Patrol Bureau

Patrol Bureau

The Patrol Bureau is led by Captain Estrada who is responsible for all uniformed patrol personnel who respond to calls for service and critical incidents, as well as the Department’s canine (K-9) officers, Mental Health Evaluation Team, and the Department’s Partnerships in Policing (PIP) Team.

Maintaining the best emergency response time possible to the Culver City community is the paramount goal of the Patrol Bureau. In working to sustain that high level of service, each patrol shift has officers assigned to each of the City’s five patrol districts, which helps the Culver City Police Department maintain an impressive emergency response time.

Captain Estrada acts as the appointing authority for all personnel under his command and reports directly to the Assistant Chief of Police.

Biography - Captain Sorai Estrada

Sorai was raised in the City of Downey and graduated from Warren High School in 1994. He joined the Culver City Police Department in January 2000 after completing the Rio Hondo Police Academy (Class #153).

Throughout his career as a Police Officer, Sorai served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Crime Impact Team Detective, School Resource Officer, and Special Victims Unit Detective.

In 2011, Sorai was promoted to Sergeant, where he worked as a Patrol Supervisor, Special Victims Unit Supervisor, and Group 1 Supervisor assigned to the LA IMPACT Narcotics Task Force.

In September of 2018, Sorai was promoted to Lieutenant. In that role, he served as a Patrol Watch Commander, Administration Lieutenant, Special Operations Lieutenant, Executive Officer to the Chief of Police, and Professional Standards Unit Lieutenant.

In November 2025, Sorai was promoted to Captain and currently oversees the Patrol Bureau. Sorai holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach. He has also completed several professional development programs, including the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.

He has received multiple department awards, including the “Curt Massey” Career Achievement Award and the Distinguished Service Award. For thirteen years, Sorai was also a dedicated runner on the department’s Baker to Vegas Team. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, traveling, and cheering on the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.