Command changes hands at substation

Lt. Arnold Aldana has replaced Lt. Rick Lopez as head of the San Diego Sheriff's Fallbrook Substation, as of Jan. 3. Aldana has been with the department for 23 years and has worked all over the county.

At the Jan. 16 Fallbrook Community Forum, he introduced himself and gave an overview of his career. He has been a jail deputy, on patrol in East County and was stationed in Temecula. He also worked in domestic violence and on financial crimes with an FBI task force. Along the way he also worked a stint in Fallbrook.

When Aldana was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, he was sent to Encinitas and worked in Personnel, then in internal affairs and financial elder abuse. He has also served in Vista. Aldana hopes to be here long term, but "the door is always open" he said, "My secretary has had nine bosses in the last nine years."

Lt. Lopez had started his stint in Fallbrook July 6, 2018.

An in depth interview with Aldana will be coming next month.