Gary Hampton was hired by the City of Turlock as the new Chief of Police. Gary Hampton will be leaving his position of Oakdale Chief of Police and start working for the City of Turlock on Aug. 1st.
The search for a new Chief of Police took about six months and included 49 applicants.
Gary Hampton should be a strong and positive addition to the community considering that’s what he holds in high esteem, the community. Hampton has already stated thoughts on quality of life, building in-roads with the community and going to the root of a problem to fix it.
Turlock has benefited from a great Interim Chief of Police in Tony Dosetti and now will benefit from the hiring of Gary Hampton.
Included down below are a few questions and answers along with a much appreciated bio he submitted.
Q & A
What makes Turlock an attractive place to work?
My career in law enforcement spans 24 years and has become an extension of my life and because of that, where I work directly impacts my family. Therefore, it is essential that the community where I practice my career offer my family and I an enriched and quality life style. Turlock fits that bill with it’s many amenities and unique qualities. My family and I are excited by the opportunity to live in a community where our family, career, educational, entertainment, recreational and faith needs are all available within one community.
Turlock also enjoys the benefits of strong leadership within the community, elected officials and team of City Department managers assembled to facilitate operation of the City infrastructures. This group of leaders stands out through their progressive approach and innovativeness. One does not hear phrases such as: “we don’t do it like that here”, “it can’t be done”, or “it’s not my job” coming from the leadership of Turlock .
Simply put, I want to be part of a leadership TEAM that has established themselves as the best of the best and genuinely committed to serving the community. The City Council and Department Heads of Turlock have established this reputation through embracing innovativeness, change, calculated risk taking and tangible action in place of posturing. Although at this point my relationship with the City has been looking from the outside in, the past several months of interacting and engaging in activities to attain the appointment as Police Chief has served to validate my observations and CHOICE to move my family and career to Turlock .
What “challenges” does the Turlock community face from a law enforcement perspective?
Let me offer the two most glaring “challenges” from my perspective today:
First, Turlock is a very safe community comparative to California cities of similar size. However, Turlock is no different than any other community located in the Central Valley , which are all experiencing impacts of the Methamphetamine epidemic. This epidemic has permeated our communities and is threatening our quality of life. Byproducts of the epidemic can be seen in the increase of property crimes and gang activity. Turlock Police Services has developed capacities to combat this epidemic, but the future will not permit complacency. The Department must continue to stay involved in the effort to thwart the trend – and more importantly insure that there is a comprehensive strategy. The strategy must utilizes all resources within the community, the greatest being community involvement.
Secondly, “Quality of Life” issues are generally those instances where the conduct or actions of individuals do not rise to criminal culpability, but often have greater impacts on a broader spectrum of the citizenry, than crime itself. It is important to develop a comprehensive strategy to resolve these matters, addressing the root of the problem, rather than the symptoms. The Turlock community, if not already, will be challenged with a broader and greater intensity of these types of issues. Forecasting this trend will position the community and police services to collaboratively develop proactive procedures and programs, serving to support and enhance the quality of life.
What are the biggest differences between working in a community of 70, 000 compared to one with 20,000?
Expectations and demands placed on police services obviously increase with the populous. However, it is also my experience having previously worked in a community of 80,000 (before working in a community of 20,000), that the resource levels increase proportionally. With those increased demands and resources, the necessity to forecast trends and events and routinely engage in cause and affect analysis, is essential to maintaining a proactive approach to serving a community. Equally important is a clear vision, with defined goals and objectives – that serve to accomplish the vision of the stakeholders.
Gary R. Hampton
(Professional Biography)
Gary Hampton, the City of Turlock ’s new Chief of Police, is 45 Years old, married 23 years to wife, Debbie. They have two daughters: Ashley 21 and Nichole18, both of whom reside at home and attend college locally. Recently completing construction of a vacation cabin on Lake Shasta , the Hampton family spends much of their free time enjoying family outings. Chief Hampton and his family have begun making arrangement to move to the Turlock community.
Raised in Antioch , Gary worked in the construction business with his father, a building contractor. After graduating from Antioch High School , Gary was introduced into law enforcement while attending Los Medanos Junior College in Pittsburg . In 1982, he was appointed as a Reserve Police Officer with the Antioch Police Department, graduated from the Los Medanos Police Academy in 1983, and began his full time career in law enforcement.
Chief Hampton’s 24-year law enforcement career has included appointments to nearly every position within a mid-size law enforcement agency. Much of this experience comes by way of employment with the Pittsburg Police Department, located in the East Bay county of Contra Costa , and the Tracy Police Department in San Joaquin County . The last 6 of his 10 years with the City of Tracy , he commanded each of the two Bureaus that comprise that Police Department. Leaving Tracy as their senior Police Captain, he assumed the position of Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale , to which he was appointed in December 2003. During Chief Hampton’s tenure as Oakdale Police Chief, he has lead the organization toward consecutive years of crime reduction and placed an emphasis on enhancing the quality of life for the community.
As well as his technical training in law enforcement, Police Chief Gary Hampton joins the Turlock Police Department with a wide array of leadership and management experience. He has attained Management and Executive Management certification through the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). He is also a graduate of the P.O.S.T. Command College , an intensive two-year law enforcement training program specifically designed for law enforcement management and executives. Chief Hampton’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration from the Union Institute in Sacramento , and a Master of Arts Degree in Organizational Leadership and Business Management from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga .
