The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office provides the community safety with the jail, criminal patrol, investigations, civil process, animal control, traffic safety, code enforcement, court security and search and rescue. In 1994 the Deschutes County Adult Jail was built and it has a capacity of 228 beds. Deschutes County strives to have a Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) Program. The "comprehensive" aspect of CEM includes all four phases of disaster or emergency activity: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. It also applies to all risks: natural disaster, man-caused, technological, terrorism, energy, and material shortages.

The Search and Rescue Division (SAR) averages over 100 training and actual missions each year and its mission is to provide search and rescue assistance to the citizens and visitors of Deschutes County. SAR consists of five teams. These are: A general ground search team plus specialized teams for winter search and medical evacuation, mountain rescue (technical climbing), water operations (SCUBA, ice, swift water), and canine search.

The K-9 Unit Division members are on call 24 hours a day and the teams of officers and dogs are trained in tracking and narcotics detection. Dogs are trained to locate suspects who have walked or run away from crime scenes or have barricaded themselves in a building/house. They are also trained to protect the handler and to hold a violent or dangerous person from escaping. These and other vital services are provided to all the residents in Deschutes County under Sheriff Les Stiles.