2024 STars hall of fame

Wayne Woo

Placer County Sheriff

Bella Vista HS ‘88

Born and raised in the Sacramento area, Wayne Woo began his career in law enforcement in 1990 with the Lake County Sheriff's Office and joined the Placer County Sheriff's Office in 1994.

As Wayne rose through the ranks, he served in many units, including Investigations, where he worked as a Detective in Property Crimes and Special Investigations, rising to Sergeant in the Special Operations Unit. He also served for over 18 years on the Special Enforcement Team (S.E.T.), where he worked as an operator, team leader, and eventually team commander. He is considered an extraordinary tactical leader throughout the region.

As a Lieutenant, Wayne served as the station commander for the South Placer Substation in Loomis. In 2012, Wayne was promoted to Captain as the Corrections Division Commander, where he worked to fund, staff, and open the South Placer Jail.

In 2013, he transferred to the Field Operations Division, where he served until  February 2017, when Sheriff Devon Bell appointed him as his Undersheriff.   As Undersheriff, he managed the Sheriff's Office's budget and the day-to-day operations of the entire multi-faceted agency. 

Wayne had spent over five years at every level of the Placer County Sheriff's Office, and when Sheriff Devon Bell announced his impending retirement, Wayne felt called to lead the agency. Wayne was elected the 29th Sheriff of Placer County in June 2022.  

In addition to his duties at the Sheriff's Office, Wayne currently serves as a general board member of the Placer Sheriff's Activities League, PSAL. He is also a past board member of KidsFirst and the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Placer County. These organizations are dedicated to ending child abuse and neglect, supporting his keen interest in early childhood intervention. 

Wayne graduated from Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, CA, and received his master's in Criminal Justice Management from the University of Nevada, Reno. Wayne resides in Newcastle with his wife. He is a father of three and grandfather of 3.