As I enter my fourth year as Chief of Police, I remain even more committed to leading this department with purpose, accountability, and a clear vision for the future. I am proud of the progress we have made, but I also recognize that continued growth requires us to remain forward-thinking, intentional, and willing to challenge ourselves to become better.

My commitment is to create meaningful growth opportunities for our personnel, strengthen our leadership, and be even more intentional in leading our team in a forward-moving direction. Building and retaining a strong team allows us to increase our capacity, strengthen our services, and better support the needs of our schools and community.

My team and I are also more determined than ever to advance our school safety initiatives. Our goal is not simply to create safer campuses, but to build safety in a way that also promotes a welcoming and positive learning environment. Safety and belonging should work together. Our students and staff deserve to feel safe, supported, and confident in the environments where they learn and work each day.

As a K-12 police department, our role extends far beyond responding to emergencies. We have an opportunity to build relationships, prevent problems before they occur, support our educators and families, and partner with the district in creating environments where students can thrive.

Our commitment is simple: to be present, prepared, professional, and purposeful in everything we do.

We will continue to listen to our community, strengthen our partnerships, invest in our people, and look for new ways to support the district. Whether the need involves school safety, emergency preparedness, student support, community engagement, or simply being there when our schools need us, we are committed to supporting our district in any way necessary.

Ultimately, our goal is to help create a safe space for every student and staff member—a place where students can learn, staff can teach, and our school communities can grow and succeed.

I am grateful for the men and women of the Stockton Unified School District Police Department who come to work every day committed to this mission. I am equally grateful to our students, families, staff, district leadership, and community partners for the trust they place in us.

The work continues, and we are ready for what comes next.

Chief Mayra Franco