We have many good men and women have come to work for the Sheriff’s Office. We are proud of our employees and the work they do. It can be a very demanding job both on patrol and in the jail. As with any job, there can be long hours and tough demands. But those employees who can handle the pressures of the job and keep a positive attitude are the ones who I appreciate the most. We had an employee like that who recently retired. And I would like to introduce you to him. His name is Tim Meinhold.
Now Tim is not someone you heard a lot about. But I want to change that. Tim was a Correctional Deputy at the County Jail. He was one of those employees who came in, did his job, always there to lend a hand, and always had a smile on his face. He’s an example of the kind of work ethic we look for at the Sheriff’s Office.
Tim was born and raised in San Luis Obispo. He’s a part of the Meinhold family. If you’ve lived for any time in San Luis Obispo, chances are you’ve heard the name Meinhold. It’s a big family with lots of brothers and sisters with deep roots in San Luis Obispo County.
Tim began his career at the Sheriff’s Office in April of 1996. Tim had a couple jobs before deciding to get into law enforcement. But you have to understand, one of the reasons he joined the Sheriff’s Office is that he comes from a whole family of law enforcement professionals. No pressure there, right? So, Tim becomes a Correctional Deputy and over the next 23 years, he works in just about every capacity that the County Jail offers. He worked in the main jail, the women’s jail, Classification Unit, Honor Farm, and the Courts. Tim was the driving force behind the Women’s Jail expansion project. He did such a good job, he received the Distinguished Service Award in 2017.
Not only was Tim a hard worker, but his positive energy radiated wherever he went. He was well respected by his colleagues. All you had to do was ask his supervisor, who said, “I’ve never met anyone who had a bad word to say about Tim.”
On Tim’s last day, a small gathering took place to honor Tim and his accomplishments. And in his typical low-key manner, Tim gave credit to everyone else for making his time at the Sheriff’s Office such a rewarding experience. “I’ve had a great 23 years working at the Sheriff’s Office. They are like my second family and I will miss them. But it will be great now to reacquaint myself with my first family,” said Tim. “Thanks to all those I’ve worked with for making my time at the Sheriff’s Office so special.”
Tim and his wife Michelle have four kids, two boys and two girls. He now plans to do a little traveling and enjoy his retirement.
I want to personally thank Tim for being a wonderful addition to the Sheriff’s Office family. To congratulate him on his retirement and on a job well done.
