Police Chief Ken Corney joined the Ventura Police Department in 1986. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1995, Commander in January 2000, Assistant Chief in December of 2003, and appointed as Police Chief in December of 2009.

During his career, Chief Corney served as a Patrol Officer, Field-Training Officer, Gang Investigator, Crisis Team Negotiator, SWAT Operator, Team Leader and Commander. Chief Corney was also the supervisor of the Special Enforcement Team and Gang Violence Suppression Unit (SET/GVS).

During his tenure as Special Enforcement Team Supervisor, Chief Corney led the team that obtained nearly five million dollars in state and federal grants to support innovative department programs, including the Drug Suppression in schools, Gang Violence Suppression, and Youth At-Risk Programs. Chief Corney also spent more than 20 years actively developing and leading the department’s Arrest Control and Use of Force program efforts.

Chief Corney holds a California POST Executive Certificate and has a Master’s degree in Organizational Management from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations/Journalism from California State University, Long Beach. He is also a graduate of California’s POST Command College and the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Policing. In addition to serving as an Executive Fellow with the National Policing Institute, Chief Corney currently serves as First Vice President of the California Police Chiefs Association, and he is a frequent participant in the Police Executive Research Forum’s focus groups on critical issues in policing.