November 27, 2025 – Mariposa County Sheriff's Office officials report that every year, this program reminds 
us just how meaningful it is to serve our community, not just through public safety, but through compassion, connection, and giving back. The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office and the Mariposa County Sheriffs Foundation are proud to help lead this effort and support families across our county during the holiday season.
This year, thanks to the incredible teamwork of the Sheriffs Foundation, Mariposa Safe Families, Pioneer Market, Mariposa County Search and Rescue, Mariposa County Probation, and so many other agencies and volunteers, over 200 families will have a Thanksgiving meal.
Seeing our deputies, SAR members, probation staff, local partners, and community volunteers working side by side to lift up our neighbors is something truly special. It’s a reminder that our community is strongest when we come together.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated, packed, delivered, or supported Operation Turkey in any way. Your generosity is what makes this possible.
Wishing our Mariposa community a warm, safe, and happy Thanksgiving!
View video here or see video one below.
Soooo… got pulled over.
BUT NOT BY A sheriff… oh no…They were pulled over by THEE Sheriff and THEE Undersheriff themselves.
And then, plot twist, they handed over a whole TURKEY DINNER.
It was like… “Happy Thanksgiving, drive safe, here’s your mashed potatoes.”
Only today (on Wednesday).
Only Thanksgiving.
Only Mariposa.
Stay safe out there, and may all your “traffic stops” this holiday weekend come with gravy.
View video here or see video two below.
Operation Turkey – Part Two: “Traffic Stops” That Stay with Us
Not every call is routine. Sometimes our deputies meet people whose stories stay with us, people doing everything right, working hard, giving back to their community, yet still facing circumstances that make life a little heavier than it should be.
At the Sheriff’s Office… we see you.
We remember you.
And we care.
This special “Traffic Stop” was a moment of giving back. Deputy Mirelez delivered a Thanksgiving turkey dinner to a deserving Mariposa County Library employee, someone who works for our community and inspires us with their dedication.
A small gesture. A big reminder: Gratitude matters. Community matters. People matter.
View video here or see video three below.
Operation Turkey – Part Three: "Traffic Stops" Doing the Right Thing
Sometimes doing the right thing comes naturally.
Sometimes it goes against every bit of your grain.
And sometimes… it involves helping the very neighbor who’s caused your family nothing but grief.
This family knew something was different yesterday. The “usual” yelling coming from next door had a tone they’d never heard before, panic instead of anger, pleas for help instead of insults. Cold, foggy conditions made it even harder, but their instincts told them something wasn’t right. So they called the Sheriff’s Office.
With the help of our Search & Rescue team, we located the neighbor down an embankment, trapped beneath his side-by-side.
Because this family made the call, despite their difficult history, they saved his life.
Deputy Mirelez says it best in the video:
This family truly embodies the spirit of the holidays.
Doing the right thing isn’t always easy.
But sometimes, it’s everything.
View video here or see video four below.
Video one below.
Video two below.
Video three below.
Video four below.
Source & photo: Mariposa County Sheriff's Office
