Our Team

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson was sworn into office on January 3, 2011. Parkinson’s career in law enforcement in San Luis Obispo County began when he joined the Morro Bay Police Department in 1984. He transferred to the San Luis Obispo Police Department in 1988, where he rose to the rank of Captain, second in command of the department.

During his career in law enforcement, Sheriff Parkinson was assigned virtually every assignment available to a police officer, including: major crime investigator, training officer, traffic officer, lead defensive tactics instructor, narcotics investigator, field supervisor, and administrative sergeant. Parkinson assisted in directing the development of the first San Luis Obispo County Regional SWAT Team. 

In January 2015, Sheriff Parkinson was sworn in for a second four year term, having run unopposed in the previous election. 

Sheriff Parkinson was re-elected to a third term in 2018 and took the oath of office in January 2019.

In 2022, Sheriff Parkinson ran unopposed and won re-election to his fourth term. He was sworn in January 2023. 

Undersheriff Chad Nicholson was promoted by Sheriff Ian Parkinson on August 18, 2024. Nicholson is a sixth-generation resident of San Luis Obispo County, with his family first settling on the central coast in the late 1800s near San Simeon. He is a graduate of Morro Bay High School and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly State University.

Nicholson attended the Alan Hancock Law Enforcement Academy in 2011, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class and was subsequently hired by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office. Undersheriff Nicholson has worked as a patrol deputy, bailiff, senior deputy, field training officer, and detective. Upon promoting to Sergeant, Nicholson worked as a watch commander, patrol sergeant and detective sergeant where he supervised the major crimes unit and special victims unit.

In 2021, Nicholson was promoted to the rank of commander and assigned to the Professional Standards Unit where he conducted all administrative investigations for the Sheriff’s Office and oversaw the department’s training program. Nicholson was then transferred to command the detective division which encompasses all investigative personnel for the Sheriff’s Office.

During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Undersheriff Nicholson has been an operator, sergeant and commander of the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail (SED).