perhaps the most well-known gangs operating within Pomona.

Below is the Google Map to the Pomona Police Department.