Roberta Abner retired in 2015 as a Division Chief from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after more than 35 years of dedicated service. As a deputy, Roberta worked as a Custody Division training officer as well as a Patrol Division training officer. Roberta then worked recruitment and was also an academy drill instructor. After her promotion to sergeant, Roberta worked both patrol and investigations. As a lieutenant, Roberta supervised custody operations, patrol, crime lab operations and Internal Affairs.

As a Captain, Roberta oversaw court operations in eastern Los Angeles County and was subsequently selected as the commanding officer of the Temple Sheriff's Station, one of the largest patrol stations in Los Angeles County, overseeing five contract cities and two unincorporated areas. Upon her promotion to Commander in 2003, Roberta served as the Executive Assistant to the Los Angeles County Sheriff.

When she was promoted to Division Chief in 2007, Roberta had responsibility for the staff of over 300 personnel that comprised the Leadership and Training Division, encompassing academy and advanced officer training, Internal Affairs Bureau as well as Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau, Risk Management Bureau, LASD University, Employee Support Services, Civilian Training Unit, and the STAR Unit. She retired as the Division Chief of Homeland Security Division which included the Department's Special Weapons Teams, Arson Explosives, Aero Bureau, Transit Services Bureau and Emergency Operations Bureau. Following her retirement, she transitioned to a Reserve Deputy at the Weapons Training Unit for the LA County Sheriff, where she currently serves.

From 2002 to 2012, Roberta served in a voluntary role as the Southern California Law Enforcement Torch Run Director, leading the program to become one of the top million-dollar fundraising programs internationally. In 2010, she led a team of Southern California law enforcement officers to host the International Law Enforcement Torch Run Conference in Long Beach, and in 2013, she was inducted into the Richard LaMunyon International Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame. Some of her honors include the Special Olympics Southern California "World of Difference" Award (2012), the Los Angeles Police Reserve Foundation "Twice a Citizen" Award (2011), the Golden Badge Foundation "Top Management" award (2009), an inductee to the "Bill Shumard Hall of Fame" (2023) and several meritorious service awards from the Sheriff's Department. In 2015, she oversaw the planning and execution of the routes and ceremonies for the International Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg Team (120 runners who represented programs internationally). The runners carried the "Flame of Hope" to raise awareness for Special Olympics athletes, engaging both law enforcement and the public throughout the state of California. During this same time, she was also responsible for obtaining security for the Unified Relay Across America (URAA) utilizing Reserve personnel from both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to provide security escort teams for law enforcement runners carrying the torch from the east coast to the west coast over a several month period of time.

Roberta served as a Special Olympics Southern California Board Member and Executive Board Member for 12 years, and was selected to serve on the Special Olympics Southern California bid committee for the Special Olympics World Summer Games, which was eventually hosted in Los Angeles in 2015.

Throughout a majority of her career, Roberta was a runner for the Baker to Vegas LASD Women's Running Team and competed for many years in the California Police & Fire Games in Cross Country, Biathlon and Track & Field. She continues to support the Baker to Vegas Women's Team by volunteering to drive a follow vehicle for them every year.

In 2018, Roberta was hired by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District as a part-time Park Ranger with law enforcement responsibility for parks in Simi Valley and the unincorporated area of Oak Park. She continues to serve her home town in this capacity and has assisted the District by updating all the policies and procedures for the rangers. She was named part time employee of the month in December of 2024 and was recognized as one of the "First Responders of the Year" by the Simi Valley Elks Lodge in 2025.

She also currently serves as the President for the Retired Female Deputies (RFD) Social Club which hosts biannual luncheons for both active and retired LASD Colleagues.

Roberta has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Cal State LA and graduated with honors from the USC Executive Master of Leadership (EML) program in 2010. She also graduated from the Leadership Southern California program in 1999.

Roberta resides in Simi Valley with her husband, Phil, a retired LASD Narcotics Lieutenant, who is also a Weapons Training Reserve Deputy with the LA County Sheriff's Department. They have two married adult children and 4 grandkids. Their son, Sean, is a Sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and their daughter, Danielle, is a personal fitness trainer. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling in their motorhome, trips with their grandkids and visiting Hawaii every year. They are both members of the Simi Valley Elks Lodge and Moose Lodge.