John J. Benoit
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Benoit is a Republican
member of the Riverside County
Board of Supervisors, who took office on December 1, 2009. A resident of Bermuda Dunes
, his prior political experience includes election to the Desert Sands Unified School District
Board of Education, service as a member of the California State Assembly
, representing the 64th Assembly District, covering Riverside County, from December 2, 2002 to November 30, 2008, and service as a California State Senator
from the 37th district
from December 1, 2008 until November 30, 2009, when he resigned to become a Supervisor.
in Riverside and went on to earn an A.A. degree at Riverside Community College
in 1974. In 1978, he earned a B.S. degree from California State University, Los Angeles
and then earned a Master of Public Administration
from California State University, San Bernardino
in 1993. In 1986, he graduated from the FBI National Academy
.
A resident of Riverside County for most of his adult life, Benoit's career has been in public safety
and education.
Benoit's law enforcement career spanned 31 years including two with the Corona Police Department and twenty-nine with the California Highway Patrol
. His CHP career included assignments in the Los Angeles basin
(patrol, motor officer), Sacramento
, Bakersfield
, and finally Indio
, where he was Area Commander from 1988 until his retirement in 2001. He also served as a Volunteer Fire Captain with the Sunset-Whitney Fire Department in Placer County from 1982 to 1984.
Benoit was elected and served as a member of the Desert Sands Unified School Board
from 1999 to 2002. He has also served as a United Way Board member since 1989, serving two terms each as president and general campaign chairperson. He is a past-president of the Indio Rotary, and a parishioner of Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Senator Benoit is a pilot, holding commercial, multi-engine, and instrument ratings , and an advanced class amateur ham radio operator, call sign WA6IAD.
Benoit married his wife, Sheryl, in La Crescenta
in 1978. She is an Executive Assistant with the Desert Sands Unified School District
and together they have two children, Benjamin and Sarah, and are the grandparents of granddaughter Abrielle Benoit.
, including the Cities of Banning
, Beaumont
, Calimesa
, Canyon Lake
, Corona
, Desert Hot Springs
, Hemet
, Indian Wells
, Lake Elsinore
, La Quinta
, Menifee
, Moreno Valley
, Norco
, Palm Desert
, Palm Springs
, Perris
, Rancho Mirage
, San Jacinto
, and the communities of Anza
, Bermuda Dunes
, Cabazon
, Cherry Valley
, El Cerrito
, Home Gardens
, Homeland
, Idyllwild
, Lakeland Village
, Lakeview
, March Air Reserve Base
, Mountain Center
, Nuevo
, Valle Vista
, Winchester
and Woodcrest
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
Board of Supervisors, who took office on December 1, 2009. A resident of Bermuda Dunes
Bermuda Dunes, California
Bermuda Dunes is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California. The population was 7,282 at the 2010 census, up from 6,229 at the 2000 census. Bermuda Dunes is located near Indio and east of Palm Springs....
, his prior political experience includes election to the Desert Sands Unified School District
Desert Sands Unified School District
The Desert Sands Unified School District is a public school district located in La Quinta, California. The district was founded in 1964 after the state of California department of education consolidated all of Indio public schools at the time...
Board of Education, service as a member of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
, representing the 64th Assembly District, covering Riverside County, from December 2, 2002 to November 30, 2008, and service as a California State Senator
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
from the 37th district
California's 37th State Senate district
California's 37th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Bill Emmerson of Hemet.-District profile:...
from December 1, 2008 until November 30, 2009, when he resigned to become a Supervisor.
Personal life and career background
Born in Kankakee, Illinois, Benoit graduated from Notre Dame High SchoolNotre Dame High School (Riverside, California)
Notre Dame High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Riverside, California. It is across the street from Saint Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church on Arlington Avenue. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino.-Background:...
in Riverside and went on to earn an A.A. degree at Riverside Community College
Riverside Community College
Riverside City College, or RCC, is a community college located in Riverside, California, United States. The college is part of the Riverside Community College District, as well as the larger California Community Colleges System.-History:...
in 1974. In 1978, he earned a B.S. degree from California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
and then earned a Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
from California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino, also known as Cal State San Bernardino or CSUSB is a public research university and one of the twenty three general campuses of the California State University system. The main campus sits on in the suburban University District of , United States, with...
in 1993. In 1986, he graduated from the FBI National Academy
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
.
A resident of Riverside County for most of his adult life, Benoit's career has been in public safety
Public Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
and education.
Benoit's law enforcement career spanned 31 years including two with the Corona Police Department and twenty-nine with the California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
. His CHP career included assignments in the Los Angeles basin
Los Angeles Basin
The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the Peninsular and Transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs...
(patrol, motor officer), Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, and finally Indio
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
, where he was Area Commander from 1988 until his retirement in 2001. He also served as a Volunteer Fire Captain with the Sunset-Whitney Fire Department in Placer County from 1982 to 1984.
Benoit was elected and served as a member of the Desert Sands Unified School Board
Desert Sands Unified School District
The Desert Sands Unified School District is a public school district located in La Quinta, California. The district was founded in 1964 after the state of California department of education consolidated all of Indio public schools at the time...
from 1999 to 2002. He has also served as a United Way Board member since 1989, serving two terms each as president and general campaign chairperson. He is a past-president of the Indio Rotary, and a parishioner of Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Senator Benoit is a pilot, holding commercial, multi-engine, and instrument ratings , and an advanced class amateur ham radio operator, call sign WA6IAD.
Benoit married his wife, Sheryl, in La Crescenta
La Crescenta-Montrose, California
La Crescenta-Montrose is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California, encompassing those parts of the Crescenta Valley not in the cities of Glendale or La Cañada Flintridge. However, both the unincorporated area and the portion of incorporated Glendale...
in 1978. She is an Executive Assistant with the Desert Sands Unified School District
Desert Sands Unified School District
The Desert Sands Unified School District is a public school district located in La Quinta, California. The district was founded in 1964 after the state of California department of education consolidated all of Indio public schools at the time...
and together they have two children, Benjamin and Sarah, and are the grandparents of granddaughter Abrielle Benoit.
State Senate
Benoit, a retired California Highway Patrol Commander, was the first Senator with a full-time law enforcement background since former Riverside County Undersheriff Robert Presley, who retired in 1994. Benoit introduced legislation to create criminal penalties for smuggling or possessing cell phones in State prison facilities. Additionally, he introduced RJ's Law, a proposal to randomly drug test welfare recipients.Rankings, awards and recognition
As a result of his efforts to improve education, Benoit was named 2003 Outstanding Legislator of the Year by the California School Boards Association. Benoit has received a 100% legislative vote rating by the California Chamber of Commerce (2005), California Taxpayers Association (2004), California Farm Bureau Federation (2006), and California Manufacturers and Technology Association (2005). In 2007, he was named Legislator of the Year by the California Rifle & Pistol Association and by the California Narcotics Officers' Association.37th Senate District
During his time in office, the 37th Senate District spanned Riverside CountyRiverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, including the Cities of Banning
Banning, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Banning had a population of 29,603. The population density was 1,281.6 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Banning was 19,164 White, 2,165 African American, 641 Native American, 1,549 Asian, 39 Pacific Islander, 4,604 from other...
, Beaumont
Beaumont, California
Beaumont is a city in Riverside County, California, United States in the Greater Los Angeles area.Now a growing, community planned city, the population was 36,877 at the 2010 census, and expected to be up to 125,000 projected by 2040, making Beaumont as California's next, newest fastest-growing...
, Calimesa
Calimesa, California
Calimesa is a city in Riverside County, California, United States in the Greater Los Angeles area. The population was 7,879 at the 2010 census, up from 7,139 at the 2000 census. It is situated on the San Gorgonio Pass.-Incorporation:...
, Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake, California
Canyon Lake is a gated community in Riverside County, California, United States. One of only five gated cities in California, Canyon Lake began as a master-planned community developed by Corona Land Company in 1968. The “City of Canyon Lake” was incorporated on December 1, 1990. It geographically...
, Corona
Corona, California
Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 152,374, up from 124,966 at the 2000 census...
, Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs, California
Desert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region, sometimes referred to as the Desert Empire. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 United States...
, Hemet
Hemet, California
Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in Riverside County, California, United States. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto. The population was 78,657 at the 2010 census....
, Indian Wells
Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, in the Coachella Valley , in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,958....
, Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore, California
For the lake see Lake Elsinore.Lake Elsinore or LE is a city in western Riverside County, California. The population was 51,821 at the 2010 census...
