There’s a few new faces at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Department.

David Holland has been hired to patrol on Orcas Island. He began working on Nov. 30. Holland is formerly of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in Riverside, Calif. He has more than 10 years of law enforcement work and was named the 2014 Deputy of the Year for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. He spent eight years as a street-level deputy with Riverside County, assigned to Indio Station, and two years as a military police officer. Prior to that he spent 12 years in corporate investigations.

“When I interviewed him, it was immediately apparent that he would fit in here,” said Sheriff Ron Krebs. “He fits the vision of community policing that I have for this department.”

Although Riverside is a much larger community than Orcas, Krebs said Holland’s ideals of how law enforcement should operate matched his own. Holland, who is in his 30s, is currently in field training and in mid February will attend a two-week equivalency course at the Washington State Criminal Justice Academy in Burien, where he will become more familiar with Washington state law as it applies to actions of law enforcement officers.

“Some of the laws are different here than in California,” Krebs said. “This two week class addresses that.”

Holland said he and his spouse wanted to move to Washington and eventually retire here.

“We determined that if we could find an agency that would be a good fit for me, and a community we both could start and raise our family in, then we would make the move from southern California,” he said. “I did about six months’ worth of research, looking into law enforcement agencies, and made four different trips up here. During one of those trips we found the San Juan Islands.”

He met with officials at the San Juan County Sheriff’s office and “that’s how it all started.”

He said what they liked most about the community was “getting to meet our neighbors, folks in town and being in an area that is beautiful. We enjoy the outdoors, spending our time exploring the islands. And feeling as though we are far enough away from all the hustle and bustle of the big city that we have come to be way too familiar with.

“Washington, politically, is very similar to California, however, I think the biggest difference is accessibility to the great outdoors. The geography, demographics and weather is what’s really been the key draw us to Washington. Washington does get sunshine, and more than what I was led to believe. My initial impression was that it rained everyday out here.”

He and his spouse, Carlos Salas, have been together for 20 years. They have two great “kids,” Sarra, a Bessingi dog, and Zeke a German Shepard.

“We are looking at eventually adopting (children),” he said. Carlos is an entrepreneur and they have plans to start a tour guide business on Orcas.

Also hired to patrol on Orcas Island was Jason Gross, 31, who currently lives in Lacey, Washington. Gross is a former U.S. Marine who served eight years. He will start the Washington State criminal justice academy training on Dec. 27. Following six months of training, he will begin patrolling on Orcas.

“He just knocked my socks off,” Krebs said of Gross’s interview. “He is new to police work, but I know he’s going to be great at it.”

Krebs said when he hires he likes to have a mix of officers who have experience elsewhere and some whom don’t.

“We can mold them to our policing style,” he said. “That mix is important.”

Gross is single and will move to Orcas after completing his academy training. He is currently employed at a retail home improvement store.

“He just loves the islands,” Krebs said. “He’s very excited to be coming here.”

Once the two deputies are in place on Orcas, Deputy Doug Maya will move from Orcas to be based out of the Friday Harbor sheriff’s office.

“There’s no firm date for that,” said Krebs, “but it’s in the works.”

Maya has been with the department nine years and requested the move to Friday Harbor.

The department currently has 17 sworn officers, Undersheriff Brent Johnson and Krebs on staff.