The department made national headlines on May 9 , 1980 , when five men armed with shotguns , an assault rifle , handguns , and an improvised explosive device robbed the Norco branch of Security Pacific Bank . Since dubbed the " Norco shootout " , deputies responding to the bank robbery call , armed only with their pistols , confronted the perpetrators outside the bank and a prolonged gun battle and subsequent vehicle pursuit ensued . The aftermath of the incident left 33 patrol cars damaged or completely destroyed , one sheriff 's helicopter shot down , three robbers imprisoned for life , two robbers dead , eight sheriff 's deputies wounded , and one deputy killed in the line of duty
Norco shootout
Norco shootout
Riverside County Sheriff's Department