Department Overview
Our mission is to work in collaboration with our community to protect life and property, while enhancing the quality of life in our city. This shall be accomplished through the creative use of resources, community education and involvement and mutual respect within our department and our city. Click here to access the police department’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan.
Mission: As members of our diverse community, we selflessly serve as guardians with empathy, fairness and respect, to protect life, prevent crime and enhance quality of life.
Vision: The Pleasanton Police Department will always be a model of excellence and a leader in the law enforcement profession.
Service
We remain committed to providing exceptional service to our community.
Courage
We will stand up for what is right, persevere through adversity and confront danger when called upon.
Leadership
Initiative, ownership and creative problem solving are fundamental qualities valued at all levels of our organization.
Safety
We will preserve a safe community through balance of traditional and contemporary law enforcement strategies while maintaining a commitment to the safety and wellness of all employees.
Teamwork
Our shared success can only be accomplished through collaboration with our community and each other because our diverse backgrounds, skills and beliefs make us better together.
Department Structure
The City of Pleasanton has a five-beat system for deployment of personnel to ensure response time goals of under 4:00 minutes for emergency calls and under 20:00 minutes for non-emergency calls. Five full-time equivalent employees are required to staff one beat for the entire year.
Chief Tracy Avelar
Police Chief
Chief Tracy Avelar was selected to serve as Pleasanton’s City Police Chief in 2024. She brings over 20 years of policing experience and previously served with the Foster City Police Department as their Police Chief. Her career spans all areas of police operations and administration. She advanced through the ranks serving in roles such as patrol officer, Youth Services, Field Training Officer, Administrative Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain.
Chief Avelar holds a Bachelor of Arts from Union Institute and University and a Master’s Degree in Homeland Defense and Security from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Ca. She is a graduate of the Sherman Block Leadership Institute, LAPD Leadership and possesses an Executive Certificate from California POST.
Chief Avelar has held positions on several boards to include The Rotary Foundation, Leadership Council San Mateo County Founding Board, Critical Reach Board 2024 President of the San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff Association and President of the California Police Chiefs Association.
Police Department Budget
The Pleasanton Police Department is budgeted for 118.5 full time positions. 83 peace officers and 35.5 professional support positions, such as public safety dispatchers, records personnel, an animal control officer and community service officers.
Policing provides safety services 8,760 hours per year; the average full-time employee (FTE) works 2,080 (non-overtime) hours per year. As such, personnel costs represent 89% or $25,287,998 of the $28,427,946 police department budget.
To view the full two-year Police Department budget by division, turn to page 123 of the City’s FY 2023/24 and 2024/25 Operating Budget.
