By: Barbara Archer, City of Davis
The City of Davis is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Petersen to the position of Deputy Police Chief.
Deputy Police Chief Petersen comes to the City of Davis with over 28 years of public safety experience, having previously served as Assistant Sheriff at the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout his career with the Sheriff’s Office, Matt held various assignments with increasing levels of responsibility. As Assistant Sheriff, Matt employed his extensive operational, command and executive experience to manage the day-to-day operations of multiple service areas, including patrol, investigations, special operations, asset management, contracts and regional services. Matt particularly enjoyed developing relationships with community groups, other county departments, elected officials and numerous local, State and federal agencies, working in collaboration to provide the highest level of service to the community. The Deputy Police Chief position has been vacant since October 2024, following the appointment of Police Chief Henry.
“I am honored to step into this role and serve the Davis community alongside the dedicated members of the Davis Police Department,” said Deputy Police Chief Petersen. “I look forward to working collaboratively with City leaders, local organizations, and the people of Davis to continue to foster a safer and more connected community.”
“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Matt’s caliber and experience joining our team,” said Police Chief Todd Henry. “Throughout the nationwide search, it became clear that Matt stood out as the best candidate to help us move forward in our ongoing efforts to keep Davis safe and an amazing place to live, work, and grow. Matt’s extensive experience, both professionally and within our region, will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our services and improve the quality of life for our entire community.”
Matt earned a Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management, is a graduate of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Leadership Program and has completed the California POST Executive Development Program.
This August, Matt and his wife, Gloria, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They have two adult children and twin granddaughters.
