Captain Ivins is Mission Viejo’s new top cop

Captain Jason Ivins has been named the City of Mission Viejo’s new Chief of Police Services. He began his new post this week. 

“I am looking forward to bringing my experience and diverse law enforcement background to the City of Mission Viejo to continue providing exceptional service to the community,” Captain Ivins said. 

Captain Ivins fills the position last held by Captain Chris McDonald who is now part of the Sheriff’s Department’s newly created Operations Support and Intelligence Division in Tustin.

Captain Ivins joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1999 and was first assigned to the Central Men’s Jail in Santa Ana. In 2006, he served in Patrol Operations for the City of San Juan Capistrano and was a member of the South Directed Enforcement Team, a specialized unit that focuses on career criminals and violent offenders. 

Captain Ivins became a K-9 handler in 2012 and served as Patrol K-9 Team Leader for two years. 

In 2017, he was promoted to sergeant and served in a variety of assignments as a supervisor, including the North Operations Homeless Outreach Team and the Special Enforcement Bureau’s K-9 Services. 

He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2023 and assigned to oversee special projects and serve as the watch commander for the Theo Lacy Facility. 

Most recently, Captain Ivins led the Behavioral Health Bureau, overseeing collaborative programming with the Orange County Health Care Agency to balance enforcement with providing resources for those experiencing homelessness or mental health crises. 

When not working, Captain Ivins enjoys spending time traveling to US National Parks with his family, surfing, mountain biking and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.