, La Quinta
La Quinta, California
La Quinta is a resort city in Riverside County, California, USA, specifically in the Coachella Valley between Indian Wells and Indio. The population was 37,467 at the 2010 census, up from 23,694 at the 2000 census. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the nation's leading golf destination...
, Menifee
Menifee, California
Menifee is a relatively new city located in Southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The city is roughly in size. As of the 2010 census, Menifee has a population of about 77,519...
, Moreno Valley
Moreno Valley, California
Moreno Valley is a city located in Riverside County, California.A relatively young city, its rapid growth in the 1980s and the first decade of the 21st century made it second-largest city in Riverside County by population, and one of the Inland Empire's population centers. As of the 2010 census,...
, Norco
Norco, California
Norco is a city in Riverside County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,063, up from 24,157 at the 2000 census...
, Palm Desert
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...
, Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
, Perris
Perris, California
Perris is a city in Riverside County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city population was 68,386, up from 36,189 at the 2000 census. The city is named in honor of Fred T. Perris, chief engineer of the California Southern Railroad...
, Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. In between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the eight cities of the Coachella...
, San Jacinto
San Jacinto, California
San Jacinto is a city in Riverside County, California, U.S.A. It was named after Saint Hyacinth and is located at the north end of the San Jacinto Valley, with Hemet to its south. The mountains associated with the valley are the San Jacinto Mountains. The population was 44,199 at the 2010...
, and the communities of Anza
Anza, California
Anza is a census-designated place located in southern Riverside County, California, in the Anza Valley, a semi-arid region at a mean elevation of above sea level. It is located south of Idyllwild, and approximately southwest of Palm Springs, southeast of Los Angeles, California and...
, Bermuda Dunes
Bermuda Dunes, California
Bermuda Dunes is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California. The population was 7,282 at the 2010 census, up from 6,229 at the 2000 census. Bermuda Dunes is located near Indio and east of Palm Springs....
, Cabazon
Cabazon, California
Cabazon is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 2,535 at the 2010 census, up from 2,229 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Cherry Valley
Cherry Valley, California
Cherry Valley is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 6,362 at the 2010 census, up from 5,891 at the 2000 census...
, El Cerrito
El Cerrito, Riverside County, California
El Cerrito is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. It is an unincorporated area mostly surrounded by the city of Corona...
, Home Gardens
Home Gardens, California
Home Gardens [aka Riverside Valley Home Gardens] is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 11,570 at the 2010 census, up from 9,461 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Homeland
Homeland, California
Homeland is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 5,969 at the 2010 census, up from 3,710 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homeland is located at ....
, Idyllwild
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California
Idyllwild, Pine Cove, and Fern Valley are three adjacent communities, of which Idyllwild is the largest, located in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County, California, United States. "Mile-high Idyllwild" is a popular southern California mountain resort about one mile in altitude...
, Lakeland Village
Lakeland Village, California
Lakeland Village is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 11,541 at the 2010 census, more than double the 5,626 reported at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Lakeview
Lakeview, California
Lakeview is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 2,104 at the 2010 census, up from 1,619 at the 2000 census...
, March Air Reserve Base
March Air Reserve Base
March Joint Air Reserve Base is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 4th Air Force Headquarters and the 452d Air Mobility Wing , the largest air mobility wing of the 4th Air Force...
, Mountain Center
Mountain Center, California
Mountain Center is a census-designated place in west central Riverside County, California. It lies along State Route 74 in the southern division of San Bernardino National Forest, just north of Lake Hemet. Mountain Center lies midway between Hemet and Palm Desert, and it is southeast of the city...
, Nuevo
Nuevo, California
Nuevo is a rural community located east of the city of Perris and Lake Perris in Riverside County, California, United States. The population of the census-designated place was 6,447 at the 2010 census, up from 4,135 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Valle Vista
Valle Vista, California
Valle Vista is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 14,578 at the 2010 census, up from 8,356 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Valle Vista is located at ....
, Winchester
Winchester, California
Winchester is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 2,534, up from 2,155 at the 2000 census....
and Woodcrest
Woodcrest, California
Woodcrest is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 14,347 at the 2010 census, up from 8,342 at the 2000 United States Census. The adjacent city of Riverside lists Woodcrest as an area for potential annexation.-History:The Woodcrest area was...