SAN DIEGO–Former Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter has been named the Interim Director of the Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS).
Carter attended his first SANDAG Public Safety Committee meeting as the interim ARJIS leader Friday.
The ARJIS Director position became vacant in January when long-time director Pam Scanlon passed away. She led the ARJIS team for more than 20 years.
ARJIS was created to share information among justice agencies throughout San Diego and Imperial counties. The system has evolved into a complex criminal justice enterprise network used by more than 60 local, state, and federal agencies in the two California counties – Imperial and San Diego — that border Mexico. The ARJIS governance structure promotes data sharing and cooperation at all levels for member agencies, from chiefs to officers to technical staff.
Carter has extensive experience leading and managing the region’s law enforcement community. In addition to his six years as Escondido police chief, and a total of 28 years of service with the Escondido Police Department, Carter has deep familiarity with the ARJIS program having served on the SANDAG Public Safety Committee as an associate member between 2013 and 2019.
As police chief, Carter oversaw more than 300 employees and a $46 million annual budget to protect and serve the more than 140,000 city residents and visitors.
In his new role at SANDAG, Carter will oversee ARJIS and lead major public safety initiatives including a robust mobile program that provides public safety personnel with access to critically needed data in the field, including warrants and photos; crime and sex offender mapping; crime analysis and statistical reporting; and an enterprise system of applications that help users solve crimes and identify offenders.
Carter earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Bellevue University, and his Master of Science Degree in Law Enforcement Public Safety Leadership from University of San Diego.
Carter has agreed to hold the interim director position for one year while SANDAG initiates recruitment to fill the position permanently.
