Thomas Chaplin has been in law enforcement for over 27 years.  In 1989, he began his career with the Sacramento Police Department, where he worked for 12 years serving as a patrol officer, neighborhood police officer and narcotics detective. In 2001, he was selected by the California Department of Justice to serve as a special agent on the Sexual Predator Apprehension Team.  He ultimately promoted to the position of Special Agent in Charge.  In 2006, he was hired as a lieutenant by the Citrus Heights Police Department, where he served as a member of the start-up team for this brand-new police department.  He served as a lieutenant and commander for the Patrol and Investigations divisions and founded the Citrus Heights Police Activities League, serving as its president for 5 years.  In 2013, he was hired as the Chief of Police for the Walnut Creek Police Department, where he currently serves.

Chief Chaplin is on the California Police Chiefs Association’s Board of Directors and chairs the association’s Training Committee.  Chief Chaplin holds a Master’s degree in Emergency Services Administration from California State University, Long Beach.  He is a graduate of the CA POST Command College and has published an article in the California Journal of Law Enforcement, titled Cybercriminals have Passed Law Enforcement By.  Let’s Catch Back Up! He has been a Commissioner on the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) since 2016.