Sacramento County Set To Name Its First African-American Undersheriff

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department is naming its first African-American undersheriff next week.

Deputy Chief Erik Maness started by flipping burgers, but he's far from wrapping up his 26-year career at the sheriff's department.

From the ranks of patrol officer to a deputy chief supervising hundreds of officers, Maness still remains humble.

"I've had a lot of good people in my life. Certainly not something I've accomplished on my own," he said.

Next week, he'll be the first African-American promoted to undersheriff in the department's 160-plus year history. He'll be the second in command over the entire department, but there's one thing he wants to make clear.

"At the end of the day I know that I wasn't appointed to that rank because I'm African-American," he said. "I was appointed because of my qualifications."

Born and raised in South Sacramento surrounded by several gangs, it's his family and faith that keeps him grounded.

"My parents. My mother, my father. They raised me properly. Gave me a good foundation," Maness said.

Wanting to be a lawman since he was 6 years old, his journey actually began at the McDonald's on 29th and Florin. A customer pulled up to the drive through window where he was working.

"It was an African-American recruiter and he talked me into taking the test for Sheriff's department and so the rest is history," he said.

His message to young people is dreams can come true, regardless of race or where you come from.

"You can even exceed our dreams," he said. "So I accept that responsibility as a role model."