Riverside County DA's Office history

These first two investigators were Archie Vandervallen, who had been a motorcycle officer with the Corona Police Department in the early 1930's and then a deputy in the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and Investigator Kelly, who had no prior law enforcement experience.

The Bureau of Investigation traces its roots to 1947, when newly elected District Attorney William Mackey hired two investigators to help prepare cases prosecuted in his office.

In 1967, newly elected District Attorney Byron Morton appointed Paul Lewis as the first chief investigator of the Bureau.

When Lewis retired as chief investigator in 1979, there were 20 investigators countywide - one each in Blythe and Corona; four in Indio; and the remaining 14 in Riverside.

He obtained a Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminology, and moved to Los Angeles to join the Los Angeles Police Department in January 1981.

In March 1984, newly elected District Attorney Grover Trask appointed Michael J. (Joe) Curfman to manage the investigative staff.

Chief Horst served as a police officer in Orange County until 1989 when he went to work as a deputy sheriff for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Joseph last held the rank of detective sergeant before joining the District Attorney's Office as a Senior Investigator in 2004.

In 2006, Chief Horst left the Sheriff’s Department as a lieutenant and was hired by the District Attorney’s office as a supervising investigator.

In June 2007, Chief Hodson retired and newly elected District Attorney Rod Pacheco appointed Victor Greene to manage the investigative staff.

In September 2008, District Attorney Rod Pacheco appointed Vern Horst as Chief of the Bureau of Investigation.

By the end of 2009, construction of the new District Attorney's Office at 3960 Orange Street was complete.

In January 2010, the Bureau of Investigation moved into the District Attorney's new building, thereby reuniting investigators with the rest of the District Attorney prosecutorial team.

In January 2011, District Attorney Paul E. Zellerbach appointed retired Chief Clay Hodson as his new Chief Investigator.

In April 2012, District Attorney Paul Zellerbach appointed Michael P. Moriarty as Chief of the Bureau of Investigation.