From Gangs to Greatness: Sheriff Kelly Martinez on Saving San Diego’s Youth
The Mike Litton Experience
Mike Litton
5.0 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 13 October 2025
⏱️ 79 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this powerful episode of The Mike Litton Experience, we sit down with San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez, a trailblazer in law enforcement with over 40 years of service. Sheriff Martinez opens up about her journey from working in county jails to becoming the first woman elected Sheriff in San Diego County history.
We dive deep into the real issues affecting our youth—including gang recruitment, community violence, and the need for early intervention. Sheriff Martinez shares the life-changing impact of programs like “Rise Above” and “The RESPECT Project”, designed to empower vulnerable kids before gangs can reach them.
Hear inspiring stories of redemption, like the young man raised in gang culture who earned three letters of recommendation to Harvard Law, and discover how one caring adult asking the right question can change a child’s future forever.
This episode isn’t just about law enforcement—it’s about leadership, empathy, and the power of showing up.
Subscribe now and be part of conversations that matter. If you’re passionate about community, leadership, and making a difference, this is the episode for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
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The personal and professional journey of Sheriff Kelly Martinez
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How law enforcement is reaching youth before gangs do
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Why asking questions is more powerful than giving orders
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The secret to breaking generational cycles of violence
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How you can make a difference in your community—even without a badge
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I was asked to go work in a men's jail. |
| 0:02.3 | For the first time, we're letting women work on the line in a men's jail, |
| 0:05.8 | and so four of us were selected. |
| 0:07.9 | And I spent the next two years working in a men's facility, |
| 0:10.8 | which was really exposing me to male criminals, |
| 0:15.5 | the criminal element that are men. |
| 0:17.0 | Like I said, 4,200 square miles of the county. |
| 0:19.2 | We have nine of the 18 cities that we do law enforcement for, the 18 tribal reservations. |
| 0:25.1 | We have seven jails, the courthouse security, a number of regional responsibilities. |
| 0:31.4 | So thankfully, after very difficult, what I felt was a campaign, I was elected in 2022 and took |
| 0:41.5 | office about two and a half, almost three years ago now. |
| 0:45.2 | The gangs actively recruit younger members because not only, you know, they need to, |
| 0:51.4 | you know, replenish their group, I guess, so to speak, or they are looking for |
| 0:56.3 | younger kids because they're not going to be suspected of running the drugs or carrying the gun |
| 1:02.0 | or those types of things. So unfortunately, and it's an attractive lifestyle. We need you if you're a |
| 1:07.6 | victim or witness of a crime to call us. We're the ones who are going to answer 911 and come help you. So it's incredibly important. We can't solve crime. We can't save victims. We can't protect people if people aren't talking to us. Yeah. Don't be afraid to say something. Did you know there's a technology that's actually an app on your phone that uses sound waves to tell your brain what you want your brain to do. We had a young man that was a guest on our podcast, the Mike Litton experience, who had a traumatic brain injury. He was sleeping three hours a night. He's using Newcom now and he's sleeping more. Go to Newcom.com. Mike 15 promo code. Newcom.com promo code Mike 15 for an extra 15% off. |
| 1:46.9 | Go today. |
| 1:48.1 | Welcome to the Mike Litton Experience podcast. |
| 1:52.1 | Everyone has a story, and our passion is to help them tell it. |
| 1:56.9 | Mike is passionate about being a father, a teacher, a realtor, an investor, and a leader. |
| 2:03.1 | And now, introducing the host of the Mike Litton experience, Mike Litton. |
| 2:09.4 | Sheriff Kelly Martinez, thank you so much for being our guest on the Mike Litton experience. |
... |
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