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Public Safety

Officials Celebrate Reopening Of San Diego Sheriff's Museum

By Dwane Brown / KPBS Evening Edition Anchor/Reporter
Published October 12, 2015 at 12:34 PM PDT
This story was published more than 9 years ago.
A display at the Sheriff's Museum honors Bill Kolender, Oct. 12, 2015.
Dwane Brown
A display at the Sheriff's Museum honors Bill Kolender, Oct. 12, 2015.
Officials Celebrate Re-Opening Of San Diego Sheriff's Museum
Officials Celebrate Reopening Of San Diego Sheriff’s Museum
The museum, which was named in honor of former Sheriff Bill Kolender who died earlier this month, features the history of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

An image of the first jailhouse in San Diego County is on display at the Sheriff's Museum, Oct. 12, 2015.
Dwane Brown
An image of the first jailhouse in San Diego County is on display at the Sheriff's Museum, Oct. 12, 2015.

Officials gathered Monday to celebrate the grand re-opening of the William B. Kolender Sheriff's Museum in Old Town San Diego.

The museum, which was named in honor of former Sheriff Bill Kolender, who died earlier this month, features the history of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The museum is housed in the county's first jailhouse, which was built by the region's first sheriff — Agoston Haraszthy, a Hungarian count — in 1850.

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"He built the first jail," said museum volunteer Don Fowler who served as a deputy for 33 years. "The first guy to escape out of that jail was Roy Bean." Bean was later a famous judge.

All the items in the museum are authentic and were previously used by law enforcement. It was named after Kolender in 2001.

"Sheriff Kolender brought us into the 21st century," said Chuck Curtis, co-chair of the museum. "He got along well with the Board of Supervisors. He hated politics but he was a great politician. He got things done."

For more information about the museum, go to sheriffmuseum.org.

William B. Kolender Sheriff's Museum in Old Town San Diego, Oct. 12, 2015.
Dwane Brown
William B. Kolender Sheriff's Museum in Old Town San Diego, Oct. 12, 2015.

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Public Safety San Diego
Dwane Brown
Brown started his career with KPBS in the early '90s as a radio anchor and reporter before expanding his broadcast news experience at CBS radio and television in New York. He’s been a news director, anchor, reporter and correspondent in San Francisco and has worked as a writer, producer, assignment editor and talk show host. He returned to KPBS in 2005. As the former anchor for KPBS Evening Edition, Brown provided an in-depth look at issues and stories relevant to San Diego. He spent nearly seven years as anchor/host of Morning Edition on KPBS Radio. Between 2006 and 2010, the San Diego Press Club named Brown "Best Morning Newscaster" in San Diego Radio. In 2006, the Society of Professional Journalists also named him "Best Morning Newscaster." During that time he managed and taught a two-week high school boot camp for aspiring radio reporters at KPBS in conjunction with the California Chicano News Media Association. Brown studied English/Journalism at San Diego State University and is a Fast Trac graduate from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. He’s a popular public speaker and Toastmaster International member. He’s been master of ceremonies for the American Red Cross, VA Medical Center San Diego, Urban League, San Diego Office of Emergency Services and numerous foundations. Brown is also a voice actor for movie, documentary, television, radio and Internet projects.
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