By Ashley Quadros, Public Information Officer
Deputy Josephine Strachan moved to the United States at age 3 from Germany and grew up in Butte County, California. She knew from a young age that she would one day pursue a career in the criminal justice field and moved to Nevada County eight years ago after becoming a deputy with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
“My biggest driving force in this career is protecting and being positive influences in children’s lives,” she said. “I can still remember the name of every child whose life I have been involved in.”
As a victim of childhood trauma herself, holding people accountable for their actions, standing up against perpetrators, and fighting for families became her passion. She was a natural fit for the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit where she worked as a detective for five years. To aid her investigative work, she pursued numerous training courses and became a certified specialist in child abuse, sexual assault, and homicide investigations, on top of becoming a child forensic interviewer.
“In 2019 I investigated several kidnappings and sexual assaults, which all appeared to have been committed by the same offender,” she shared. “The suspect was unknown by all the victims, so it was a legitimate ‘who did it.’ With the help from my partners and patrol deputies, I was able to identify the suspect and he was ultimately convicted in 2023 for the crimes. Several of the victims in that case still reach out to me on a regular basis and keep me updated with their lives. It is extremely humbling that they still keep in touch.”
The personal connections she’s formed with all victims remain her motivation—if she can better the life of even just one person, she’ll continue to do everything she can to help.
“I truly am proud to be a part of any case I handle,” she said. “Even if it does not appear to be the crime of the century, it is still life changing for that person.”
Deputy Strachan’s dedication to victim activism and her countless hours dedicated to cases behind the scenes earned her the Investigator of the Year award in 2020. Since that time, she’s also become a field training officer, responsible for training new recruits on the job; she’s a member of the Sheriff’s Honor Guard, responsible for presenting the colors (national flag) at ceremonies and special events; she’s become a Defensive Tactics and Impact Weapon Instructor, responsible for training deputies on armory equipment, technique and safety; and she’s also a member of the Sheriff’s Critical Incident Negotiations Team, which is comprised of specially trained hostage and crisis negotiators who are prepared to diffuse highly volatile situations, including barricaded subjects, hostage situations, and persons who are in crisis and suicidal.
These past eight years, Deputy Strachan has made a mark on her community, and she isn’t finished just yet. When she’s not advancing her career, she impresses her friends with her juggling skills and can often be found playing softball or pickleball, camping with her family, and dancing her heart out.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Deputy Strachan for her commitment to her community and for her unwavering passion to seek justice for all.
