Oxnard police commander dies while attending Orange County training session

An Oxnard Police Department officer died this week while attending a week-long training session in Orange County, according to the department. 

"It is with tremendous heartbreak and sadness that we share the sudden loss of Oxnard Police Department Commander Scott Aaron," said a news release shared on Saturday. 

They said that Aaron was in Orange County for a training assignment, which was scheduled to be completed on Friday. However, when he didn't show up to training on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, a welfare check was conducted at his hotel by Orange County Sheriff's Department personnel, the release said. 

"Commander Aaron was located inside his hotel room, and was pronounced deceased at approximately 9:20 a.m. on January 9," according to the release. 

Department officials said that Scott's cause of death remains under investigation. They said that the Orange County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy in the coming days.

"No foul play is suspected, and it is not suspected that his passing will be attributed beyond natural causes," the release said. 

Aaron joined the Oxnard Police Department in 2004, according to the release. During his time with the department, he served as a patrol officer and sergeant, as well as a field training officer, range master, traffic officer, beat coordinator, family protection investigator and supervisor, patrol watch commander and a professional standards sergeant, the release noted. He was promoted to Commander in May 2025. 

"Scott served our department and community with the utmost dedication, compassion, and professionalism, said a statement from Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites. "He was a very hard-working and talented officer - an example for others to follow.  If we needed something handled, and handled with excellence, we called on Scott.  He loved Oxnard, he was proud of his service, and he was a dedicated husband and father.  He will be remembered fondly with love and respect."

His law enforcement career began in 1996 in Virginia, before he moved to California in 2002, the release said. Before that, he was in the U.S. Marine Corps. 

Scott leaves behind his wife, two daughters, a grandson and his mother.